Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban "OH. MY. GOSH." Those were probably my first intelligible words after seeing this film. And after waiting over a year for it, what else could I say? Months and months of anticipation, from hearing the rumors and seeing the promo pictures finally leading up to the moment when that beloved musical score began telling me that it was not my imagination. Somewhere between the dark and creepy scene where the camera zooms into the raindrop-covered merry-go-round and the fast-paced sequence with the Knight Bus, I knew that all the waiting was worth it. Director Alfonso Cuaron has definitely made his mark in the Harry Potter legacy, taking Jo K. Rowling's world and giving it that extra bit of flavor only a film could do. From the wonderful transition scenes to the upbeat and daunting music, Cuaron's work was nothing short of brilliant. But Cuaron doesn't get all the credit. Actors Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson truly shone in this movie, completely stepping into their characters, leaving all the awkwardness behind. Up until the third movie, I had doubt in some of the child actors' talents, genuinely wondering if they would ever live up to the name of the characters they play. I was afraid, seriously afraid, that Watson was going to 'steal the show' again, but this movie was genuinely about Harry — no one else. Radcliffe did a spectacular job this time around, handling the emotional scenes with a 'Harry-like' flair. His growth as an actor was definitely noticable in this film, and if he would just wear those green contact lenses, he'd be perfect. Watson reasonably kept within her chracter's limits; there was no overacting here, and she even dropped a bit of her prissyness — which is exactly how it is in the books — and we were finally shown a humble, yet still overachieving, Hermione. Grint was amazing as the loveable Ron Weasley, and while not all of the weight of the comedy was on his shoulders this time around, Grint carried his one-liners and punch-lines with ease. Tragedy of the matter was, there just wasn't enough of Ron. Tom Felton was finally given something to do other than glare and mock — whine. From the utterly hilarious scenes where he's being 'killed' by Buckbeak to the unforgettable moments where he runs away (twice), Felton helped bring a different dimension to his otherwise one-dimensional character. (I'd like to take this chance now to ask — beg! — the new director to please keep Tom's hair long in the next film!) New cast members were also added to the mix, and each one brought something new to enjoy. Michael Gambon was an amusing new Dumbledore, though I must admit I missed the grandfatherly quality Richard Harris gave him. Gary Oldman gave Sirius that bit of 'maniacal' punch that was entertaining to watch, and you could practically smell his impatience in getting to Pettigrew. David Thewlis proved to be a better Lupin than I had originally given him credit for. Remus happens to be one of my favorite characters, second to Draco, of course, so the casting of Thewlis made me wary. But he played 'Moony' wonderfully, though I will never forgive him for that mustache. The CGI graphics were truly amazing and realistic. I'd imagined Dementors to be a sort of face-less Death Eater until seeing this movie, and seeing them this way only adds to the intensity of it all. And while I wasn't that happy with the werewolf, it was certainly scary enough in my book. But Beaky was smashing, as well as the Marauder's Map (how I wish they'd added the rest of the Marauders comments about Snape!). There were also a lot of clever yet not quite as noticeable touches that I really enjoyed. The little things like having Lupin and Draco munch on an apple during class and Dumbledore's beard accessories only helped the movie feel even more natural. (And as a true Draco fan, I can't not mention the Slytherin snakes on his black gloves!) This movie has easily become my favorite of the three, but that doesn't mean it could do with a few changes. I was highly disappointed in the lack of the Marauders connection between Remus, Sirius, Peter, and James — for someone who hadn't read the books, the impact of Peter's betrayal is not as denting as it would've been because the viewers weren't really given a chance to see how close and deep their friendship had been. And following that was the lack of the Prongs connection. When Harry finally conjures up that beautiful stag Patronus, non-readers are left wondering, "Why a deer?" And I can't do a PoA review without commenting on the R/Hr/H moments. They weren't as obvious as the second movie, but they were definitely there. From Hermione leaning into Ron's shoulder after Beaky's 'execution', to the non-canon "I was so scared" line she gave while falling into Harry's arms, you have to wonder if Cuaron secretly went to the same school as Rowling in the 'how to mess with the audience's minds' department. Overall, this film certainly lived up to my expectations. No pressure, Mike. |