Review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) by Russell G — 14 Jun 2013

The series continues to evolve in the best of ways, as the arching plot of the series thickens a great deal. For a third go round there are still a few moments of magic and discovery. This installment transitions to more substantive plot to compensate for familiar content.

Daniel Radcliffe Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are no longer kids. The story and their characters parallel the actor's transition of early adolescence remarkably well. Harry has become more confident, angry, and inquisitive.

The dynamic of the friendship between two boys and a girl is also changing in a very real way. J.K. Rowling's story is an excellent balance magical fantasy and emotions of a universal human dimension.

It is deeper than just good vs. evil; it is also a relatable coming of age story. This adventure is much more exciting than the previous two. The stakes are higher and there is a greater sense of danger.

Director Alfonso Cuaron takes over the series and stays faithful to the two Chris Columbus movies. Everything that worked before is maintained, but some of the action scenes and camerawork are better.

The series was also able to overcome the death of a key cast member, Richard Harris (Dumbledore), as Michael Gambon fills in nicely. The series has proven it can overcome major changes of director and major cast changes without skipping a beat, which is very promising for seeing it all the way through maintaining such quality.

This is my personal favorite of the series.