Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Editor's Note In this adaptation of the third book in J.K. Rowling's best-selling series, Harry Potter (Danielle Radcliffe) and his best friends Hermoine (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint), must face the dangerous convict Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who has ties with their enemy Lord Voldemort. The spectacular fantasy-adventure action of the earlier movies (SORCERER'S STONE and CHAMBER OF SECRETS) is once again presented here, as Alfonso Cuaron lends his unique directorial style to recreating Rowling's magical story on celluloid. A scarier, darker story than the first two, this one concerns the mystery behind why Sirius Black is tracking Harry Potter. Slowly Harry and his friends unravel the clues, and learn secrets about Harry's parents that had all along been hidden from him. Meanwhile, because the deranged Sirius poses a threat to all students at Hogwarts, the school enlists a group of daunting black ghosts called Dementors to stand guard. These flying ghouls have a powerful effect on Harry and frighten him to his core. Yet even these chilling obstacles don't dampen the spirits of the youthful wizards, who meet Buckbeak--a giant flying hawk-horse creature, welcome a new dark arts teacher (David Thewlis) and a new divination teacher (Emma Thompson), and are still determined to beat the rival Slytherin team in Quidditch. HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN offers a visually stunning interpretation of the revered book, and will thrill viewers with its special effects, it's penetrating John Williams score, and its superb performances.

	Adrian Rawlins
	Daniel Radcliffe
	Fiona Shaw
	Gary Oldman
	Harry Melling
	Pam Ferris
	Richard Griffiths
	Rupert Grint
	Alfonso Cuaron - Director
	Chris Columbus - Producer
	David Heyman - Producer
	J.K. Rowling - Based On Novel By
	John Williams - Original Music By
	Mark Radcliffe - Producer
	Michael Seresin - Cinematographer
	Steven Kloves - Screenplay
	Steven Weisberg - Editor

Entertainment Weekly
"[T]he first movie in the series with fear and wonder in its bones, and genuine fun, too....The whole movie zips along with a matter-of-fact cleverness that stays a step ahead of you." 06/11/2004 p.93-4

Rolling Stone
"Not only is this dazzler by far the best and most thrilling of the three Harry Potter movies to date, it's a film that can stand on its own..." 06/24/2004 p.186

New York Times
"This is surely the most interesting of the three Potter movies....It feels at once more dangerous, more thoroughly enchanted and more real." 06/04/2004 p.E1

Sight and Sound
"The magic here works not just on the level of weird and wonderful ghosts and monsters but through a series of haunting images that draw attention to key themes and a breadth of imagination..." 08/01/2004 p.51-4

USA Today
"Alfonso Cuaron directs for mood, and the result is the most satisfying HARRY to date." 11/26/2004 p.4E

Los Angeles Times
"[Cuaron] brought a new style and intelligence to Hogwarts." 11/25/2004 p.E27

Wall Street Journal
"The movie's set pieces seduce you with elegance, wit or suspense." 11/18/2010

James Berardinelli's ReelViews 8 of 10
It's interesting to note that, of the three Harry Potter novels thus far filmed, the longest on the

Rolling Stone 9 of 10
Not only is this dazzler by far the best and most thrilling of the three Harry Potter movies to date - Peter Travers

Chicago Sun-Times 8 of 10
Is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as good as the first two films? Not quite. It doe - Roger Ebert