Cuaron delivers a more believable Potter

Rating: Null/10 (2 June 2004)

(Possibly some spoilers)
There's something refreshing about letting a new director take the helm of a series of movies. Although Chris Columbus' schmaltzy vision of the world of wizards was a gratifying, if slightly condescending, experience, the darker tone of the later books needed someone else to give the films a new twist. And Alfonso Cuaron's post-"Y u mama tambien" experience is a welcome addition to the Harry Potter franchise.
From the start, Cuaron transports us into a far moodier and broodier Hogwarts than Columbus could have ever dreamed of. After all, Harry and co. are hitting puberty and the myriad of emotions and confusion that comes with it, so the backdrops to the narrative have been set to reflect the change. The jingling feel-good factor of "Philospher's Stone" and "Chamber of Secrets" is in scant supply, as the gloominess of identity crisis seeps in to the young hero's world. Ideas of time and identity are ever-present throughout the film, with plenty of poignant, reflective passages for Harry to traverse. Furthermore Cuaron has decided to place the ever-present threat of notorious criminal Sirius Black and the other-worldly dementors as the focal point to the film's drive, but with a decent balance of fear and tension inherant in the tale. Unlike most standard popcorn fare, the young director actually builds up his monsters in the same way as Spielberg managed in Jaws - by showing as little as possible of them until he absolutely has to - which saves them from suffering a "Van Helsing"-like fate.
Of course, critics will point to obvious flaws in the film to discredit it. For example, the kids are now too old to play the parts, Michael Gambon's Dumbledore is a far cry from Richard Harris' performance, too much detail has been left out of the books - and so on. But this is just nitpicking. In terms of acting, all of the children have quickly developed and grown into their characters, and it is a welcome return for all of the Hogwarts misfits. With an ever-growing crop of British thespians loitering the hallowed halls there was never going to be enough time to incorporate them all, but each one of them shows up to play their part. Once again Robbie Coltrane embodies the enormity of Hagrid flawlessly and Gambon's portrayal of Dumbledore will no doubt grow in stature in later installments, whilst Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman and new arrival Emma Thompson are now nicely nestled into their supporting roles.
Most surprising, on the other hand, is David Thewlis' Professor Lupin who steals the show. Toe-ing the line between flawed, tragic would-be hero and kindly mentor, his performance gives resonance to the story without letting it drift into intolerable cheesiness. (An achievement in itself when you have to contend with Gary Oldman in the hamminess stakes) Of course, condensing a four-hour book into a two-and-a-half hour film was always going to lose some of the sub plots, and there are a few loose ends that Mike Newell's Goblet of Fire will have to address. Harry's father's involvement with the Marauder's Map, for example, as well as the importance of the stag shape of Harry's patronus charm. But as far as adaptations go, "Prisoner of Azkaban" is a respectable offering that has broken the franchise mold nicely. With further teenage angst, death, destruction and confusion to come in the series, lets hope that future Potter films don't revert back to the cute-and-cuddly vision that preceded them.