fair but where's the story at...

Rating: Null/10 (20 June 2004)

The third Harry Potter installment begins fresh. For a moment one thinks: "oh, Cuarón wants to try something new, how brave of the lad". Indeed, the mandatory Dursley beginning is filmed in a gritty, faded color, real world like TV style. And there's tons of atmosphere, nice images, good acting, some humor, some excitement, some scares and some action. It's all there except...where's the story?
Lucky me, I read all five Potter books more then once. But if I was to sit through Azkaban with no pre-knowledge what so ever I wouldn't know what I was looking at. To me it has been the Achilles heel of all installments. The movies are absolutely smashing to the Harry Potter readers cuz they know what they are looking at, they know how to place the actions, the "why does he do that" are crystal clear to them. They are just happy to watch the books come alive.
Azkaban first half is a succession of semi-loose scenes, almost filler until the second half of the movie starts. This is centered on the timeturner. All charmingly done, no question, but where's the development of the overall story which J.K. Rowling has brilliantly developed for already five hefty novels. Almost no action is explained why it happens or where it is leading too. Or can anybody explain (without having read the books) how Professor Lupin knew the piece of parchment was the Marauder's Map? Or Professor Snape's dislike for Potter, Lupin and Black. How come Black knows Pettigrew is still alive? Without that last one Sirius has no reason to come to Hogwarts, has he?
That's what makes the books so brilliant! More flesh is added to the bone each volume. Gradually J.K. Rowling is teaching us why the characters are what they are. Not in the movie series, mind you. What a pity. And the material is right there or has J.K. written the best pieces on Marauders Map parchment and shouts "Mischief Managed" every time a studio exec wants to have a peak?