Better.

Rating: 8/10 (2 June 2004)

I saw the World Premiere of Azkaban, and I thought it was very impressive. The highly anticipated appearances of Black (Oldman) and Lupin (Thewlis) did not disappoint, as I was afraid, but rather gave me new insights into what seem to be clichéd characters.
The camera-work and art direction seem much more solid in this film; it is noticeably darker than the previous films. (Although there were a few bright spots, I found the lack of color somewhat overdone.)
The acting from the young leads is much better now that they're older, and their characters have obviously grown from the previous years, making them more realistic and enjoyable to watch.
The supporting cast, as always, was superb. Especially Rickman, Oldman, and Gambon replacing the late Harris.
The only real criticism I have is this: Azkaban suffers from what I like to call "'Lord of the Rings'itis." By this I mean the filmmakers have decided that, for some reason, elements of the main plot should be cut out in order to shorten the length of the movie. Which is perfectly fine for those who have read the books and follow the story, but makes the film confusing for those who don't know or remember the intimate details.
There were a few parts of the book that I feel convey very important pieces of information (back story, motivation for characters' actions) that were seemingly hacked from the movie's script. Many of these scenes I didn't even notice until after leaving the theater, but they are CRUCIAL to understanding the story.
Azkaban, the book, was surely the most in-depth about the older characters in the series -- and it seems to me a terrible mistake for them to have neglected this very important aspect of the book. (The movie-viewing audience does not even know yet that Lupin, Black, or even Snape attended Hogwarts!) The tension between these characters in the movie is left unexplained and seemingly unwarranted.
I would have to rate this movie an 8/10 instead of 9/10, simply because these scenes were not included. I recommend the film highly, however, I would advise the skimming of the novel before going to the theater. I would also like to note that I dislike the Harry Potter books, although I find that they make great "fun" films, so my review is not based on any fan-inflation.