“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” Movie Review
One of the film’s greatest achievements is the musical score…courtesy of John Williams. He is also the one who wrote the music in Star Wars. The soundtrack maintains the previous themes but something new is added. It is the theme of “Something Wicked This Way Comes†na kumanta ng choir sa start ng Hogwarts scene. Kinanta rin ‘to sa teaser trailer but in a different version.
TRIVIA:
The lyrics of the song is from Shakespeare’s Macbeth..sinabi ng tatlong witches in the beginning….
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Above all, si Howard Shore pa rin favorite ko. Nothing can ever top The Lord of the Rings soundtrack.
FEATURED LINK:
http://www.moviemistakes.com/film3738 >>>> if you want to see the mistakes from Azkaban (e.g. Nung naging Peter si Scabbers…nagkaroon ng damit, nung naging Scabbers si Peter, naiwan ang damit…weird di ba?
Azkaban” is the best Harry Potter for me (so far). I was totally bored in Book 4 (Goblet of Fire) because of its long introduction before the story arrives at Hogwarts. Ang dami pang pasikut-sikot. Azkaban is the best in terms of its pacing, story, twist etc. It was very exciting to read.
Now, the third movie in the successful series has arrived and it has a new director, Alfonso Cuaron [A Little Princess, Y Tu Mama Tambien (I haven’t seen this sex comedy from him dahil wala sa Video City)]. The style used in the making of this movie is far more different from the first two.
I love the first movie since I haven’t read the book when I saw the movie the first time. I really hate the second movie. The Chamber of Secrets (CoS) book is an exciting one too but when I saw it on screen, there’s no excitement. You just saw how Lockhart looked like, how big was the Chamber, how creepy was the Basilisk and that’s all. No emotional impact. Just special effects and dialogues.
I felt different while watching Azkaban. It wasn’t faithful to the original text but it’s okay. It made the movie more exciting and funny than the book. And that’s how a movie adaptation should look like. It’s pacing was fast so the movie’s running time is only 2 hrs and 15 minutes. 45 minutes shorter than the first. You have to leave out certain elements and specific and small details and come out with the main plot of the story. In CoS, you didn’t even feel that Hogwarts has been terrorized by a the Heir of Slytherin. I don’t even feel frightened by the series of petrifying incidents. Here in the new movie, Sirius Black is the main focus. And he should be.
SPOILERS ALERT
The movie starts with Harry reading a book in the dead of night using his wand as his primary light. And then the familiar HARRY POTTER title come out. And this time, the letters are waving. Then Aunt Marge (played by the evil principal, Ms. Trunchball from Matilda) comes to Privet Drive the next morning and the Dursley’s eat together. Then Harry blow up his aunt and then he sees Sirius as a dog and then the Knight Bus comes and here he come to know about the escape of Sirius from Azkaban. Then, Leaky Cauldron with Fudge, the Monster Book of Monsters, Hermione and Ron, Crookshanks and Scabbers and Mr. Weasley telling Harry about Black.
Then Hogwarts Express agad and then the creepy dementors. Kinilabutan tlaga ako the first time the dementors appear. Kahit nakita ko na sa trailer kung ano itsura, tumayo pa rin mga balahibo ko. Anyway, after that, Lupin wakes up and the Great Hall with a new headmaster (Michael Gambon)…lumakas nga yata si Dumbledore e.
Radcliffe is better than ever. His acting is more serious than the first two. Emma Watson looks more beautiful this time. Dalaga na siya! Shet! And Ron has a few funny punching lines. Sirius (Gary Oldman) is only seen at the Shrieking Shack scene. Timothy Spall is perfect as Lupin.
The Fat Lady is different now. As in the Fat Lady in 1 and 2 is not the Fat Lady of 3. And the Gryffindor common room’s location is also different! Sir Cadogan is also not here. The boggart scene is funny but they change something here. Harry was permitted to face the boggart!!! Correct me if I’m wrong but in the book, he wasn’t beacuse Lupin is afraid that Voldemort will come out. Another thing that was left out is the relationship of Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs at kung sino sila. Also, the missing finger of Scabbers is not emphasized. The secret of Hermione’s weird class schedule was only explained when the we see the Time-Turner. Prof Trelawny is like OA na Cita Astals. Konti lang and Quidditch but that’s enough to tell the story. The Firebolt is used only at the very end of the film.
My favorite part in the movie is the Time-Turner scene where they get to travel back in time. Actually, this is also my favorite part of the book. Buckbeak is realistic but Lupin in werewolf form is an obvious CGI.
All in all, the movie is amazing. The approach is different. The style is unique. The camera is always moving as in non stop ang paggalaw literally. I think this movie appeals more to teens and adults not anymore for kids. It has a more mature theme and darker mood.
Columbus (Book 1 and 2 director) is out. Cuaron is terrific and he’s in. Sana siya na lang mag-direct ng Goblet of Fire….
One more note: Ang ganda ng end credits, inspired by the Marauders’s Map. Parang LOTR. Baka nga meron pa sa huling-huli e. Kaso di ko na tiningnan kasi parang pinapaalis na kami ng guard. Last full show kasi…
