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When they said this Harry Potter film was the darkest of them all, it was no lie. And
having just seen the England Premiere of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
with my seven-year-old sister, I can say it’s a must-see.
Once more, we
join Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) at Hogwarts—this time to evade madman and convicted
murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman). Black has escaped from Azkaban Prison to kill Harry
and will stop at nothing. Ever-faithful duo Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione
Granger (Emma Watson) return to help Harry avoid trouble with the wrong kind. Bravo to
Hermione for giving Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) a good old punch (something we’ve all
wanted to do for a while). We also welcome new Professors, Trelawney (Emma Thompson) and
Lupin (David Thewlis), to Hogwarts.
This film is much darker, much more
intense and grown-up than the first two, and it seems to be more aimed at teenagers than
children. It’s fast moving, and it leaves a good amount to the imagination—and it gets
your mind rolling to think what’s going to happen in the next film, for those of you who
haven’t read the books. The special effects are something else. There are similarities
between Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings (see the review of The
Return of the King)—possibly using the same visual effects and technology to create
them. The actors themselves seem to be growing faster than the characters they are
actually playing. However, I don’t think this really concerns the audience right now. I
for one thing think it’s good because you see a change in the actors as their characters
grow in the film.
I can’t point out enough how the darkness of the film
showed Harry Potter’s story in a new light (no pun intended). The first films were set
in sunny locations, with lots of laughs and a feel-good tone. This one is completely the
opposite. There’s more tension, more fantasy, and a lot more people on the edge of their
seats. Even I found myself jumping out my skin at certain parts. The soundtrack ties in
superbly, giving you that tingling sensation on the back of your neck.
Of
the things that disappointed me about this film, one was Draco. He looks fantastic—he’s
mean, he’s bad, and…he’s a complete wimp. I thought we were going to get some hardcore
acting from this boy, and it was rubbish. He runs off in nearly ever scene he’s in,
crying like a baby. Tom Felton is a fantastic actor, but he got the short end of the deal
in this film.
There’s also a lot missing in the film with the
relationship between Black, James Potter, Pettigrew, and Lupin. If you haven’t read the
books, you’ll struggle a little to understand what’s going on toward the end of the
film.
I also didn’t quite like the new Dumbledore, Michael Gambon. I
wouldn’t expect him to be able to fill late Richard Harris’ shoes, but Gambon sounded
way too much like Uncle Vernon (Richard Griffiths).
Right…well, I’ll stop
there and head for a game of Quidditch. But take my word for it—see the film. It really
is magic!
For more Harry Potter movie reviews,
see:
Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Or check out the reviews of the books:
Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the
Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix
