As its movie posters would suggest, the third instalment in Harry Potter's successful franchise promises to be darker and more complex than its predecessors and I think Mexican-born director Alfonso Cuaron (of Y Tu Mama Tambien fame) had delivered precisely just that. However, I predict that followers of Harry Potter would either dismiss this divergence as disappointing or a welcome change but I stand in the camp of the latter ;)
I have always felt that the first two HP movies were too sugar-coated and had too many kiddy-friendly Disneyland visuals to satisfy my palate completely. For one thing, I thought the quidditch match sequences, which had occupied a rather prolonged portion of the HP movies thus far, do not serve the plot at all but are merely an excuse to display some nifty CGI effects. Nevertheless, they did form an essential part of the books and it would almost seem a sacrilege to leave them out altogether. AND, I must admit, they are a definite crowd-pleaser. Fortunately, Cuaron only briefly added quidditch to the plot in Prisoner of Azkaban, and had it culminate in a rather dramatic face-off with the visually menacing, Dementors. (Okie.. no more story give-aways!)
Cuaron also did a magnificient job in shaping the characterization of the HP leads as they approach teenagehood; Rupert Grint as Ron and Emma Watson as Hermione are as usual, entertaining to watch and for once, I found Daniel Radcliffe (as Harry) less the aggravating goody-two-shoes as he was portrayed in previous HP films, but more an impulsive teen whose convictions are tested time and again by circumstance. Personally, I like them being togged in contemporary clothes (though I miss the Hogwarts' robes) because it gave them a more relaxed and realistic air and hence, I was able to enjoy their on-screen chemistry better.
The supporting cast boasts some of the most talented names in British cinema: regulars Maggie Smith (Prof. McGonagall), Robby Coltrane (Hagrid), Alan Rickman (Prof. Snape) and Julie Walters (Mrs Weasley), are always a delight to watch despite their (sadly) very limited screen-time. Fresh to the HP franchise are David Thewlis, who delivers a memorable performance as Professor Lupin, Emma Thompson as Professor Trelawney and Gary Oldman as the mysterious Sirius Black. The only let-down would probably be Michael Gambon, who replaces the late Richard Harris as Professor Dumbledore; though a luminous thespian in his own right, Gambon failed to exude the same kind of august presence which the latter had achieved in previous HP instalments.
A major breakthrough in Prisoner of Azkaban, which I thought far surpasses its predecessors, are the striking visuals. Although certain details in the landmarks of the HP universe have been changed, the new revisions were certainly effective in contributing a more gothic and mystical atmosphere to the film. The colors too are remarkably different; they are somehow stronger and darker, and there's a certain grainy texture that I thought lent the movie a grittier, and more realistic feel. This is quite appropriate given that Rowling's Prisoner of Azkaban (i.e the book) deals with the very adult and complex themes of trust and betrayal.
On the whole, I felt Cuaron's interpretation of the HP universe is more credible than that of previous director Chris Columbus (who also helmed the Gremlins & Home Alone franchises) and being the shortest of the HP movies, (at 142 minutes), the plot is much tighter and the pacing more brisk. Unfortunately, many background details were left out (especially about Sirius, Lupin and Pettigrew's relationship with the Potters) and this, I thought, was the movie's most significant failing, although all the fundamental plot points from the book were faithfully covered. In spite of this, Cuaron had managed to translate Rowling's pivotal emotional arc of the story to the bigscreen most satisfyingly.
Indubitably, stalwart HP movie fans will find more missing from this installment than the previous two, whether in the capturing of everyday Hogwarts life or the back story that gives substance to the sufficiently surprising twists. Yet, this Harry Potter, to me at least, seems more alive than the ones before. my ratings ~ 3.8/5 stars!
