"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"

Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón

Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon, Gary Oldman and David Thewlis

Rated: PG (for some frightening images and fantasy/adventure violence. Note: this film is more adult-oriented than previous Harry Potter films. Children under 7 or 8 may be alarmed by some scenes.)

Running time: 136 minutes

Best suited for: the Harry Potter faithful

Least suited for: the Potter oblivious (all three of them)

Acorn’s Rating Guide:

"Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" brings to life the latest and surprisingly mature adventures of the young, orphaned wizard. Harry is growing up—as are the tribulations that surround him. In this, the third Potter film, an apparently maniacal convict has escaped Azkaban prison and is searching for Harry, who has just begun a new year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The very whisper of the convict’s name—Sirius Black—sets about panic and pandemonium, and Harry must prepare himself for the confrontation he feels will be unavoidable.

The most graphically ambitious of the Potter films thus far, "The Prisoner of Azkaban" is rich in substance and character. As a teenager, Harry has found darker, deeper chasms of both turmoil and strength. He is, in many ways, the quintessential film character. Impulsive and roguish, brimming with magic and magnetism, his on-screen persona (in the guise of actor Daniel Radcliffe) is pure magic. His age is also to the film’s advantage––13-year-old boys are normally swimming in brash uncertainty, and Potter’s prepubescent struggles will resonate with a young audience, and with their parents as well.

Yet in its energetic and idealistic intent to recreate Harry Potter’s most complicated challenge, the film does misstep now and then. For the most part, these slight stumbles will likely go unnoticed or be quickly forgiven. Still, they chip away at perfection like the best efforts of an intoxicated sculptor.

"The Prisoner of Azkaban" feels disjointed in places: there are some quick cuts between nifty CGI action and Harry’s inner angst. Like a young Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" saga, Harry is beginning to confront the mysteries of his lineage. While such fragments of Harry’s past can be electrifying to the Potter faithful, those with only a passing acquaintance may find such scenes overextended and verbose.

The film’s ending feels a bit rushed. For all the mysterious fanfare afforded the prisoner of Azkaban (played with panache by Gary Oldman), Sirius Black shows up rather late, and his purpose for hunting down Harry Potter is explained swiftly (as if there’s an awareness of the clock ticking) and with some befuddlement. Director Alfonso Cuarón is quite deft at this cinematic sleight of hand—but blink twice and you may miss a thing or two.

   And, of course, certain questions do remain unanswered. Granted, the two-hour-plus film crams much information into the package—and undoubtedly many of those answers are slated for Sirius Black’s return in the next Harry Potter adventure. My best advice? Stay tuned.

The film is magnificently rendered. Hogwarts School loses its Disneyesque playfulness this time around; the magical, mystical realm in which Harry and his cohorts spend most of their time is splendidly depicted—both foreboding and surrealistically enchanting. There’s a timelessness to the Potter mystique that draws its breath from both the past and the future, and director Cuarón (as did Chris Columbus before him) wisely blurs multiple eras to create the mystique.

And final cudos for Emma Watson, who blooms nicely as Hermione, the stubborn intellectual who I suspect will play an increasingly important role in Harry’s life. (Is Hermione Harry’s eventual romantic interest in Potter films to come? Do toads have warts?)

In a nutshell: Like author J. K. Rowling’s masterful children’s tale, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" is an astounding, complex ride that mostly stays the course. It’s fulfilling (more so for the rabid Harry Potter fan than the casual bystander) in both emotional complexity and popcorn-munching action. The sets are magnificent, and the digital imagery (especially the ominous Dementors and the mythical Hippogriff) is stunning. Harry Potter is growing up before our eyes, and most of us are looking forward to following this likeable child wizard into adulthood.