I love the movie so much. At hogwarts there are 2 new teachers. there is a lot of violence. And a traitor.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
-
Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
-
Common Sense says
Fantastic, but kids are older, themes are darker.
Themes in this movie include: friendship
updated 09.21.09
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 10 and Up
The good stuff
-
Role models:
What to watch out for
-
Violence:
-
Sex:
-
Language:
-
Consumerism:
-
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was written by Nell Minow
Parents need to know that this third movie in the fantastic Harry Potter series is growing up with the Hogwarts crew; the themes are darker, the peril is more intense, and the images of some magical creatures are grotesque and Halloween-ish. For most of the school year, Harry believes he is marked for death and stalked by an escaped prisoner. He also battles a creature of kids' worst nightmares: the Dementors are black-robed floating beings that suck out happiness and feed on your worst fears, which is why Harry hears the sound of his mother's last scream when he sees them. While this can be tough for young and sensitive viewers, the bright spot is the Boggart lesson in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Boggarts can turn into what a person fears most, but the kids learn to yell "Ridiculous!" and turn it into something to laugh at.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about Dumbledore's statement that people can bring light to even the darkest moments. What can you learn from the way Harry and his friends learn to defeat the Boggarts? The Dementors?
- Older kids and teens could examine all of the Potter movies to see how different directors and cinematographers can take the same characters and settings and convey a different feeling. Notice how the colors and texture of the scenes and the movement of the camera help to create the mood and tell the story.
Have you seen it? Review It!
More on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
What’s the Story?
When his relatives the Dursleys get to be too much for 13-year old rebellious wizard Harry Potter, he packs up and leaves. Soon he is back at Hogwarts school for his second year. Scary creatures called Dementors, guards at the wizard prison of Azkaban, are lurking about the school grounds in search of the first-ever escaped prisoner, Sirius Black, who betrayed Harry's parents to Voldemort and may be on his way to Hogwarts to kill Harry. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin (David Thewlis), befriends Harry, while Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) is now teaching the Care of Magical Creatures class, introducing the students to a hippogriff (a sort of flying bird/horse). Meanwhile the fortune-telling Divination teacher, Sybil Trelawney (Emma Thompson), predicts danger is very near. When the hippogriff injures Harry's adversary, Draco Malfoy, it gives ammunition to those who oppose the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore (Michael Gambon). The hippogriff is sentenced to death. The Azkaban guards, called Dementors, have come to Hogwarts looking for Black, and every time Harry sees them, he faints. They dissolve any happy thoughts of people in their path, and Harry, who has known greater sadness than anyone else in his class, is the most vulnerable. Harry has to find a way to save the hippogriff and protect himself from Black, the Dementors, and even one of his teachers who has a dangerous secret. His friend Hermione has a secret, too -- how is she getting to all her extra classes? The answer is the extra help Harry needs to save lives.
Is It Any Good?
Harry Potter is 13 in this third movie based on the globally popular series of books by J.K. Rowling, and the movie itself seems to be entering adolescence, with its darker themes, darker images, and darker emotions.
The first two movies were competently directed by Chris Columbus, with brilliant production design and meticulous attention to detail, making sure that the books' passionate fans were happy -- but playing it safe.
For the third, Columbus stayed on as a producer, but there is a new director, Alfonso Cuaron, whose previous work has demonstrated ferocious visual flair (Great Expectations) and great sensitivity in working with and portraying children (A Little Princess) and teens (Y Tu Mama Tambien). He has kept the best of the first Potter films and enriched it with his own splendid vision, meshing perfectly with the tone of the story and the increasing complexity of the themes and characters.
Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros., Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Run time: 141 minutes
Theatrical release: 6/8/2004, DVD release: 11/23/2004
MPAA Rating: PG for frightening moments, creature violence and mild language
Run time: 141 minutes
Theatrical release: 6/8/2004, DVD release: 11/23/2004
MPAA Rating: PG for frightening moments, creature violence and mild language
Our Members Say
See all 77 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
-
I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
love it
-
I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
good harry potter movie : . )
This harry potter movie was definetly a good one! There were just a couple scenes that i felt were only slightly boring but besides that it was great!
-
I rate this title on for age 10 and give it- My highlights are:
- Good role models
-
I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Inappropriate language
- Negative role models
There are creatures that suck out happiness which can scare kids. There is also a convicted murodror who escaped from jail. A magical creature is sentencedto death and part of the execution is visile. Not everytinhg is fully explained so kids will not understand it unless they read the book or watched both the previous movies. A lot of scenes from the book are cut so it's not as good.Bad words are used. A 13 year old boy and girl do hug and hold hands a few times.The chracters like to break the rules and go after dangern instead of reporting danger to the authorities.
-
I rate this title on for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
most of this is average harry potter violence. The only part that might be found disturbing is when those dementors suck the happiness out of harry about 2 or 3 times. The language is pretty mild too.
-
I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
It's a decent movie. Might be a little too scary for kids under 10. If you're strict about accuracy to the plot then prepare to be disappointed. There is no battle whatsoever between the kids and the death eaters in the prophecy room and many more changes abound.
-
I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Inappropriate language
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
It's a decent movie. Might be a little too scary for kids under 10. If you're strict about accuracy to the plot then prepare to be disappointed. There is no battle whatsoever between the kids and the death eaters in the prophecy room and many more changes abound.
-
I rate this title off for age 8 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
Way too scary (spoiler)
The dementors are scary, the scene with the divinity teacher predicting Harry's future terrified my daughter, the animangus was scary expecially when he dragged Ron into the whomping willow! Also scary: warewolf transformation. All in all, this movie was WAY too much for my daughter. However, she loves HP and begs to see this movie again.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
good
i luv harry potter movies there awsome! but this could have been rated PG.
-
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Inappropriate sexual content
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- Negative role models
Too scary for young kids. 3 13 year olds go in a pub and drink butterbeer. Love scenes
-
I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
Love each Hate each
-
I rate this title on for age 9 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Excessive consumerism
- My highlights are:
PERFECT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TO WATCH
this was a really good movie. everything about it was really nice. there was a lot more violence then the first two. this is a god movie for kids, teens and even adults
-
I rate this title iffy for age 8 and give it
Harry potter
It has one or two violent parts but it good
-
I rate this title iffy for age 10 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
Pretty Creepy, but good.
Probably my third favorite Potter movie. The movie is pretty creepy. The Dementors, Lupin transforming and Azkaban. Check it out.
-
I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Good for tweens
Glad that this Harry Potter was age appropriate!! No nightmares or overly nasty imagery.
-
I rate this title iffy for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Good for 10 and up, but not for under 6
I LOVEd it! but if you get scared easly then I wouldn't see it in theaters. I also think it should be PG-13 because of the violent. I liked the book WAY more than the movie.
-
I rate this title on for age 10 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought that this movie was really accurate to the book. I thought that the shrunken heads were sooo funny!! The graphics were amazing, especially when Lupin turned into a Werewolf. I liked the idea that Harry has another living relative other than the Dursleys. Harry's reaction when he saw that they had traveled back in time was really funny!! My brother saw this movie when he was 8, and wasn't frightened at all!! I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!! I would recomend it to kids 9 and up.
-
I rate this title on for age 12 and give it
Scarier than others... Ded should be PG-13... none the less excellent
Incredible that kid movies could be so amazing... One after another brialliant!!! Ok for 12+ ANd for any religion including christian that what i am... It is not harmful to you!! Christian parnts let you kids watch this brilliatn spectactle!
-
I rate this title on for age 11 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
;D!
One word. GREAT. However, I feel some kids may be scared of the dementors. But only to some younger children.
-
I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Drinking, smoking, or drug use
- My highlights are:
shows honesty
you will want to see it!
Give Recommendations, Get Them, Too!
Become a member and get recommendations from other parents based on your child's age.Tell us your child's age:
Already a member? Log inOur Members Rate It
Ratings at a Glance
| 67% | of parents say it gives kids positive messages |
| 50% | of parents say there are good role models |
| 33% | of parents say it has language their kids can't use |
| 33% | of parents say it's too violent |
Have you seen it?
For Your Family
Get age-based recommendations for your kids:
Customize based on your child's age
tealsweety recommends:
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
for kids age 12
See more from tealsweety
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
for kids age 12
See more from tealsweety
