When the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie came out in 2004, it marked a creative shift for the franchise. Chris Columbus directed the first two Harry Potter movies and was instrumental in establishing the look of Hogwarts and the Wizarding World, not to mention casting the young actors who would become synonymous with their characters. However, for the third film, Columbus handed the reins to Alfonso Cuarón, who’s since directed the award-winning Gravity and Roma.
The Prisoner of Azkaban book is a favorite of many Potter fans (myself included) for good reason. It introduces pivotal characters in Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, who go on to have a huge impact on Harry and the series. It builds out the franchise’s mythology, introducing key items like the Time-Turner and Marauder’s Map. It also reflects that its characters are growing up, with Harry, Ron, and Hermione testing their limits and venturing out more on their own. Happily, the movie is a satisfying adaptation that still holds up today.
Cuarón’s Movie Establishes The Darker Tone That Persists For The Rest Of The Series

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban Is The Perfect Link Between The Second And Fourth Movies

More than 20 years after the film’s release, it’s easy to forget how difficult Cuarón’s job was. While the first two Harry Potter movies have clear stakes, there’s a sense that an adult would step in if things went truly awry, and much of the first film is focused on Harry’s understandable awe at the Wizarding World and all it has to offer. There’s a big jump in the fourth movie, where Harry comes face-to-face with Voldemort away from the safety of Hogwarts and witnesses the brutal murder of a classmate.
In this way, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban must serve as a vital bridge between the two disparate tones. Cuarón’s movie rises to the occasion and then some. The movie is smart to include lighter moments reminiscent of the first two films throughout – the jaunty Boggart scene in Lupin’s classroom comes to mind, as does Harry teasing Ron and Hermione while hidden under his Invisibility Cloak. However, Azkaban is also appropriately moody, introducing the soul-sucking Dementors and turning the story into what feels like a full-on horror movie at times.
Cuarón Is The Perfect Choice For Prisoner Of Azkaban In Particular

The Director’s Artistic Style Is A Great Fit For The Third Harry Potter Film

It’s in these darker moments that Cuarón proves why he is the perfect man for the job. The Prisoner of Azkaban has some of the most evocative shots in the entire series – a Dementor glides over a patch of flowers, which immediately tighten up and freeze; the camera follows a twittering bird across the Hogwarts grounds until it crashes into the Whomping Willow; crows rise up from a pumpkin patch as an ax swings in the air. The movie is atmospheric in a way the rest of the franchise never quite achieves.

Every time I get to Prisoner of Azkaban’s ending, I feel real concern that Harry and Hermione will never make it back in time, despite having seen it a dozen times.

Azkaban also includes the fan-favorite Time-Turner sequence, which, while thrilling on the page, presents a robust filming challenge in showing duplicate characters in the same scene. Here, Cuarón again shows his prowess, with characters barely making it out of frame before their duplicate appears. It’s a palpably tense set of scenes punctuated with a ticking clock as part of the musical score. Every time I get to Prisoner of Azkaban’s ending, I feel real concern that Harry and Hermione will never make it back in time, despite having seen it a dozen times.
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban’s Casting Is Top-Notch

Gary Oldman & David Thewlis Are Excellent As Sirius Black & Remus Lupin

Another of Prisoner of Azkaban’s many highlights is its casting, bringing in Gary Oldman as Sirius Black and David Thewlis as Remus Lupin, two close friends of Harry’s parents. Oldman has a tough job here. He needs to be believable as a terrifying escaped prisoner who wants to kill Harry but also as a loving godfather after his true intentions are revealed. Oldman walks the line perfectly, making Black’s eventual fate later on in the series that much more effective.

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Thewlis’ Lupin is perhaps a little more restrained than we might have expected based on his character in the books, but the decision works well. Thewlis gives Lupin a subtle warmth with a heartbreaking bit of distance, perhaps to protect himself given his history with James and Lily. Both men provide a vital link to Harry’s parents and come to be two of the most defining relationships in Harry’s life. It’s incredibly important that Azkaban gets the casting right, and luckily, it does.
Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban Expands The Wizarding World To Great Effect

It Establishes Key Settings & New Wardrobes For The Characters

The Prisoner of Azkaban also introduces new locations, showing more of the Hogwarts grounds, including a bridge that serves as the setting for an emotional conversation between Harry and Lupin. Azkaban brings Muggle wear to the school for the first time as well, and I vividly recall the unique thrill of seeing Harry wander Hogwarts in a hoodie or Hermione wearing jeans and a rainbow belt. As a young teen when the movie first came out, it made the characters more relatable to me. They’re magical teenagers, sure, but still teenagers.
If there’s a quibble to be found in the film, it’s that some of the new locations and wardrobe “rules” spring up seemingly out of nowhere. There’s no real explanation given as to why a bridge suddenly exists or why students are now allowed to wear Muggle clothes rather than robes. When viewing Prisoner of Azkaban on its own, this isn’t much of an issue, but it does make for a jarring experience when watching it directly after Chamber of Secrets. However, it’s a minor knock against an excellent movie that remains a standout in the beloved Harry Potter franchise.

Movie

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

9/10

Release Date

May 31, 2004

Runtime

144 Minutes

Director

Alfonso Cuarón

Pros & Cons

It effectively establishes a darker tone for the franchise
Alfonso Cuarón’s direction and world building are excellent
Gary Oldman and David Thewlis are well-cast

Some of the changes to Hogwarts and the costumes feel a bit jarring