Moviola > Films > Harry Potter 3

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban  (PG)   141 mins

"Something wicked this way comes..."

The third film in the series centres on the escape of the sinister Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) from Azkaban Prison; Sirius was convicted in Voldemort's plot to murder Harry's parents, and now it's suspected he must finish the job by killing Harry. As Harry returns for his third year at Hogwarts, grim wraiths named Dementors are stationed at every entrance to the school to ward off Sirius, but the Dementors are hardly reassuring, with their trick of sucking away the soul essence of their victims.  Harry, too, has developed an edge. We first met him as the poor adopted relative of a suburban family that mistreated him mercilessly; this time, Harry is no longer the long-suffering victim but zaps an unpleasant dinner guest with a magical revenge that would be truly cruel if it were not, well, truly funny. Harry is no longer someone you can mess with.  Chris Columbus, who made the first two Potter films, remains as producer, but replaces himself as director with Alfonso Cuaron, director of the wonderful A Little Princess (1975) and the brilliant Y Tu Mama Tambien.   Cuaron continues the process, already under way in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, of darkening the palette, and younger viewers may find it seriously scary.

www.harrypotter.warnerbros.co.uk

Last modified: 20-Jun-2008

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