Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Alfonso Cuarón

Writers (WGA):

J.K. Rowling (novel)
Steve Kloves (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 June 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

Something wicked this way comes.

Plot:

It's Harry's third year at Hogwarts; not only does he have a new "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher, but there is also trouble brewing. Convicted murderer Sirius Black has escaped the Wizards' Prison and is coming after Harry.

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Wizard | Dark | Serial Killer | Muggle

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 31 nominations

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe	...	Harry Potter
Richard Griffiths	...	Uncle Vernon
Pam Ferris	...	Aunt Marge
Fiona Shaw	...	Aunt Petunia
Harry Melling	...	Dudley Dursley
Adrian Rawlins	...	James Potter
Geraldine Somerville	...	Lily Potter
Lee Ingleby	...	Stan Shunpike
Lenny Henry	...	Shrunken Head
Jimmy Gardner	...	Ernie the Bus Driver
Gary Oldman	...	Sirius Black
Jim Tavaré	...	Tom the Innkeeper
Robert Hardy	...	Cornelius Fudge
Abby Ford	...	Young Witch Maid
Rupert Grint	...	Ron Weasley

Also Known As:

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
Harry Potter y el prisionero de Azkaban (Argentina) (Mexico) (Panama) (Peru) [es]
Harry Potter et le prisonnier d'Azkaban (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Гарри Поттер и узник Азкабана (Russia) [ru]
Hari Poter i zatvorenik iz Azkabana (Serbia) [sr]
Harry Potter E o Prisioneiro de Azkaban (Brazil) [pt]
Harry Potter e il prigioniero di Azkaban (Italy) [it]
Harry Potter en de gevangene van Azkaban (Netherlands) (dubbed version) [nl]
Harry Potter en de gevangene van Azkaban (Belgium: Flemish title) (dubbed version) [un]
Harry Potter i el pres d'Azkaban (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Harry Potter i wiezien Azkabanu (Poland) [pl]
Harry Potter ja Azkabani vang (Estonia) [et]
Harry Potter ja Azkabanin vanki (Finland) [fi]
Harry Potter och fången från Azkaban (Sweden) [sv]
Harry Potter og fangen fra Azkaban (Denmark) [da]
Harry Potter og fangen fra Azkaban (Norway) [no]
Harry Potter og fanginn frá Azkaban (Iceland) (DVD box title) [is]
Harry Potter und der Gefangene von Askaban (Germany) [de]
Harry Potter ve Azkaban tutsagi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
O Harry Potter kai o aihmalotos tou Azkaban (Greece) [el]

MPAA:

Rated PG for frightening moments, creature violence and mild language.

Runtime:

141 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Malaysia:U | Iceland:L | India:U | USA:PG (certificate #40749) | Hungary:14 | Netherlands:9 | Germany:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (re-rating on appeal) | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G (Quebec) | Czech Republic:U | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:PG | Israel:PG | Italy:T | Japan:U | New Zealand:PG | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Zurich) | Taiwan:GP | UK:PG | Greece:K

Filming Locations:

Dowding Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the scene where Harry is given the Marauder's Map by the Weasley twins, the name "Moony" is misspelled as "Mooney". While not really a mistake, there is still an interesting connection. The film's visual effects supervisor is named Karl Mooney. The spelling was changed deliberately for the in-joke.

Goofs:

Continuity: On the Knight Bus, as Stan Shunpike holds the newspaper in his hands the position of the hat on his head changes between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Harry: Lumos Maxima!
[five times]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Yes Man (2008)

Soundtrack:

A Winter's Spell

The best of the Harry Potter films so far

This third Harry Potter film is the best one yet. Director Alphonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mama Tambien, A Little Princess) has taken over from Chris Columbus and has stuck less slavishly to the original JK Rowling Books.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are back as Harry, Ron and Hermoine, with Hermoine in particular getting to do a lot more. There are less Quidditch matches, and more menace, in keeping with the improved complexity of Rowling's third novel. Hogwarts is not safe, Draco Malfoy is no longer a menace, but just a pain in the ass. And the new CGI-scripted character Buckbeak the Hippogriff (half eagle, half horse) looks fantastic and has personality.The kids are all supposed to be thirteen but look older - hey we'll forgive them. Neville Longbottom has lost so much weight he's almost unrecognisable.

Great performances from Emma Thompson hamming it up as the ditsy professor of foretelling, Prof Trelawny, Michael Gambon as the new Professor Dumbledore (not as magical but good), David Thewliss as Prof Lupin, and Gary Oldman as the Prisoner of Azkhaban.Thrilling, complex, menacing, ****/***** stars.