Not as good as the book

Rating: 6/10 (7 June 2004)

Widely considered the best book in the series, Harry Potter part three is cracking read. A darker addition to the Potter canon, it deals with the escape of murderer Sirius Black from Azkaban (not a middle eastern country but a wizard prison). Apparently responsible for betraying Harry's parents to Lord Voldemort, Black is now after Harry too. His friends and teachers all want to protect him, but Harry has something else on his mind: revenge.
It's therefore a great shame to report that this instalment, despite a visual makeover, a new director, and better performances from the lead actors, remains depressingly pedestrian in comparison to the novel. All the keystone events of the book are present, yet the screenplay shows undue reverence to the source material, again forgetting the adage `Show, don't tell'. For example, just as the first film ought to have opened with the murder of Harry's parents, this one ought to have opened with Black's dramatic arrest after his apparent murder of Peter Pettigrew.
The Dementors, Ringwraith-like guardians of Azkaban prison, are initially frightening but fail to remain menacing as the film progresses. Not enough effort is made to make us afraid of Black. Key moments of emotional weight from the book are skimmed over, especially in the finale. The performances are OK, especially from Daniel Radcliffe who has improved tremendously, and Gary Oldman is well cast as Sirius Black, but one expects better from Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman. The only really memorable turn comes from David Thewlis' Professor Lupin.
On the plus side, John Williams' music score is very good; building nicely on his outstanding score for the first film he contributes some fine new themes here. Special effects look great too, especially Buckbeak the Hippogriff, a bizarre cross between an eagle and a horse. The cinematography is fine, with the Glen Coe locations looking very beautiful. And director Alfonso Cuaron gives the whole piece a stylish makeover, clearly taking a leaf out of Peter Jackson's book.
That said, this is not a huge improvement on films one and two, and given the source material should have been far better. The real problem with the Harry Potter films is they still feel like a franchise following a formula, which is remarkable considering their unpredictable plots. The old cliché is once again true; it's not as good as the book.