Very Disappointing

Rating: Null/10 (6 June 2004)

I am a great fan of Harry Potter. I love the books, and I loved the first two movies. They kept reasonably close to the plot, to please the die-hard fans, and let the average person who never read any of the books to enjoy the movies too. With that said, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, did not live up to the same standards of the first two movies.
First, the plot was butchered. Crucial details were left out, that were important to the story, such as information about Harry's mother and father and relationship to Moony, Padfoot, and Wormtail (who's names were not explained either). The average person was confused about many details, and could not understand the subtleties of what was happening.
Second, Michael Gambon was poorly casted as Dumbledore. He was much too ridged and not even close to the sagely stature of Dumbledore's character, which Richard Harris portrayed extremely well. In this movie, Dumbledore was not a kind grandfather-like figure to Harry, but instead just the Headmaster.
Third, the movie utterly destroyed the enchanting and charming qualities of Harry Potter. Albeit, Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban was somewhat darker than the first and second books, but it still had the childish charm that were present in the first two books and their respective movies as well. This movie, however, was more reminiscent of the serious and gloomy mood in the fifth book. It completely disregarded the fact that Harry is only 13; he cannot be expected to have the same type of attitude as a 16 year old.
Finally, and I don't mean to be a nitpicker, but I hated scene transitions. I felt like I was watching The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. And, the final insult was the last frame with Harry, which did not leave the viewer with the uplifting enchanted feeling present in the first two movies.
This movie completely deviated from that which has made Harry Potter so popular: the identifiable characters, circular plots, and its wonderful charm. I am ashamed to be a fan of Harry Potter after watching Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.