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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Review Date: November 21, 2004
- PG
- Genre: Fantasy
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Fantastic, but kids are older, themes are darker.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
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.
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.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
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.
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Parent of 8 year old
October 21, 2010
AGE
Scary for younger kids
As a reader of the Harry Potter books and as a parent, I really enjoyed the movie. However my 8 year old son was really scared by this movie. He is a little sensitive to scary material. I think he could have handled the same material in the book but in the movie it's much more real and graphic. He cited the "possessed" voice of one of the characters and the werewolf transformation. Even though I used the "violent" icon, I really mean it's scary more so than violent. I also think the first two movies were not as scary.
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Kid, 9 years old
March 24, 2011
AGE
bad for just 5 and some under
See this Harry Potter movie. this is the best HP movie yet.My favorite HP movies. 7DEATHLY HALLOWS PART1. WORST 1 EVER.6THE 2nd one bad.5 sorcerers stone good.4 order of the phoenix.3goblet of fire good a lot of girls would like this because the guy from twilight in it.2.THE 1 IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS IS Harry potter and the prisoner of the wizard jail.BEST ONE I HAVE SEEN EVER.THAT IS NO.1 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111THE BEST ONE
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Kid, 10 years old
April 28, 2011
AGE
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Parent of 7 year old
January 27, 2011
AGE
Nightmares for the young audience
Although rated PD here, this is really not suitable for kids under 9/10, much too scary - it frightened my daughter aged 7 and we had to switch off, I had to spend a good deal of time calming her fears. She had loved the first two movies in the series which were not a challenge to her.
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Kid, 10 years old
April 24, 2011
AGE
best potter movie
My fav potter movie.when hermoine punched malfoy i went LOL
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Kid, 11 years old
October 3, 2010
AGE
The best movie for the almost-tweens!
This movie is better than SillyBandz! I love it! I started watching it when I was about six and had to many nightmares, so I waited a few years and love it now! I must see for 8-9+!
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Kid, 12 years old
July 5, 2011
AGE
Great movie
But has turned to a more scary film
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Teen, 16 years old
May 7, 2011
AGE
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Kid, 11 years old
September 21, 2010
AGE
I love the Harry Potter books! They are my favorite. But I give it an iffy for 10+ because number one; there is some love. Not really very innapropriate, and I don't mind, but some people might. Two; there is a lot of action and scary stuff. Again, I don't mind a bit, but others might. If you don't care about some love and like action/scaryness/some sadness, then this is the book for you.
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Kid, 11 years old
February 15, 2011
AGE
Totally Awesome movie for 9+
Why I chose these ratings above?
Positive messages:
1. Professor Lupin teaches Harry to fight these "dementors" by focusing on happy thoughts
Good Role Models:(List)
1.Professor Remus John Lupin
Why? Helps Harry conqueor his fears. Forgives Sirius Black for thinking that he (Remus) betrayed Lily and James Potter accepts Sirius' apolgy for thinking that he (Sirius) was the betrayer.
2. Rubeus Hagrid
Why? Comments positivly to Harry, Ron and Hermione
3. Albus Dumbledore
Why? Helps Hermione and Harry save Sirius Black from a horrible fate not deserved.
4. Hermione Granger
Why? Keeps Professor Lupin's secret "disease", lycanthropy a secret.
5. Sirius Black
Why? He forgives Remus Lupin for thinking that he (Sirius) was the betrayer and asks Remus Lupin to forgive him for thinking that he (Remus) was the betrayer.
6. Harry Potter
Why? He saves his past self from the "Dementor's Kiss".
Concerns: Violence:
1.At the end of the movie, Professor Remus Lupin transforms into a werewolf and (unknowingly) trys to bite/injure Harry, and Hermione sevral times.
Language: 1 use of b**** and some uses of d***.
It was an excellent movie!
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy, adventures, book characters, friendship, great boy role models, great girl role models, monsters, ghosts, and vampires |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Alfonso Cuaron |
| Cast: | Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Run time: | 141 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 8, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | November 23, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | frightening moments, creature violence and mild language |
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