Harry finds out a maniac has escaped the wizard prison Azkaban, bent on killing him.
A darker, fast-moving installment. The reins are finally given to a real director, and the results are a dramatic improvement. Alfonso Cuaron gives the film an appealing visual style, brings the characters down to earth (with the help of the costume department – the clothes now look like they've actually been worn), while making the film's fantastical elements (the Dementors, the Whomping Willow) feel at once more real and truly magical.
It also helps that the young actors have matured to a level where they've actually begun acting. The only real flaw is that by accentuating the sense of fun, the film ends up feeling a bit slight.
A darker, fast-moving installment. The reins are finally given to a real director, and the results are a dramatic improvement. Alfonso Cuaron gives the film an appealing visual style, brings the characters down to earth (with the help of the costume department – the clothes now look like they've actually been worn), while making the film's fantastical elements (the Dementors, the Whomping Willow) feel at once more real and truly magical.
It also helps that the young actors have matured to a level where they've actually begun acting. The only real flaw is that by accentuating the sense of fun, the film ends up feeling a bit slight.