Harry Potter
AND THE
PRISONER
OF AZKABAN

2004 ***** 142 mins.

How can I possibly begin?

Well, I guess I shall start with the book by J. K. Rowling. The book is, without a doubt, the best one I have read in the series thus far. The story has an incredibly dark feel to it, and upon completion of it, I thought it was one of the best books I have ever read. J. K. Rowling really took the series to a whole new level with her third installment.

For those of you who may be interested, I am writing this review at 3.36 A.M. on June 4, 2004. I have just returned home from seeing the very first showing of this film at 12.01 A.M. In all honesty, I'd only finished reading the book the morning of June 3, 2004. I was so in love with the book that I knew I had to see the very first showing of the film. I wanted, badly, to see how the film was going to be. My thoughts may be slightly difficult to put into words, but I shall try.

My initial reaction to this film was . . . WOW! The new director, Alfonso Cuaron, has taken Harry Potter into the realms of a movie masterpiece. Some may say that this statement is a bit extreme, but it couldn't be closer to the truth.

First of all, let me defend Chris Columbis, the director of the first two films. He did a great job. However, Alfonso Cuaron has a firm grasp on the darkness that is required for this third film, that I am sure Chris Columbus would not have been able to bring to it. The sheer look of this film is wonderful. The entire film has a grayish/blueish tint to it, giving it a darker look and feel. Most of the time the sky is covered with clouds. If it is not simply covered with clouds, then it is covered with clouds and pouring down rain. How much darker could one possibly get? However, this darkness does bring out the bright spots of the film better. For example: the Patronus is a breathtakingly wonderful sight. Alfonso Cuaron has brought to this series an artistic quality that was not in the first two films.

Now, allow me to compare the film to the novel. Before I do, though, one must keep in mind that I am writing this due to the fact that I am an aspiring filmmaker. It is in my opinion that a film should not be too close to a book. If one wants something that is close to the book, then he should read the book. A film is a separate entity. This film is just that: a separate entity. I mean, yes, the story is the same. All of the main points are there. Even some of the dialouge is close to the book. However, quite a few parts have been dropped. For example, there is only one Quidditch match in the film: the one where Harry falls off his broom. When Harry is in Hogsmeade, Malfoy does not see him at all, even when Harry is throwing snowballs at him and beating him around. It's just a pleasant little laughing scene that adds a perfect comic relief. How the Firebolt is given to Harry is much different, but the meaning of it is much stronger. There are many other changes, but I won't go into them all here. I don't want to ruin the film for you completely, now do I? I must say, though, that die hard fans of the novels and many motion pictures nowadays may be unsatisfied with the dropping of many parts. However, I see it as this: all the information you need is there. Alfonso Cuaron, simply, forces you to dig a bit deeper for figure out some of the answers for yourself.

The film is, even, a perfect length. Being based on J. K. Rowling's book, the story is very well paced. She knows how to keep the reader guessing at what is going to happen next. She keeps throwing in things here and there that may not seem important at the time, but in the end you realize just how imporant they really are. With the parts of the story that were dropped though, it keeps the film flowing smoothly. I will not say that the time seemed to fly by because that will sound as though I did not get it all. Rather, the time of the film did not seem to matter. I was so engrossed in the film that I could not wait to see what happened next. Keep in mind that I had already read the novel, and I knew what was going to happen. The film was so powerful that it still had me on the edge of my seat. Even the ending credits are wonderful. I am only going to say two words about the ending credits. Marauder's Map.

I will add, though, this film is not for the young or squeamish. The creature transformation at the end may be too much for young ones to handle, and the Dementors frighten the mess out of the viewer. So, parents, be prepared to have your children screaming from nightmares after seeing parts of this film.

Oh, and I must add a bit about Gary Oldman. Gary Oldman plays the notorious Sirius Black, the "Prisoner of Azkaban". Gary Oldman has got to be one of the greatest actors of our time. Every time I see him in a film, it is hard to believe that he is Gary Oldman. I watch him in this film as Sirius Black, then as Drexl Spivey in True Romance, and I marvel at his acting ability.

To wrap this all up, the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a motion picture masterpiece that truly adds new depth and dimensions to the world of Harry Potter.
Rated PG for frightening moments, creature violence, and mild language.

• Original theatrical aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (Super 35)
• Premiered in the U.K. on May 31, 2004

• ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS: Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score (John Williams) and Best Achievement in Visual Effects (Tim Burke, Roger Guyett, Bill George, and John Richardson)