A good adaptation

Rating: 10/10 (6 November 2005)

I have read all the books so far, and enjoyed all the films so far. I didn't fault the first two films for their almost slavish loyalty to the books. This film, however, made more judicious cuts and a few more slight alterations, and I think it is to be commended for it. This is the first in the series that was truly and adaptation, rather than a transcription. As the books get longer, you can expect more changes as the series gets on, to get each story down to a manageable movie length.
In this film, Cuaron keeps a very tight focus. Anything not related to Harry and his friends maturing and becoming young adults, or that doesn't contribute to the story of Sirius Black, is gone. The result is a much tighter story. The film doesn't follow the entire Quidditch season, or include the mystery of who sent Harry a replacement broom and why. In the book, that subplot serves to cast doubt in the audience's mind as to Sirius's guilt, since he obviously sent the broom, but it seems to have nothing wrong with it. That doesn't speed the story along towards its climax, so the gift is moved to the very end. The scene where Lupin confiscates the Marauder's Map was originally set after Harry returns from another forbidden trip to Hogsmeade. Here, he is trying to track down Peter Pettigrew, whom he saw on the map. Therefore, the scene ties much more directly into the main story. And if we weren't told who Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs were, so what? It's not essential to the story. You don't need that to know how Lupin and Black knew how to use the map. I could easily argue that the book was lacking an explanation for how the Weasley twins knew how to use it.
Despite not dealing directly with Voldemort, this film, and the book it is based on, mark an important turning point in the series. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew become important characters later on. Harry begins to grow up. And his relationship with Dumbledore, I think, begins to change as well. As Harry gets older, he needs more mentors than just Dumbledore, and Harry and Dumbledore need to relate to each other as adults, not as a kindly old grandfather to a young child. I think it's appropriate, then, that this is the film where we get a new Dumbledore, and that Gambon brings a new take on the role.