FOR BEST NON-ROMANTIC CHEMISTRY, RUPERT, DANIEL, AND EMMA.

        

It has been three years since Harry Potter discovered he was a wizard. He is still living in the home of his contemptible cousin Dudley (who watches television and eats peanuts all day long) and has restrictions placed on his magical skills. Studying is difficult since he can only sneak out his books at night, and worst of all, his Aunt Marge has come to visit. Uncle Vernon's sister wastes little time in demeaning Harry, insulting his father, and likening his mother to a female dog. Unable to control his rage, Harry inflates his aunt and sends her flying out the window into the wild blue yonder. Knowing he'll be expelled from Hogwarts for using magic outside of school, and also aware that he cannot remain on Privet Drive for fear of his uncle's wrath, Harry packs up his things and goes out into the world. Not a block from home, he experiences two peculiar adventures. The first is glimpsing a large, vicious black dog in the hedge, and the second is the appearance of the Knight Bus, "transportation for the stranded witch or wizard."

The violently purple triple-decker takes him to the Leaky Cauldron in London where the Minister of Magic (Robert Hardy) assures Harry he won't be punished for the "accidental use of magic," and encourages him not to leave Diagon Alley. Happily reunited with his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry then learns what has everyone so concerned. A criminal by the name of Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban Prison, a wizarding fortress guarded by dementors, black, wraith-like creatures that can suck all the joy, happiness, and life from your body, replacing it with sorrow. Harry encounters one of these terrible creatures on the Hogwarts train. His protection comes in the form of a wan figure curled up in the other end of the coach. Remus Lupin is Hogwarts' new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. His gentle nature and intelligent lessons soon make fans of much of the student body, but he appears to have an enemy in the school's potion master, Professor Snape.

While attempting to learn a powerful charm to ward off dementors, Harry must contend with his best friends constantly quarreling. Hermione has come into the possession of a large orange tabby cat who would very much like to consume Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. In the meantime a series of minor mysteries has the trio puzzled. Why is Professor Lupin regularly ill? Will the predictions of the Divination teacher (Emma Thompson) come true? Can Draco Malfoy manage to get Hagrid sacked from his new teaching position? Why is everyone so concerned that Harry will chase after Sirius Black? It appears the escaped murderer may be trying to break into Hogwarts. The result is an exciting adventure of magic, mystery, and even a little puppy love as the trio pull together to protect Harry from a grave danger.

It is quite clear that another director is at the helm of this film, for while it maintains the cheerful characters of the first two installments, The Prisoner of Azkaban is far more cinematic. It moves more rapidly, covers more ground, and is much more enthralling to look at. There are wide, flowing shots and many pan-ins for close-ups. The book has been highly condensed, which leaves viewers unfamiliar with its pages grasping a bit at the end. (Most notably absent is the explanation for where the Marauder's Map originated, and who they were.) The children have grown up, particularly Emma Watson. She can hold her own with the best of them. One of the final scenes in the Shrieking Shack displays some of the most incredible talent in the British Isles... a dramatic showdown with six exceptionally talented players. The production is ingenious with a different side of Hogwarts than we've before seen... the exterior grounds, the unswept courtyards, and the delightful village of Hogsmeade. But compliments aside, parents should bear in mind that there are many thematic and dark elements interwoven with the humor, and very young children will be frightened.

While there is no actual content to be concerned about, the film is very dark. The presence of dementors, who "suck the souls" from those who stand in their path, is intimidating and fierce. They take advantage of weak children on the train, cause Harry to fall from the skies during a Quidditch match in the rain, and almost succeed in killing two primary characters. Hagrid's hippogriff Buckbeak bites Draco Malfoy on the arm, and is sentenced to death. The children watch the execution from a distance. There is some mild language; Aunt Marge, referencing Lily and Harry Potter, says you can always tell what the pup is like by the b**ch. Ron's favorite exclamation is "bloody hell!" Two grotesque transformations are seen. Computer-animated animals (a werewolf and a hound) violently battle one another. Buckbeak likes to consume dead ferrets and fish. The Whomping Willow, a monstrous, bad-tempered old tree, likes to snap birds out of the skies and gives both Hermione and Harry a thrashing. 

Much darker than the first two films in terms of dramatic intensity, The Prisoner of Azkaban has the same overall content issues, plus the introduction of Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher. Her students are instructed to read tea leaves and gaze into crystal balls. As in the novel, Trelawney is over the top, seriously paranoid, and rarely do any of her predictions come true. Hermione actually quits her class, calling it "rubbish," but Harry and Ron stick it out for boredom's sake. The movie's most questionable scene has her "channeling" a prediction about Harry's life (she doesn't remember it an instant later) in a low, growling voice. If you can overcome this aspect in the knowledge it's a mockery of fortune-telling rather than encouraging us to embrace it, the rest of the film is an enjoyable romp. It is not only very touching but hilariously funny. You won't soon forget Professor Snape wearing Neville's grandmother's hat, or Harry contending with his violent Monster Book of Monsters. It's a gorgeous spectacle from beginning to end, and another solid glimpse into Harry's world.