Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban **** (2004, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman) – Classic Movie Review 514

Michael Gambon has task of taking over from the late Richard Harris as the Hogwarts headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore, in the 2004 second sequel film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. 

The kids all grown-up looking – and so is the third Harry Potter movie, as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to eerie Hogwarts wizarding school for his third year of study. Alfonso Cuarón, the director of Gravity in 2103, takes over the direction for Chris Columbus in 2004 for the second sequel, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Enter Gary Oldman, as creepy, enigmatic wizard Sirius Black, who’s escaped from Azkaban prison and is rumoured to be searching for Harry to kill him, after bumping off his parents. Even worse, Hogwarts is playing reluctant host to the Dementors, frightening flying creatures that are supposed to be protecting the kids but are trying to suck the souls of Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint).

Naturally – or maybe unnaturally – all is not as it seems, of course. And that, kids, is one of the film’s main lesson – along with don’t always trust your teachers, think for yourself and, when in doubt, go back in time to sort all your problems out!

This is a brilliantly fast-paced, terrifying and enchanting adventure that never lets go of its grip. It’s a trip to the dark side that’ll have the kids holding their hands over their faces and screaming with delight. Along with all the scares, there are good laughs from Emma Thompson as the new divination professor, Alan Rickman as Professor Snape and Dawn French as a fun fat lady in a painting! Grint proves himself the best actor of the three kids, but Radcliffe is improving noticeably with each film and there’s more to do this time for feisty Watson.

With a gleaming production, polished direction and seamless effects, there’s never a dull moment, and there are lots of magic ones. Cuarón does a noticeably polished, sympathetic job of the direction. Wizard!

Michael Gambon has the sad and unenviable task of taking over from the late Richard Harris as the Hogwarts headmaster, Professor Albus Dumbledore.

Also in the cast are Fiona Shaw, Pam Ferris, Richard Griffiths, Harry Melling, Adrian Rawlins, Geraldine Somerville, Lee Ingleby, Lenny Henry, Jimmy Gardner, Jim Tavaré, Robert Hardy, Abby Ford, Oliver Phelps, James Phelps, Chris Rankin, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright, Mark Williams, David Thewlis, Devon Murray, Warwick Davis, David Bradley, Robbie Coltrane, Matthew Lewis, Sitara Shah, Jennifer Smith, Tom Felton, Bronson Webb, Joshua Herdman, Genevieve Gaunt, Kandice Morris, Alfred French, Julie Christie, and Timothy Spall.

Next up: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).

Robert Hardy, who died on 3 August 2017, aged 91, played Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge in 2002’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 2004’s Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2005’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and 2007’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Michael Gambon died in hospital on 28 September 2023, aged 82, after suffering from pneumonia. He made his film debut in Othello (1965) and is remembered for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989), The Wings of the Dove (1997), The Insider (1999), Gosford Park (2001), Amazing Grace (2006), The King’s Speech (2010), Quartet (2012), and Victoria & Abdul (2017), The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Fantastic Mr Fox (2009), and as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films from 2004 to 2011.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Film Review 514 derekwinnert.com