• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Prisoner of Azkaban is my fave Harry Potter book so far (and was more than welcome after the weak Chamber of Secrets) but the translation from book to film loses 90% of JK Rowling's story.

Every single second, every frame of this film is utterly devoted to being nothing but pure exposition for a plot that has no mystery intrigue. If you have read the book then there isn't much point in seeing this as you'll already know the twist. But I didn't want this to bias my opinion so I gave it a go anyway.

As I have said, there are no subplots. Everything focuses on the Sirius Black story. Character development and mystery are non-existent. It almost feels as if Harry, Ron and Hermione are the only students at Hogwarts because no one else gets a mention and Draco Malfoy is reduced to wimpy, comic-relief. The strangest change of all is the presence of Dudley (a funny character) with NO dialogue at all.

I liked Professor Lupin in the book, he was a rebel, renegade teacher who broke the rules and was one of the best mentors Harry has ever had. In the movie he doesn't do much and the character never really comes through. Same goes for Snape (a character I am liking more and more), he barely has two lines to say. Michael Gambon as the new Dumbledore is cool and naturally authoritive but he's got nowt to do either. Emma Thompson as Professor Trelawny has five minutes of screen time and Hagrid has two scenes.

The relationship between every character and situation is very much defined in the book. In the film all of that is stripped away in order to tell the Sirius Black story as quickly as possible. Which would be fine if the Sirius Black story could make the film stand on its own. It doesn't.

Alfonso Cuaron may bring a new look to the film and a more modern edge but I blame him and Steven Kloves for the hasty rearranging and muddling of JK Rowling's story. Sure, some sacrifices had to be made in adaptation. But Prisoner of Azkaban dilutes the story to the point of obscurity.

The rumors of Goblet of Fire being released as two separate parts (ala Kill Bill) bodes well as it will offer the chance to tell a more complete story. But so far the Dursleys have been cut out and it will start with Harry already at Hogwarts.

For a much more atmospheric and exciting mystery try Young Sherlock Holmes. A film with many alarming similarities to the Harry Potter world. This movie may look good with a new director doing a fresh take on the Harry Potter universe but there are so many restrictions weighing this franchise down and it's REALLY beginning to show.

Daniel Radcliffe simply is Harry Potter. He is an amazing young actor. Rupert and Emma have grown into their craft, which must have something to do with exposure to fine directors and some of the greatest actors in British theater. Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson and Gary Oldman are excellent additions to the cast, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in future installments. David Thewlis is a great actor, but just did not fit my picture of Lupin. Oh well.

Although I generally didn't miss the Quidditch (there are 3 matches in the book and 1 in the film,) I did miss the scene where Harry unleashes his Patronus against what he thinks is Dementors, but is actually Draco & cronies.

The Dementors were wonderful - really frightening. The use of ice to mark their passing, and the blurring of Harry and Sirius when they are attacked by the Dementors was very effective.

I wasn't very happy with the werewolf or the Grim. The Grim looked more like a wolf, rather than my vision of a large bear-like dog (I was thinking scruffy Newfoundland), and the werewolf looked like a thing, obviously not something that would take some observation to distinguish from a real wolf.

Back to Cuaron, he paces POA much more briskly, a desperately needed change from the stately (okay, slow) first two installments. Evil's menace and wizardry's potential for chaos are much more evident in this installment. Finally, the grace notes he's added are completely in keeping with Rowling's world.
He would be an excellent choice to direct Order of the Phoenix.