Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Watch: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

2/15/20252h 21m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ Something wicked this way comes. ~

Overview:

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 the term also brings danger: soul-sucking Dementors hover over the school, an ally of the accursed He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named lurks within the castle walls, and fearsome wizard Sirius Black escapes Azkaban. And Harry will confront them all.

Director:

Alfonso Cuarón

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$130,000,000.00

Revenue:

$789,804,554.00

Key words:

witch
school friend
friendship
flying
magic
bus
traitor
child hero
school of witchcraft
black magic
time travel
school
best friend
werewolf
muggle
ghost
wizard
aftercreditsstinger
magical creature
night bus
teenage life
christmas
school class
based on young adult novel
magic spell
admiring
comforting
enchant
teen fantasy

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe

~ as ~

Harry Potter

Rupert Grint

~ as ~

Ron Weasley

Emma Watson

~ as ~

Hermione Granger

Robbie Coltrane

~ as ~

Rubeus Hagrid

Michael Gambon

~ as ~

Albus Dumbledore

Gary Oldman

~ as ~

Sirius Black

David Thewlis

~ as ~

Remus Lupin

Timothy Spall

~ as ~

Peter Pettigrew

Alan Rickman

~ as ~

Severus Snape

Tom Felton

~ as ~

Draco Malfoy

View full cast & crew

Reviews (3)

B
Binayak
Written 5 year(s) ago
~~
I really loved this movie.
Nathan
Written 3 year(s) ago
9
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is fantastic! This entry is another drastic step up from the previous film and the tone takes a dramatic shift in terms of seriousness.

The quality and cinematography are simply brilliant in this film. There are so many amazing shots and sequences that just had me completely enamored. These films are ahead of their time for sure.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban has the best plot of the series so far. There is a constant threat looming in the background throughout the entire film that is known from the opening minutes. Sirius Black's menacing posters and headlines create a real sense of danger, and he truly seems mad. The dementors also deliver a serious threat on screen. Their introduction is terrifying, and their presence is felt in every scene.

One of my favorite things about this film is the conclusion, the time traveling elements are perfect and answer so many questions that I had when running through the finale the first time. My fiancé and I were very confused at how things were happening, and I was having a hard time believing it. But it was brilliant the way it looped around, and the audience was given more background information that made those scenes complete.

The trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint elevate their performances once again. Their chemistry is amazing, and I have a feeling this complement will be handed out during every film until the conclusion. Gary Oldman was fantastic as Sirius Black and one of the more compelling "villains" of the series so far. Michael Gambon does an excellent job filling in for the late Richard Harris, it was really difficult to even tell that it was a different actor.

My only complaint about this film was the beginning of the movie was slightly rushed. I felt like from when Harry left the Dursley's to when he arrived at Hogwarts the audience was whipped around from location to location, and it was hard to keep track of why. But the plot settles in and finds it's groove after that and delivers a near perfect conclusion.

Score: 87% | Verdict: Excellent
CinemaSerf
Written 2 year(s) ago
8
I recall the controversy as this was released. Alfonso Cuarón consciously decided to darken this film, and the light-hearted stories of the first two are replaced by an edgier approach to this tale for our wizarding trio. The world's most wanted wizard "Sirius Black" (Gary Oldman) escapes from "Azkaban" allegedly bent on the destruction of "Harry". The script has more by way of addition to the original book, but in a complementary - not detracting way. As the children grow into young adults, we are exposed to a scarier side of their existence - the "Dementors" that are supposed to protect the innocent and the "Boggart" all serve to introduce a physical fluidity to this shape-shifting environment of peril in which they now exist. The presence of "Valdemort" becomes more omnipresent and there is so much more substance to the stories now. Sir Michael Gambon takes over the role of "Dumbledore" without quite the presence of Richard Harris, but we can tell now that this series is heading for murky, dangerous, waters...