Sorely needed: An extended version

Rating: 6/10 (12 June 2004)

I had been looking forward to Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban, since I saw the Chamber of Secrets ... and as the story goes, I was sorely disappointed. Having read the comments from "movie specialist" and critics in papers and on various TV-channels I had really high expectations - but I was let down. Why? Because although the movie had much better acting skills (at least from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint I was grieved to see Emma Thompsons characterization of professor Trelawney. Not good enough by a long shot. The editing was so so. The direction was probably very good from a movie technical point of view - but ...
and it is a very big BUT:
The film was not by a mile dark enough. The film was not by a hundred miles long enough. And the details were to scarce to get a real idea of the story.
A personal message to Alfonso Cuaron? Make an extended version. At least 45 minutes longer. And the next time, if possible - make the werewolf believable. It was also a shock to see that the grounds of Hogwarts had changed as much as it had. Too much. This is lack of respect for those who've watched the first two movies. Continuity is vital. Even in such small matters. And it is vital to put further details in the plot... there is so much more to get from it than this.