Review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) by Harry W — 18 Apr 2014

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was one of my more favourite Harry Potter films for various reasons, and looking back in it now it easy to see why.

Director Alfonso Cuaron very 1recently won the Academy Award for Best Director for making the 2013 science fiction masterpiece Gravity, and his eerie and tense direction on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban shows early on just how skilled he is as a filmmaker, even when adapting someone else's high-profile material which has to live up to the big name of the series it comes from. Thanks to him, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban proves to reach a new heights for the series which was previously unsurpassed and ensures that it ends up being all that it can be. Even though sometimes minor details drom the story aren't brought into the film adaptation and may leave audiences who haven't read the novel facing minor confusions, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban still proves to be an impressive piece of cinematic fantasy.

From a technical perspective, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a step up from its predecessors in certain areas while maintaining the same lavish production design, costumes and scenery of the previous films.

The cinematography in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is exceptional. Instead of following a more conventional route like in its two predecessors, the camera work in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the greatest technical aspect of the film which has stepped up since its predecessors. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban makes use of a lot of great techniques which establish a certain fearful claustrophobia at times as well as using occasional tracking shots which are the magnificent high point of the camera work. The cinematography in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is thoroughly impressive which is no surprise as director Alfonso Cuaron's latest film Gravity also won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, and I believe that Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban deserved a nomination for the same award.

And the Academy Award nominated visual effects hit an all new heights in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. With a lot of mythological creatures in its story, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban depicts them practically flawlessly by making their movements a lot more organic and going into a lot of physical detail on the look of them too. There are scenes where certain characters make transformations, and in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban they are done very well with great detail which makes for impressive visual imagery and ensures that the nature of the story has an excellent appearance.

Also, the musical score follows the same tune as the previous films while adding a certain touch to it which reveals an unprecedented magic to it which fits into both light and dark territory, establishing its atmosphere as it deals with scenes of both nature.

When it comes down to storytelling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban explores material a lot darker than in the preceding Harry Potter films. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban touches on the mythology of werewolves and the creation of dementors, a creature iconic of the Harry Potter series. It also goes in to exploring the characters more deeply and the background of Harry Potter's parents and the nature of their death without skipping out on a game of Quidditch and even adding the idea of time travel. While the time travel concept is ignored in later films and could have changed the course of many events for the better which is odd, it's a nice touch to this story.

And as the material of he series grows more and more dark, the cast members mature more and more which makes them step back into their roles with unflinching ease.

Daniel Radcliffe is great from the start in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and that never changed over the course of the entire feature. Consistently, Daniel Radcliffe captures the harsh reality of being a boy without family on the search for answers as to whose fault it was that he has ended up in that position. And with his age comes an entirely new form of heroism. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the point where Harry Potter begins to transition from being a boy into being a man, and you can see that Daniel Radcliffe increases the ferocity in his line delivery and the emotional tension required for the hero, and so he manages to steal the screen at most moments in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, so it is his best performance in the role to date.

Rupert Grint manages to achieve a similar, albeit lesser feat in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban because as the film series goes on, viewers witness Ron Weasley developing more as a human being and growing in maturity, and Rupert Grint manages to convey that with ease. His easy natured line delivery and relaxed charisma with the surrounding cast is strong while his ability to maintain the childish fear iconic of the character is still easy for him to step up to. Rupert Grint is a fine returning cast member in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Emma Watson's role is a step up as well. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the kind of adult wisdom she boasts seems more appropriate because her age seems more believable for the kind of wisdom she carries. And with her age comes a newfound strength and heroism which she handles in the journey that the characters take across the world, so it feels like Emma Watson has found new ways to make the character Hermione Granger all the more stronger since the first time she played the role, rendering it another effective performance. Emma Watson's charm and acting skill just seems to grow with age, and she continues to be impressive.

Also, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban features the first performance of Michael Gambon in the role of Albus Dumbledore. While he looks very close to Richard Harris when he was in the role, he portrays Albus Dumbledore in a different light. Instead of making him seem like a tired but wise old man, he conveys him as a strong fighting spirit with an unsuspected heroism to him. The two play him differently but Michael Gambon still takes on the role well and steps into the part with ease which makes him an effective replacement for the role.

To date, Robbie Coltrane has not given a more effective performance as Rubeus Hagrid. While he has his funny moments in all of the Harry Potter films, in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban you see a more emotional side to him on the basis of his love for animals, specifically Hypogrif named Buckbeak this time. The way that Robbie Coltrane interacts with the creature composed out of visual effects feel natural, and when Buckbeak is sentenced to death you can see the tear streaming down his face, the tears of real care for his friend who is about to face a harsh and unfair fate. He interacts with the cast members equally as well, and the strength in his line delivery is rich with emotion. Robbie Coltrane steps up his character dedication for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Alan Rickman does a fine job returning to the role of Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and while his role in the film doesn't demand any new challenges from him, he is still an effective presence.

And all the newcomer cast members.

Do their part as well.

In the role of Professor Remus Lupin, David Thewlis makes an excellent addition to the cast. While the Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers of the preceding two Harry Potter films have both had a hidden agenda to them which made them bad people, Professor Remis Lupin establishes the idea that he is truly a good person. Davis Thewlis' interactions with the characters in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban feel organic and have a certain sense of friendly appeal to them, so when audiences learn of the surprises that Remus Lupin has kept hidden, they are truly surprised. David Thewlis establishes many surprises in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and he does so with natural ease.

The fact that legendary actor Gary Oldman took part in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is just incredible. He is considered one of the most legendary actors of his time and has a key talent for playing villains as he has proven in Air Force One, True Romance and most importantly Leon: The Professional. So in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban it takes no time for audiences to see him as a villain in the role of Sirius Black due to his intense state and ability to deliver his lines with a sharp darkness. But viewers will be in for a surprise when they see the moments in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when he reveals who he truly is and makes a sympathetic and touching effort where he interacts with the surrounding cast members easily and with a friendly demeanour. Gary Oldman is full of surprises in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and that is what makes him a perfect casing choice.

Timothy Spall also captures the perfect mysterious and awkward darkness for the role of Peter Pettigrew and manages to make a memorable presence during his brief screen time.

The casting of Emma Thompson also proves to be an oddly hilarious touch.

So riding the talents of its cast, it's ability to stay true to the language and dark mythology of its novel as well as it's superior visual effects and cinematography, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the best in the series so far which rides the skills of Alfonso Cuaron's skilful direction from early on in his career.