Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Review
by Homer Yen (homer_yen AT yahoo DOT com)June 8th, 2004
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban – You'll Be Wild about Harry
by Homer Yen
(c) 2004
Expecto Petrolum! Some might think that's what President Bush would like to say to the Saudi Kingdom to address the concern of readily rising gas prices. Imagine if our Commander-in-Chief could wave a magic wand, state his wishes that the US expects petroleum (Expecto Petrolum, get it?), and then * boom * production increases. Yes, that would be magical.
However, for those less concerned with global affairs and more interested in the happenings within the world of Harry Potter, Expecto Petrolum is a sign that our favorite young wizard is starting to better understand his potential. Indeed, in this third film installment of the J.K. Rowlings best-selling series, Harry is starting to mature. He is learning how to harness his wizardry skills. He is also coping with the mystery surrounding the death of his parents. And his two closest friends, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), are also growing up. Ron still bumbles for humorous effect. But he isn't quite the effete bundle of nerves that we've known him to be. Meanwhile, Hermione continues on track to be valedictorian of her class.
Impressively, the Harry Pottter world has also matured. It's darker, edgier, and more menacing. "The Prisoner of Azkaban" is a faithful adaptation that's more visually sumptuous and also more structurally clever than the first two installments. Atmospherically, it's certainly the best of the bunch thus far.
The most captivating elements revolve around the incredibly detailed setting. It is a time and place that seems like an endless magic show. Within the Hogwarts School, shifting staircases allows access to different parts of the building. Pictures take on their own lives. The grand dining room, with its suspended candles and old world opulence, makes you wish you were a student there. Meanwhile, you'll also see a bevy of magical creatures that can only be appreciated by watching the film rather than by reading this review.
The prisoner of Azkaban is Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) who has recently escaped from what was thought to be an inescapable prison. He was convicted in a plot to murder Harry's parents. Now, many fear that he is coming after Harry to finish the job. He is one of three new colorful characters that bring an extra dimension of odd goofines to this world. The other two include a daffy diviner named Sybil Trelawney (Emma Thompson) and a friendly teacher named Professor Lupin (David Thewlis) who teaches Harry a couple of very powerful tricks.
Perhaps for the first half of the film, though, there is too much abracadabra. The visuals occupy too much of the film and the amount of creativity might actually numb you. It isn't until the last third of the movie when the story begins to take shape. The payoff occurs during this section as a nifty time travel element is introduced. This allows for some tense moments as our heroes attempt to take advantage of having a second chance.
Only the dourest of souls would dislike this film. It's endlessly imaginative, it's easy to digest, it's a fun family film, and it's beautiful to watch. It puts the Potter series in a whole new light, and as Harry might say, "luminous maxima."
Grade: B
S: 0 out of 3
L: 0 out of 3
V: 1 out of 3
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.
