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| | Harry Potter News Latest news and rumors about the Harry Potter world! | 
06-01-2004, 12:39 PM
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* Wizardnews' review Summary:
Warning: Contains spoilers! Article:
Thanks to Wizardnews Quote: If you want your Harry Potter filmed as it's written, don’t even cross the threshold of the cinema. If, on the other hand, you want movies to do what they do best, in the hands of those who do it better than anyone else, this is your movie. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban captures the most important, essential and exciting points of this, the best of the books so far (in your reporter’s humble opinion). This is Harry as you have never seen him before.
Older and, like his fellow stars of the film, even more comfortable is his role, Daniel Radcliffe gets things off with a bang as the film hits the ground running with an inflatable Aunt Marge swiftly rising from the garden of Privet Drive. Harry hurtles off into the night and his encounter with the dark dog and the first of the film’s absolute treasures, the Knight Bus. Stan Shunpike reads his ‘welcome statement’ from a tatty card before pocketing it and helping Harry aboard for the ride with Ernie the bus driver from hell and his talkative mascot. Harry is whisked at terrifying speed through North London (I know, I live here!) with one minor pause, to the Leaky Cauldron where Tom the Innkeeper (Jim Tavare in good form) and the Monster Book of Monsters, give him a warm welcome!
The train sequence is full of dark drama, and here we get our first glimpse of Remus Lupin. (I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Remus Lupin. His helpful nature as well as his shadowy character are beautifully delineated by David Thewlis, and Alfonso Cuaron, throughout the film.)
A wealth of detail from the chorus, to the new Albus Dumbledore, and the unusually difficult Fat Lady (!) all liven up Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts once again. Oh and enjoy the sweets sequence...
Lupin’s class is a real joy. The student’s hectic tangles with the Boggart - including Neville and his Snape in Gran’s clothing - culminate in Harry confronting... well that would be telling. But, once again, Thewlis communicates Lupin’s humanity and profound sensitivity with the lightest touch. Harry has several scenes of quiet and stillness of Lupin where we learn much about Harry’s past and obliquely, about Lupin himself. It would have been so easy to make Lupin gentle and wimpish but Thewlis gives him a core of inner strength and intelligence borne of suffering, in how he moves, behaves and speaks. Harry’s personal tuition with Lupin reflects this.
Another highlight is ‘Professor’ Hagrid’s class with another of the film’s high points, Buckbeak. A terrific ensemble of special effects and animatronics experts have put together a beast that looks unnervingly real and also fantastical as Harry finds out. This is one animal I think we would all love to see ‘for real’.
As I said earlier, events move at great speed in the movie, although there are only a couple of later moments when I found an almost time turneresque lurch as a multitude of detail was condensed into a sequence of breathtaking speed. (As I say, this is not a move for those who like their Harry Potter written in stone.)
After the briefest of romantic interludes for Ron and Hermione, Harry successfully disconcerts Malfoy in Hogsmead, thanks to the Weasley twins, and the quite superbly realised Marauder’s Map. He learns much in Hogsmead, not all of it pleasant.
With the map Cuaron resisted going for the full on all-singing, all-dancing 3-d approach so, the map on screen is a delight to see, simple yet beautifully effective (and it impacts on the closing sequence in a big way). It is a lovely thing, not fancy but very much in keeping the spirit of Hogwarts.
I must mention the Quidditch Match. It’s short, sharp and a shock. The earlier Dementors (and their chilling effects) are here with a vengeance amidst the howling gales and pouring rain as the match is in progress - (detail isn’t relevant here). Harry and the Dementors confront each other with dramatic effect before we begin what is, effectively, the long and hugely dramatic run to the finish line.
The final third of the film is one long sequence of drama, shocks and tension. The Whomping Willow, the Shreiking Shack, the dramatic entrance of Sirius Black (a superb and vengeful Gary Oldman) and the appearance of Lupin, Snape and Peter Pettigrew (a creepy creepy Timothy Spall) follow at a truly breathtaking pace, including a stunning and terrifying transformation scheme where Lupin becomes an astonishing creature as much human beast as what we would imagine a werewolf to be.
So much happens you will miss something along the way (anyone who doesn’t is lying, believe me). Hermione, a feisty fighter throughout, shows her mettle with the time turner (and the nail-biting sequence of a snapped twig... watch for it) before Buckbeak is rescued and Sirius Black saved.
(So what if Hermione is there where Harry casts his Patronus charm, events move at such a terrific pace, while still making sense, that it doesn’t matter. Had it done so wouldn’t JKR have put her foot down, now come on!)
The battle with the Dementors is a swift and stunning climax to a beautifully executed and extended sequence that telescopes a huge amount of story into a very very short period of time, culminating in Sirius Black’s rescue and the return of Harry and Hermione to a very confused Ron.
Cuaron has blown the earlier films out of the water with The Prisoner of Azkaban, there is a wealth of visual detail here that only repeated viewings will fully show. Professor Trelawny is a delight in her tower room with its stacked teacups, the appearances of the dog in its various guises, the chracterisations of Trelawny, Lupin, Snape, Dumbledore (who I like) and Black really shine and the stamp of reality has allowed a little more grit and dirt to enter Hogward’s perfect world.
All this is considerably enhanced by a superb score from John Williams that tightens the tension, enhances the joy, raises a smile and does a great deal to enhance what is, quite simply, the best Harry Potter film to date. The lovely Hedwig’s Theme, Double Trouble and a Window to the Past are beautifully varied and to stunning effect. Get the CD for the music in all its HP glory.
If you don’t go and see this you might as well give up on Harry, this is close to perfect - as good as it gets. Everything we love is here, everyone who we love is even better than before - the three leads are faultless - Emma Watson superb, Dan Radcliffe a heartfelt hero and Rupert Grint quite the best comic talent (with a serious core) in a long time.
Go. If you love Prisoner of Azkaban, movies, excitement, and Harry. Go, or may the Dementors of Azkaban come and get you!!*
Wizardnews  | |
06-01-2004, 01:11 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | Faerie
Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Norway
Posts: 3,869
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Excellent, excellent review! The best I've read yet. 
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06-01-2004, 01:18 PM
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#3 (permalink)
|  DTFC NewsBanshee
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: scotland, the counry
Posts: 16,460
| Keeper of Mr Tennant's specs
i agree with it when u go to see POA and forget the books cos u will be disapointed cos it is diffrent. but it is an amazing film i am going back nxt week to see it.
great review.
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06-01-2004, 01:19 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | Poltergeist
Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia
Posts: 17,600
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Isabella Thompson
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^ Yeah someone warned me about that
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06-01-2004, 05:12 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | Bicorn
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Highest cloud on Loon-Land
Posts: 1,807
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I forgot to mention in my review about the timeturner sequence - that was genius - best part of the film in my opinion, alot of thought went into that.
GREAT REVIEW!! :sorcerer:
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06-01-2004, 05:14 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | Banned
Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canada
Posts: 6,412
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Quote: Originally posted by Dumbledore@Jun 1 2004, 04:45 AM Excellent, excellent review! The best I've read yet. I'm with you, this was a great review, and only makes me more anxious!
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06-01-2004, 05:54 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: In the United Kingdom
Posts: 342
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I'm going to go and see it in a few days. I'm the type of person who likes the movies faithful to the books, but I believe that the film version of Prisioner of Azkaban shall be amazing. This review was excellent, especially by a film critic. They are always hard to butter-up. Believe me, I'd know. | |
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06-01-2004, 09:49 PM
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#8 (permalink)
| | Hinkypunk
Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: massachusetts
Posts: 840
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wow this is an excellent review!! i'm going to see the film on Friday!!! i can't wait and reading this review makes me want to go even more! i like the films to be true to the books too-but i know the parts they left out will be made up for by the parts they did put in!
i know i will love this film the best-everybody says it is the best HP film yet!! i'm sure i will agree and want to see it over and over and over again!!
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06-02-2004, 01:16 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | Kappa
Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA
Posts: 1,020
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That is a good review.
IT IS GONNA BE GREAT!!!!! :sorcerer: :sorcerer: :sorcerer: :sorcerer:
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06-02-2004, 01:24 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | Doxy
Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Out of my mind back in 5 minutes. Maybe.
Posts: 421
Hogwarts RPG Name:
Azzariah
Graduated |
I can't wait to see it. Though I am a person that likes it to follow the books since it was the books that made these movies possible. Though I will most likely enjoy it though be difference in story. CAN'T WAIT!
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