Completely outclasses the previous two

Rating: 9/10 (2 July 2004)

I am stunned to see opinion so strongly divided on this film, with many deriding it as a great disappointment and as the worst of the three Potter films so far. Personally, I believe the film to be in a completely different league to its two predecessors, surpassing and outclassing them so astoundingly it's almost embarrassing for poor old Columbus.
New director Alfonso Cuaron's marks are all over this movie. Where the first two films exhibited an unadorned, functional narrative lacking any film-making flourishes or cinematic flair, Prisoner of Azkaban is a joyous treasure-box of celluloid delight. Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets contented themselves with simply going through the novels' plot joylessly and mechanically - Azkaban, on the other hand, weaves a spellbinding visual tapestry of a magical world, relying on all the non-narrative techniques open to cinema to bring this world to life.
Thus we have beautiful, rich cinematography (too many examples to mention, but the frequent use of wide-angle lenses to juxtapose foreground with background stands out, and just check out the shot of Harry riding Buckbeak as he glides over the lake's surface), a Hogwarts that has changed considerably (into something much more magical and majestic), and direction that frequently borders on the genius. From the hand-held camera in the early Dursleys scene, to the 1920s style fadeouts (which I thought were a nice touch), to the visual delight of the changing of the seasons, to the seemingly constant motif (right from the opening scene) of going through windows (and even mirrors), there are so many wonderful little touches in this film that, after two viewings, I can already see that it will be one to repay many repeat viewings.
It's not a perfect film, however, and what's frustrating is that it's so very close to being a masterpiece. Its one great flaw is that it fails to properly explain the backstory linking Pettigrew, Lupin, Black, James Potter and Snape, as well as their link to the Marauders' Map. Just ten more minutes of running time expended on this and the film would have been a solid-gold classic. As it is, the title of flawed gem will have to suffice.