Under the stewardship of new directorial headmaster Alfonso Cuarón, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban far surpasses Chris Columbus’ literal-minded cinematic adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s first two fantasy novels. From its opening scene of Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) tinkering with his wand under the covers, Cuarón’s Potter reveals a willingness to confront, however slyly, Harry’s burgeoning puberty, and much of the film’s convoluted plot – involving the escape of famed murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), who may have ties to our forehead-scarred protagonist and Hogwarts’ new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Lupin (David Thewlis) – is layered with subtext about the young wizard’s uncomfortable maturation from awestruck child to responsible teen. Cuarón’s visually marvelous adventure utilizes the first two films’ sets and cast (including Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger), yet thanks to a subdued color palette and a knack for well-timed iris shots, the director imbues the series with heretofore unseen menace and majesty that’s only slightly undone by the tedious time-travel conclusion. Most amusing, however, is a third-act scene involving Oldman, Thewlis and Timothy Spall – along with a bit of help from Alan Rickman as professor Snape – that functions as a bizarre special effects-laden reunion of Mike Leigh’s favorite actors.
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