Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN

Reviewed by Harvey S. Karten

Warner Bros

Grade: B

Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron

Written by: Steven Kloves, novel by J.K. Rowling

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Richard Griffiths, Pam Ferris, Fiona

Shaw, Harry Melling, Adrian Rawlins, Geraldine Somerville, Lee

Ingleby, Lenny Henry, Jimmy Gardner, Gary Oldman, Jim

Tavare, Robert Hardy, Abby Ford, Rupert Grint

Screened at: IMAX, NYC, 6/1/04

   You'd not think that a PG rating would be awarded for a

work of a director like Alfonso Cuaron, whose "Y Tu Mama

Tambien" deals with two oversexed Mexican teens who go on a

joyride with an older woman married to one of their cousins. But

that road movie, minus the graphic sex, shares its theme of

teens who are quickly growing up. As for the titled Harry Potter

(Daniel Radcliffe) in the third of the "Potter" series, he's thirteen

and, like the kids in "Y Tu Mama" is learning to deal with his

fears and to become more self-assured, all of which is

accomplished in part by his learning more about the death of his

parents.

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" opens with the

movie's most humorous scene, as the rebellious Harry, dumped

on by his obnoxious, adoptive aunt Marge Dursley (Pam Ferris),

gets revenge by violating his pledge not to perform wizardly

while under their roof. To the amazement of his uncle and not

the least of his aunt, Harry turns Marge into an even more

inflated version of wicked stepmother simply by casting his eye

on her until she puffs up to the point of exploding and casts off

into outer space.

When Harry returns to the school, he hears that Sirius Black

(Gary Oldman), who may or may not have been responsible in

part for the death of Harry's parents, has escaped from the

Azkaban prison and is on his way to the school.

Scripted once again by Steve Kloves–who emphasizes

shades of gray in his characters while making the story

cinematically alive, "Harry Potter 3" is replete with characters

who are neither villains nor saints, giving the kids in the

audience something to chew on when they talk about their own

teachers. For example, the hippogriff (part horse, part eagle)

looks at first like a menacing creature but gives Harry the ride of

his life while Alan Rickman in the role of Professor Snape is

found to be other than the good guy popular with Harry's best

friend, the often sour-faced Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint).

Characters from the previous two installments turn in their

assured performances: Robbie Coltraine as the lovable Rubeus

Hagrid and Michael Gambon, who stands in for the late Richard

Harris, as Albus Dumbledore.

Despite fears that this installment with its cloudy skies and talk

of death might be too scary for the younger folks in the

audience, at an advance screening the seven-year-olds

watching one of the world's largest screens at Loews Lincoln

Square IMAX theater buzz with comments like "I didn't know

that [so and so] was a werewolf." Adults in the peanut gallery

might think of this "Potter" as just more of the same, but you can

bet that their little ones will be watching the pic five, ten, twenty

times while getting ready for an inevitable installment to come.

Rated PG. 141 minutes. Copyright 2004 by Harvey Karten at

harveycritic@cs.com

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