Great adaptation belongs to Thewlis and Cuaron

Rating: 9/10 (13 February 2005)

Critics of this film should just stop complaining and watch it for what it really is, a great, if very probably difficult adaptation to produce. The book I think most people will undoubtedly agree is one of the best in the series, containing all that is going to be hard isn't it. I agree that the changes that were made were unnecessary, moving Hagrid's hut and the whomping willow, but don't critics get it, the changes actually I think bring the film closer to the book than the first two. David Thewlis as Lupin just stole the film, he made it feel as if he was always on screen he had such presence. Gary Oldman was just great as Sirius Black, if only they had more screen time. Alfonso Cuaron, I just can't praise enough his influence on the film, it feels less like a bad children's film franchise now, and more like the magical world it was meant to be. Visually his influence is most notable, but I think the difference in all the actors shows as well. The harry potter world has grown up, just like it did in the book, and it got a lot better.