Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)



Movie Title: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Year Released: 2004

Rated: PG

Runtime: 2h 22min

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Writer: Steve Kloves

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Richard Griffiths, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters, Julie Christie, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright, Matthew Lewis

Review: Harry Potter's (Daniel Radcliffe) third year at Hogwarts starts off badly when he learns deranged killer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison and is bent on murdering the teenage wizard. While Hermione's (Emma Watson) cat torments Ron's (Rupert Grint) sickly rat, causing a rift among the trio, a swarm of nasty Dementors is sent to protect the school from Black. A mysterious new teacher (David Thewlis) helps Harry learn to defend himself, but what is his secret tie to Sirius Black?

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third installment in the Harry Potter film franchise, and the introduction of the great Gary Oldman into the franchise. Oldman's portrayal of infamous mass-murderer Sirius Black is fantastic, and quite captivating as the details surrounding his character unfold. Everything about this film carries a more mature tone. The themes are more geared toward adults as well as the characters themselves, who appear significantly older than in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. There's a lot of emotional depth in this film as Harry Potter struggles to come to grips with the fact that the person who betrayed his parents is now on the loose, and furthermore coming to the realization that Black may mean more to him than meets the eye. Alfonso Cuarón does a fantastic job of capturing the beauty of the wizarding world. This film certainly has a different look and feel than the previous two installments with regards to the cinematography and the world that has been created. A minor criticism for me, is that this film was the first one to extensively stray from J.K. Rowling's book series. While the story is mostly the same, there are several storylines that are vastly different. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but staunch Harry Potter book readers may find it a bit annoying. At the end of the day, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a wild ride with an abundance of magic and wonder in an absolutely spectacular setting. The story is unpredictably intricate, clever, and a pure joy to watch from start to finish!

Stars (out of 4):
       

Fun Fact: Aware of his fondness for music, Gary Oldman presented Daniel Radcliffe with a bass guitar as a gift when they met.



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