The third film in the Harry Potter series finds the boy wizard
finally getting ticked off at his annoyingly crass muggle family. After putting
up with insults about his deceased parents from his Uncle Vernon's obnoxious
sister, Harry flies into a rage and casts a spell on the old bat, which blows
her up like the hot air balloon that she really is. Although his uncle is
royally steamed, Harry could care less. Fed up with their abrasive ways, he
packs his bags and storms out of the house. As he sits on the side of the road,
a large, threatening black dog glares at him from across the street. Hitching a
ride aboard a magical triple-decker bus, Harry takes a whirlwind tour of London
before he is dropped off at an inn, where he spends the night before heading off
to Hogwarts in the morning for his third year of school.
Meeting up with Ron and Hermione, Harry discovers that the legendary criminal
Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison. An ally of Voldemort, the evil
sorcerer who killed Harry's parents, it is rumored that Black is now after Harry
to finish what Voldemort started. Harry has no intention of seeking out Black;
instead he just wants to get on with the new school year at Hogwarts. However,
thanks to Black's escape, the terrifying Dementors have been stationed at the
school. Creepy, ethereal beings clad in black cloaks, they fly through the air
like dark wraiths, always hunting for their prey and not being too particular at
who they catch. After a run in with Harry on the train bound for Hogwarts, the
Dementors have taken an unusual interest in him. Between the unwanted attention
from these unearthly creatures and the fact that Sirius Black is stalking him,
Harry Potter's school year is already a mess--until he begins to realize that
there is something odd about Hermione this year. She appears to behaving rather
strangely, and is being cryptically secretive about something.
Chris Columbus, who helmed the first two Harry Potter films, relinquished the
director's chair this time out to Alfonso Cuaron, and the Prisoner Of Azkaban is
all the better for it. While Columbus is a fine craftsman who makes sturdy
entertainment, Cuaron is a visual poet who manages to create a much-needed
genuine sense of dread that the first two films were lacking. The scene where
Harry encounters his first Dementor aboard the train is a fine example. The
train bringing the children to Hogwarts comes to an unexpected halt right in the
middle of a bridge; the very air turns cold; ice forms on the windows as drinks
freeze up, and then comes the unsettling sight of a Dementor gliding unnaturally
into the compartment, reaching for Harry's very soul. This is a truly
frightening scene, and is only the first of several unsettling encounters with
these ghouls.
The story is also more personal, dipping into Harry's tragic past
and uncovering some startling revelations about his parents' murder. This, plus
the fact that Harry, Ron and Hermione are now in their surly teenage years,
gives Prisoner the darker, grittier feel that The Chamber Of Secrets strove for,
but ultimately lacked. And unlike Chamber, the final climax of Prisoner is both
gripping and ingenious at the same time. The superb David Thewlis joins the cast
as the new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, and Gary Oldman is great as
Sirius Black. Emma Thompson is unrecognizable--and very funny--as Trelawney, the
divination teacher. And although the late Richard Harris is a hard act to follow,
Michael Gambon ably makes the role of Dumbledore his own.
The many special features cater mainly to children, with various games and
virtual tours of the sets. There are several "making of" documentaries, and several
interviews with the cast and crew--featuring a talking shruken head that's more annoying
than funny--but the bulk of the special features is really geared for kids. Despite the
kiddie nature of the special features, the film itself is recommended for its great
dark tone, making it a good choice for a Halloween viewing.--SF
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