Slightly disappointed

Rating: Null/10 (16 June 2004)

I have always loved the Harry Potter series. I have read them all 3 times, and prisoner of Azkaban I have read 4. PoA is my favorite book in the series and because of that I was greatly looking forward to seeing the movie. I have been anticipating its release since the release of CoS and was finally able to see the movie.
SPOILERS HEREIN
And I was slightly disappointed. I think the main reason I was disappointed in this film was because I loved the book so much. The movie did not stay true to the book at all. I was prepared going in for some changes because, after all, the movie would be 10 hours long if they left everything in. However, some things were just too different. Why did they not go into the secret Animagus thing? That was an integral part of the story. And the conversation at Hogsmeade that Harry overhears about Sirius Black was written extremely well and suspenseful in the book, but in the movie it really wasn't. One of my favorite parts of the book was hearing about what it was like for James and Sirius and Lupin growing up together as best friends and they completely took that out. Didn't even mention how could of friends they were. In fact, at one point it seemed like Lupin was closer to Lily than James. NOT TRUE AT ALL!! And so many things would have been confusing if you had not read the book.
Also, one thing that really upset me was the set changes. When SS came out, I loved how Hogwarts was exactly how I had pictured it in my mind. Everything about it. This "new" Hogwarts is nothing how I imagined it! It's completely different!
And the new Dumbledore. . . total letdown. Richard Harris WAS Dumbledore and the mew Michael Gambon was a disappointment. Dumbledore is supposed to be a figure to look toward when you feel scared. He makes everyone feel more safe and secure. No one can touch you if Dumbledore is around. This new Dumbledore looked more confused and senile than old and wise.

Also, can anyone say what happened to the Quidditch Cup? Hello, that was a HUGE subplot they comletely nixed. I could go on and on about all the things that were completely different. And like I said, I understood why some of it was different (i.e. putting 2 Hogsmeade visits into one - Harry's first visit and when he attacks Draco under the safety of the invisibility cloak were in 2 different visits, but it was clever putting them together to save time) but some did not need to be different (i.e. the conversation in Hogsmeade that Harry overhears, and also the conversation in the shreiking shack when they explain what happens was very poorly done and if I hadn't read the book I may have been confused. and cutting out the whole secret animagus thing. That was a very important part of the book).

GOOD POINTS this movie DID have a lot of good points. I can't let those go by. The special effects were very interesting, my favorite being the Hippogriff, Buckbeak. How real it looked was astounding. Harry's ride on it couldn't have looked more real if it actually was. That was awesome.
Most of the cast is great, as always.
Ron's character gets better and better with each film. I absolutely love his wit. Rupert Grint was perfectly cast.
And Hermione - "Is that really what my hair looks like from the back?" she's great. Though she has never been the Hermione I pictured when I read the books, I've always loved Emma Watson as Hermione.
Draco Malfoy could not have been better cast. Tom Felton IS Draco. He looks like him, talks like him, and is perfect at acting like him.

Maggie Smith needed more screen time. She was in barely two scenes, and even those she had very little lines. McGonnagall is nearly as important to the story as Dumbledore, and yet she is all but cut out.
Anyway, all in all, if you haven't read the book, or aren't as attached to them as I am, you will probably greatly enjoy this movie. Otherwise, it is a very well done movie but parts are guarenteed to tick you off.