ThePrisoner of Azkabanbookis a favorite of many Potter fans (myself included) for good reason.
It builds out the franchises mythology, introducing key items like the Time-Turner and Marauder’s Map.
Happily, the movie is a satisfying adaptation that still holds up today.
Cuarons movie rises to the occasion and then some.
The movie is atmospheric in a way the rest of the franchise never quite achieves.
It’s a palpably tense set of scenes punctuated with a ticking clock as part of the musical score.
Oldman has a tough job here.
Oldman walks the line perfectly, making Blacks eventual fate later on in the series that much more effective.
Its incredibly important thatAzkabangets the casting right, and luckily, it does.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: In Harry’s third year at Hogwarts, he faces more complex magical challenges and encounters fear-inducing Dementors. The escape of the notorious wizard Sirius Black from Azkaban casts a shadow over the school year, presenting new threats and mysteries for Harry and his friends to unravel.
As a young teen when the movie first came out, it made the characters more relatable to me.
They’re magical teenagers, sure, but still teenagers.
However, it’s a minor knock against an excellent movie that remains a standout in the belovedHarry Potterfranchise.
