Fan-bloody-tastic

Rating: 8/10 (26 May 2004)

Us at the Odeon all saw the run-through of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban this morning- and boy does it rock. I mean, the acting is still a little dodgy and the new Dumbledore is a little sketchy but maaaaannnnnn....
I mean Harry. Wow. He's angry, he's bitter, he has an attitude and best of all- he is no longer being shadowed by Ron. And speaking of Ron- him and Hermione have this great sexual tension (yes, I know they're 13. So, it's more puppy-love tension) But it's there and just lacing the plot with little 'will they wont they' feelings.
Onto the plot-- they don't skimp on the important bits. Some parts I can tell people who haven't read the books would be a little bemused but apart from that Alfonso Cuarón really pulls it off. He takes his time to show just how everyone is feeling- reflecting on images of the scenery which must make the old director quiver. Also- he has just shown the world that Harry Potter is not kids stuff any longer. By the third book we can see just how they are growing up and Cuarón reflects on this successfully. So if little kids are watching this- be prepared to scare themselves when the Dementors come along. They will make you shiver. All in all the film is so much better than the first two- bringing out the best in the young actors and not missing what Rowling was going for when she wrote it. Fan-bloody-tastic.