Harry Potter 3, The Magic is Gone

Rating: 1/10 (5 June 2004)

What a disappointment. The Prisoner of Azkaban is the best written, most intriguing story of all the Harry Potter books. It has a great plot with many twists. It is the story and the actors that carry this movie. The cinematography and effects can not compare to the first two movies. The colors are dull and the film has a look and feel of a movie that is 20 years old and has faded or has not kept up with the technology of the times. The new Hogwarts looks old and run down and the colorful, magical feel is completely gone. Most scenes seem washed out as if you were watching an old TV set that had very poor color. The actors are superb and Harry has lost that awkward pre teen look. He has matured and has a confidence that accurately reflects his growth in the book. With the great story and incredible actors, this could have been an all time classic. However with the poor job the new director did and the direction they took with the look of the movie,the Prisoner of Azkaban just okay. "Just okay" for such a great story and incredible actors should be considered a failure.