Third Time Is Also A Charm
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Movie Help Web Popcorn Kernels:
This is another wonderful and magical adventure, an adaptation of the book written by J. K. Rowling. This movie may the best of the three so far.
The movie begins with Harry Potter (Radcliffe) at his Aunt and Uncle's home, waiting between school sessions at the wizardry school of Hogwarts. They are visited by Aunt Dursey's sister, a vile creature who makes the Durseys seem positively benign. Harry takes care of her in a funny way, but it also forces him to leave.
He is picked up by a magical bus and taken on an amusing ride, then finds out a few things at the inn from the Minster of Magic. Soon he is joined by his friends, Ron Weasley (Grint) and Hermione Granger (Watson). Ron's father has something interesting to tell Harry about the latest news going around: the escape of Sirius Black (Oldman) from Azkaban, a prison from which nobody has ever escaped.... until now.
More I shall not reveal, except for a few comments. This movie is darker but richer, with more heft and impact. The Dementors are terrifying, as they should be. We meet Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), a fascinating character I hope to see again, as well as Black himself. The kids are developing well as actors, and the supporting cast is as good as ever, including Hagrid (Robert Coltrane) and Professor Snape (Alan Rickman). Michael Gambon as Dumbledore fits right in.
They do a wonderful job with time management, both inside the plot (I *love* the small little touch of the crackling tree branch!) and with the movie itself. At around two and a half hours, the pace is brisk and nothing slows it down measurably.
Please, see this one! It is a wonderful movie, for both children and adults. Whimsical but also fair to the book, it is another star in the series.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban In The News
Prisoner has $93.7 million opening - June 2004 |
