Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is sure to please any fan of the series. This third installment also has the weight to possibly sway those of you who have been holding out on the magic of Hogwarts.

As you may have already heard, this "Harry Potter" is darker, but not only in the storyline involving murderers and soul-sucking Dementors. "Prisoner" is also physically darker, which to me removes a level of innocence felt in the first two movies. This is appropriate, though, as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is no longer so much in awe of his environment and situation, but is a little angry by events that have shaped his life.

Just as Harry and his friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint) have grown older, so has the movie matured. Rather than trying to impress the audience with special effects, director Alfonso Cuaron ups the level of emotions and feelings that the characters are experiencing. Each actor, Radcliffe especially, steps up their acting abilities here as well. Whereas previously these were actors trying to portray established characters, Radcliffe, Watson and Grint are now established actors who ARE Harry, Hermione and Ron.

Some fans of the book may be disappointed with elements that are missing from the movie. But even when the story slows down for some moving scenes between Harry and Dark Arts Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), we discover that we continue to learn more and more about Harry's world. It's a world that I'm eager to revisit again soon, a first for me since Lord of the Rings. I give it an A.

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is rated PG with a running time of 136 minutes.