What a Joke.

Rating: 3/10 (9 June 2004)

After waiting an extra week to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban so I didn't have to see it with screaming children I came out of the cinema feeling deeply disappointed. *spoilers onwards*
The film seems to throw the book into the bin and follow up by throwing a burning stick in there after it. The opening sequence was pathetic, Harry is practising magic at the beginning of the film, anyone who has read the books knows that underage wizards are not allowed to do this. The film even wants to point this out to us, as five minutes later we are told that Harry is not allowed to magic outside of school by his uncle... but wait? What had he just been doing?
we are then suddenly greeted by Aunt Marge, this could of been a lot more subtle with this, instead they dived in two footed (soccer/football reference) and threw dialoge about that made no sense, in the book Harry and his Uncle get into a little spat before Aunt Marge arrives, and Harry is very cocky knowing he has the upper hand in the argument to get his permission slip to go into hogsmeade signed, however he suddenly brings this slip out, hands it to his Uncle and asks him to sign it, and he is told if he is good his uncle with sign it. This would never happen. and then as his uncle walks away Harry makes a remark that in the book is in struggle to get the permission slip signed.
Skipping on a bit, Harry is meant to be in Magnolia cresent, where Sirius first appears, in the book Harry feels he is being watched, spins round and sees nothing, same thing happens and he sees the outline of a great big black dog. In the film, the wind picks up, the swings start to move, the lights go out, and he sees the dog, who starts Barking at him, this dog is meant to be Sirius, and why would Sirius bark at his God-son? again it makes no sense. Harry doesn't signal for the knight bus but it came anyway.
With the knight bus I felt they added the shrunken head just to give Lenny Henry a part. There was no need for it, Ernnie the driver speaks for himself in the book, why not in the film. The bus in my view looked great. But didn't act how it was portrayed in the book, in the book things jumped out of its path, in this it stopped things.
Only one thing annoyed me on the train is where Lupin didn't say any incarnation to produce the patronus.
We get to school and apart from the song which added nothing to the film, but the feast was generally well done, the Fat Lady portrait had moved, and if the screen play writer or director even bothered to look at the book, or even the two previous films, it was located at the top of a staircase (not very well hidden is it?)
we have quite a good time here until the first Quidditch match, where they play Hufflepuff with the most stupid looking goggles in the world. Hermione is meant to put a spell on Harry's glasses to repel water, which comes up in Order of the Pheonix. Then we completely forget about Quidditch from here, we don't even find out who won! (if you're still wondering but haven't read the book, it was Hufflepuff)
The Maurders map was well done although, the whole seeing Peter Pedittgrew on the map by Harry kinda ruins the surprise that he is still alive and kind takes momentum away from the ending.
The complete absence of Hagrids trial was a joke, the Buckbeak/Malfoy incident is a big sub-plot in the book and the film manages to sum it all up (badly) in one scene in which Hagrid is skipping stones across the lake.
Christmas doesn't happen this year at Hogwarts, where Ron and Hermione's feud really starts to kick off, Harry doesn't receive the firebolt and the enquire isn't made as to whether Sirius black sent it.
Guess what... No end of year exams at Hogwarts this year, The end of year exams is when the Prophecy was meant to be made, but no, this is made when Hermione storms out, and Harry not liking his divination teacher at all finds it in the goodness of his heart to return the crystal ball which has fallen down numerous flights of stairs and off of a table without smashing to the teacher where she gives Harry her prophecy.
The end, harry receives a Firebolt? From who exactly? Sirius? Surely then it would be checked out, as only Dumbledore, Lupin, Ron, Hermione and Harry know Sirius is innocent it kinda ruins it again, and the train ride home, Where Harry receives a letter from Sirius with a signed Permission slip so he can go into hogsmeade next year, and Ron who gets the owl that brought the letter, is left out. Which means the next film (Goblet of Fire) will have to cover this and point out that Sirius gave Ron the Owl and Harry permission to go to Hogsmeade, so we Goblet of Fire start on the train back home from Hogwarts?
Overall the film was a huge let down, and I suggest you don't read the book before watching it, and don't let the special effects fool you, it's a very mediocre film.