Year three at Hogwarts means new fun and challenges as Harry learns the delicate art of approaching a Hippogriff, transforming shape-shifting Boggarts into hilarity and even turning back time. But...
WHAT I LIKED: The most striking thing about 'The Prisoner of Azkaban,' is the aesthetic difference brought by esteemed director Alfonso Cuaron. The look of the whole piece is visibly darker and grander, the camera swoops dynamically around the sets and dramatic locales to add an extra layer of life, and visual cues are expertly used to suggest sinister goings on. The camera zooms in on characters faces in reaction to the simple flickering of lights or movements in the wind, and atmosphere is built by the sudden forming of ice, the fluttering of crows in fear, the ominous melting of snow or the looming of storms. Certain moments are emphasised visually and brought back to jerk memories in the audience, and even the gags are more simple and sight-based than they were before. All of that creates an in the moment engagement of your senses that shows real directorial command over the building of atmosphere which ultimately glues your eyes to the screen very effectively.
What's more though, the story that all of that is being used to tell continues to brilliantly test and build the characters. Here it's all about the case of Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) who is initially introduced as the next big threat to Harry, but is eventually suggested to be something a little more complex. In the end that becomes a vehicle to explore and explain more about Harry's background and the mystery around his parent's death, and that's interesting to uncover. That's helped to life by the fact that a more grown-up Daniel Radcliffe can rise to the challenge of the further tests that this brings to Harry, whilst the comfort he seeks in the elders and friends around him packs similar comfort to the previous films as the script still takes some time in the classroom and dorms between the darker narrative stuff.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The way the narrative unfolds is arguably a little confusing, and that's a problem in a film so driven by its plot. Here the central mystery is who Sirius Black is and what he wants, and whilst that propels the story for a while, the moment it's all revealed is executed with the pace and energy of a stage play that places emphasis on the character interactions rather than the reveals of the plot. Stripping things of exposition is admirable in a way, but here it occurs at the expense of clarity and will mean that if you're not a hardened fan you may be left running to catch up as the reveals are made, particularly on first viewing.
VERDICT: Whilst the plot can get confusing, Alfonso Cuaron's command over the visual medium makes 'The Prisoner of Azkaban,' a more atmospheric Harry Potter film that continues to test and explore its characters in engaging new ways.
