Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is another strong entry to the beguiling boy-wizard series that has enthralled people of all ages worldwide. This third movie about the exploits of our favorite spell-conjuring hero exhibits a certain maturity - and a certain darkness in tone - but nevertheless succeeds in providing us with the adventure, action and sense of wonder and amazement that we've come to expect and yearn for in every Harry Potter movie.

The movie's theme centers on the anxiety generated by the stunning escape of the notorious Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) from Azkaban - the prison for all that's unholy in the realm of Wizardland. It's common knowledge that Sirius Black was one of the evil Lord Voldemort's staunchest disciples. Since Voldemort's defeat was largely attributed to the sacrifice of the parents of Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), everyone has been expecting that Sirius Black's chief target of retribution would be the offspring of his Master's tormentors.

Thus, with Harry Potter attending his third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the entire school has been placed on a veritable "red alert" status to ward off Sirius Black and protect our boy wonder. Hordes of Dementors - dark hooded, soul-sucking, flying creatures - have been sent in from Azkaban to hover on the skies of the outskirts of Hogwarts to apprehend and possibly destroy Sirius Black if he attempts to break into the school. But the Dementors not only pose a threat to the evil fugitive but also to the one whom they have been assigned to protect. Thus, there occur several inevitable encounters between these eerie creatures and our hero. With trusted friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) by his side, Harry must skillfully steer a tricky and treacherous course to discover new allies, expose dangerous enemies, and unravel mysteries about his own self.

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is definitely a pleasurable trip back into the world created by J.K. Rowling and brought to life twice by director Chris Columbus. But this third entry into the magical series has been infused with a unique look by director Alfonso Cuaron. Whereas bright and lively colors were the trademarks of the first two films, bleak and somber shades abound this time. Whereas you felt warmth and cheerfulness in the mood of the earlier films, you now could feel bleakness and desolation. Case in point, the requisite Quidditch scene was played out in a drenching rainstorm.

But rest assured that the excitement and awe of experiencing a Harry Potter movie hasn't diminished - not even a tiny bit!

The movie is replete with memorable scenes and moments that would clearly distinguish this chapter from the earlier two. My personal favorite is the time-travel sequence with Harry and Hermione. I absolutely loved the execution of this particularly tricky arc. Another favorite is Harry's soaring ride with Buckbeak the hippogriff. Even if I realize that this creature is just CGI and that entire riding sequence was also largely done in CGI, I can't help but feel touched by the whole thing. I never realized I could feel genuine caring and warmth toward a CGI. Buckbeak was as real as he could get. Kudos to all those who brought him to life!

I believe the stunning score was the critical ingredient that completed the experience for me. It was very lively and playful at times, but resounding and deep in the critical moments. This admirable score successfully infused the much-needed emotional touch to what is essentially a special effects-driven vehicle. Furthermore, it complemented the cinematography and triumphantly gave the movie the mature and menacing overall mood that the director wanted.

This exciting journey has been made more rapturous by the presence of familiar, as well as new characters. Professor Albus Dumbledore (Michael Gambon), Professor Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith), Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) and Professor Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) are joined in this adventure by the likes of Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), Professor Trelawney (Emma Thompson), the enigmatic Peter Pettigrew (Timothy Spall) and of course Sirius Black.

For me, the strongest performances from the supporting cast came from Thewlis, Oldman and Thompson. Thewlis' Lupin was ably and eloquently depicted as someone to whom we could entrust the safety and well-being of our hero. I felt myself cheering him on whenever he aids and helps Harry. Oldman's Black was an ominous presence throughout the first half of the film and I actually felt distressed. But my disposition toward his character gradually changed in the second half and I attribute this to Oldman's fine and effective portrayal. Emma Thompson has always been one of my favorite actresses because she's the master of prim and proper roles. But I loved her even more in this movie when she portrayed her Professor Trelawney with uncharacteristic zest, vibrancy and gusto. All hail the great Emma Thompson!

But I found Michael Gambon's Albus Dumbledore to be lacking the majesty and regal bearing of Richard Harris' Dumbledore. It must have been the voice. Or was it the stance? Whatever it was, I found Gambon's portrayal coming up just a tad short of the level that Harris had achieved.

Radcliffe, Watson and Grint portrayed their characters with the same deft and aplomb as they had in the first two movies. Radcliffe's Harry is brooding and tormented but headstrong; Watson's Hermione is sharp and determined; and Grint's Ron is confused and bumbling. For me, these are simply the closest thing to perfect that we could possibly have.

All-in-all, another successful - if a bit abbreviated - adaptation of a beloved book. With this movie, new heights have been scaled in translating written work to visual treat. Keep them coming, please!