Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Rating: 3/10 (19 March 2005)

As an adult HP fan, I was disappointed in POA. I believe the director did not read the books or watch the films or if he did, didn't understand them.
Snape in SS and COS was scary. In POA, he just looks like a very ugly, silly cross dresser. In the other films, you see him be unnerved by Harry. (Watch SS and COS's scenes with these two.)
McGongagall who had come across as strict, but with an understanding of kids now is depicted as cross, uncaring and almost mean.
Another thing I did not like is how the kids wore their street clothes at Hogwarts. It made Hogwarts less magical. Before, the distinction between Muggle and Wizard worlds was made with their clothing. It just felt wrong, like seeing your teacher show up to class in their nightclothes.
Hermione, once intelligent, is now portrayed as cross, moody, and unable to be understood. Ron is now the dumb sidekick. What a waste of talent.
Some of the few good things seen are Harry's self doubts, pain, and humanity. At one point in the film, his emotions are so raw, his actions and words just hit you, as if you are feeling the emotions with him.Harry's pain, his rage, and so many emotions all at once coming to the surface to be voiced as they had not been before. Seeing Harry discover the past that is his, known to all but him, finding who he is now and searching for his place in the world, especially the Wizarding world, you feel for him and want to help him. That is Daniel Radcliffe's brilliance, not anyone else's. His interpretation of this side of Harry was done to perfection.
Harry's conferences with Lupin, expressing his fears, and confiding in him. I was also impressed with Lupin not treating him as a silly child, but someone closer to being a man and giving Harry honest answers, even if Lupin had no answers or the answers were not what Harry wanted to hear.
The bones in the story are strong, but this director goofed more than he didn't. Had this movie been done by someone who understood the movies, it'd have turned out so much better.
I think Steve Kloves, JK Rowling and other PTB (powers that be) need to BEG Chris Columbus to take the director's chair again. He GOT the movies. He understood how to do the difficult task of putting Harry Potter on film, capturing the magic, wowing audiences, and still being very true to the books.
I in no way blame the actors. They all did their best to give the stellar performances but with lousy direction, even the best actor cannot shine.
These actors have only one chance per movie to get it right. I can only hope that Goblet of Fire and if the sixth film is made, that more care, time, and talent comes from the director of those films. However, if the PTB get it right and get Columbus back in the director's chair and give him free reign, I know the true magic of Harry Potter will return.