Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)June 7th, 2004
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
----------------------------------------
When a certain thirteen year old wizard returns for his third year at Hogwarts it is under the guard of the terrifying dementors who look for the return of escapee Sirius Black (Gary Oldman, "The Contender") the man who betrayed the Potters to Lord Voldemort and may now be out to kill their son in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón ("Y Tu Mamá También") takes the reins for the third, decidedly darker and more mature edition of the Harry Potter series and delivers a suitably gloomy looking, more serious film. While the lack of colorful amusements make the film's long running time occasionally flirt with tedium, an influx of terrific British actors, the oncoming adulthood of the film's three young stars and the fabulous effect that is the Hippogriff Buckbeak sock this one over into new territory.
After an extended prologue featuring Harry's escape from the Dursley household aboard a magical purple triple-decker bus, Cuarón sets the tone within a rain-drenched train compartment. As water streams down the windowpanes (all beautifully shot by new director of photography Michael Seresin, "The Life of David Gale") the eerie dementors attack Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), who is saved by a mysterious occupant who turns out to be none other than Hogwarts's new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Remus Lupin (David Thewlis, "Timeline").
Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon, "Gosford Park," taking over for the late Richard Harris) addresses the Sirius Black gossip with warnings about how to behave around the dementors. Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) tries to needle Harry about fainting in their presence, but he's shown up during Hagrid's (Robbie Coltrane) first class as the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Malfoy Senior retaliates by obtaining a death warrant for Buckbeak. Hermione (Emma Watson), whose sudden appearances have been perplexing Ron (Rupert Grint) and Harry, pops Draco one in the kisser. Meanwhile Harry is discovering that many people are not who they seem as Snape (Alan Rickman) lectures on werewolves and the Marauder's map supplied by the Weasley twins shows Peter Pettigrew, the presumably deceased former friend of Harry's parents, walking the halls of Hogwarts.
Cuarón subtly introduces adolescent changes within his stars' dynamics. Hermione is less talk and more action, including small physical indications of an attraction to Ron. Ron, in turn, lets his annoyance with his female friend slowly turn into appreciation. Harry is less victimized. If things continue in the direction J.K. Rowling has taken and Cuarón has adapted the series to, it is likely that Radcliffe, Watson and Grint could last through the franchise. The quality of actors drawn to this project continues to amaze as well. In one shot alone, I was astonished to realize I was watching Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis and Timothy Spall ("The Last Samurai") all lending to the Potter mystique. Rickman continues to be the single most intriguing element of the Potter series. Here the actor makes a great entrance into his classroom, slamming a trio of huge shutters one by one with a point of his wand as he heads to his podium. Emma Thompson ("Love Actually") joins the cast as Divination Professor Sibyll Trelawney and she's a jolt of eccentric hilarity, this film's only true comic relief, although Dawn French (TV's "French and Saunders") has her moments as the Fat Lady of Gryffindor Tower. Gambon gives a slightly different interpretation of Dumbledore from Harris's more benign interpretation, but rightfully so - the stakes are being raised. Cuarón opted to change the head wizard's appearance for this outing as well, giving him a more organic, less magical look. Watch closely for Julie Christie ("Troy") as a pub owner in what amounts to a few seconds of screen time.
Cuarón's production accentuates the wildness of Hogwarts' surroundings. The Whomping Willow is a touchstone for the passing of the seasons and Scotland's Glen Coe is used as a majestic backdrop. The de rigueur Quidditch match is darker as well, held in the driving rain. A scene where Harry flies on Buckbeak's back is stunning, particularly as the fantastical creature skims the water between two peaks. The Hippogriff is amazingly realized, but the dementors, for all their initial eeriness, have a tendency to look like a Halloween edition of Charm Pops thereafter. A time travel element is neatly handled and edited.
"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" marks a distinct change of tone, but hopefully the next film will blend back in some more of the magical moments.
B
For more Reeling reviews visit http://www.reelingreviews.com
More on 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'...
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
