Review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) by Stewart H — 26 Dec 2013

Harry Potter's third outing sees the franchise take a much darker tone, and while Azkaban isn't quite as fun as the two previous films. It's definitely the strongest movie so far. All the old faces are there, except sadly Richard Harris as Professor Dumbledore, who passed away shortly after the release of The Chamber of Secrets. Thankfully though, another extremely talented actor was brought in for the part, and Michael Gambon adds a little more playful energy to the character.

Our three leads are now fully settled into their roles, and their performances just get stronger and stronger with each film. My only gripe on the acting front is still with Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy. Just such a comic book school bully. Annoying, but not in the way he should be. Thankfully, his contributions are limited, and more than compensated for by two excellent performances from Gary Oldman as Sirius Black, and David Thewlis as Professor Lupin.

On the technical side of things the visual effects are excellent, and the film is gorgeously photographed. The story too is incredibly intriguing, and should keep you hooked, and guessing right until the end.

Movie Prep:

This is a much darker movie that the previous two films, and perhaps a little too intense for really young kids. There's little to no attempt to provide any back story, so watching the first two films in the series is recommended before you take on Azkaban.

Best Format:

This is a stunning looking film. If a theater were re-screening this it would be worth seeing on a big clear digital screen. At home, and HD viewing over a decent surround sound system is recommended.

Best moment for me:

I love the scene where Harry Potter gets the ride Buckbeak for the first time. John William's score is beautiful, and the visuals are breathtaking.