Favorite Franchises: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón


Plot Summary: As Harry Potter prepares for his third year at Hogwarts, he has been cautioned by everyone around him to be on the lookout for Sirius Black, a murderer who recently escaped from Azkaban Prison. Harry also comes across the Dementors, nasty creatures sent from Azkaban to track Sirius. After coming in contact with the Dementors and passing out, Harry trains with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Lupin to master the Patronus Charm so he can defend himself against them. During this time, Harry also learns the truth of why he's been told to not go looking for Sirius, because he's Harry's godfather and the one who turned Harry's parents over to Lord Voldemort. Fueled by revenge, Harry hopes that Sirius finds him so he can avenge his parents' deaths.


After directing two Harry Potter films, Chris Columbus decided to step away from the director's chair and returned as a producer for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Alfonso Cuarón stepped up to the task of being the director and while he was only present for one film, he made a film that many consider to be one of the best, if not THE best Harry Potter film. Do I think it's the best? No, but I do still think it's still a well-made Harry Potter film. This film marked the beginning of the films we most associate with the franchise. Dark and edgy, the film noticeably inches closer to a more adult-oriented tone and steps further away from providing family-friendly entertainment. I still think there's about one or two left in the series that do it a little better than Prisoner of Azkaban, and I still have a nostalgic fondness for Sorcerer's Stone, so that's why I won't say that this film is my favorite. But, there is a LOT to enjoy with this film that makes it at least my 3rd or 4th favorite Harry Potter film, and that's saying something.

The kids we grew up with in the first two films are definitely maturing into fine young adult actors at this point, including Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. Harry's undergoing a lot of emotional stress during this film and it has everything to do with the escaped murderer Sirius Black and the eerie Dementors that won't leave him alone. I'll talk more about both of those problems in a little bit, but let's focus on Harry right now. Radcliffe has to bring a lot to the table in order to get Harry particularly right in this film. One of my favorite moments for him in the film is when he has discovered the truth about Sirius Black. If you watch some of the early screen tests, this is actually a scene they had Radcliffe read to see how he would approach an older version of Harry. I could see where a lot of people that think this makes Harry irrational and impulsive, but really, if you were in his shoes, wouldn't you act and feel the same way? That's why I really like Harry in this film particularly, because he's the most relatable I've seen him in this series. He's not the Chosen One yet and he's not dealing with Lord Voldemort in this film. For him, he's in a conflict that is very personal, which is when conflict can be the most dangerous, and that is why I find his character bits in Prisoner of Azkaban very engaging to watch.

Emma Watson really stands out in this film as Hermione Granger. No longer is she your typical brainy character. Hermione has a stand up attitude that allows her to defend her and her friends to even then most ruthless of antagonists. If there was ever a Harry Potter film to please the feminists, this might be it, as it fully shows a strong, female character, who not only is capable of success without a male character bailing her out, but in many ways is directly responsible for saving the day. Great job Miss Granger. 10 points to Gryffindor! Like the last movie, nothing really special happens with Ron Weasley, played by Rupert Grint. Ron's usefulness in Prisoner of Azkaban is simply to be comic relief. You could argue that he has a lot of development thanks to the teasing a future romance between him and Hermione, but even then, that's all he has. Hermione had that, and development that allowed her to stand out as an individual character. We're almost halfway done with this series, and I'm really starting to feel sorry for Ron. Either he's going to need to undergo a significant amount of character focus in the next few films, or his comedic moments are going to need to pick it up in terms of effectiveness.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban introduces us to two of my all-time favorite characters in the series. The first is the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Remus Lupin, played by David Thewlis. Lupin is easily the nicest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher the franchise has to offer, and really steps in as Harry's mentor for the film. He's humorous, kind, and believes chocolate is the cure for everything. Lupin's friendship with Harry is one of the film's best highlights since he offers a lot of insight to Harry about his parents, teaches Harry how to use the Patronus Charm, and provides a lot of advice on conquering fear. But, like any other character in Harry's life, he has a secret that creates quite a problem for Harry and his gang down the road.

The Prisoner of Azkaban himself is Sirius Black, played by Gary Oldman. What else do I need to say? It's GARY OLDMAN! He is one of my favorite modern actors and has been for some time. He's a chameleon who has been able to give so many iconic roles in his career and Sirius Black is no exception. Heck, Daniel Radcliffe was nervous to work with Oldman because he considered him to be one of his idols. Sirius doesn't officially show up until the last act of the film, but the build up to him is so incredible. All we see of him for most of the film is this crazed, manic expression on his face in his wanted poster. That on top of what every character says about him really plays him up as a psychotic and threatening killer. But then we learn that not everything is what it seems and Oldman is able to put that to good use when playing Sirius for the remainder of his appearances in the series. I really like how Sirius as a character is handled in this film because we run the gamut of emotions and reactions with him throughout the course of Prisoner of Azkaban and an accomplished actor like Oldman really is the proper person to bring that role to life, as he has done a great job of playing memorable heroes and villains in his career.

The major documentary on the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Ultimate Edition DVD talked about all the great creatures in the Harry Potter films and how they were brought to life. Obviously, a lot of the magic in these movies are through practical and computer generated effects, but this documentary focused on the practical side. We see great mechanics, suits, sculptures, and concept drawings for a bunch of great characters that we have seen in these first three movies, along with the rest of the films to follow. Whether it's trolls, dragons, giant snakes, giant spiders (*shudders* Sorry, that's my arachnophobia kicking in), werewolves, Dementors, Buckbeak the hippogriff, Fawkes the Phoenix, or Dobby the House Elf, this documentary shows how important all of these magical creatures are in the films. Usually in the background of the main stories, the creatures always leave a lasting impression because if they are done right, then they are that extra bit of magic used to help make the world of Harry Potter feel like a combination of fantasy and reality.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

With the inclusion of Lupin and Sirius Black, the Harry Potter franchise continues to grow with great characters. On top of that, you can really see these younger actors growing and maturing into their roles, exhibiting a greater amount of depth and development. Alfonso Cuarón really added a lot as a director when he made Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and made the film a measuring stick for the rest of the series in terms of quality of storytelling and character development, as well as maintaining a darker and more serious tone.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and movie images are copyrighted by Warner Bros.