Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Book (and Movie) Review
Let's be real. If your favorite Harry Potter book isn't the Prisoner of Azkaban, I cannot relate. Okay, even if I've only read four of the books in the series so far, it's still gonna take the cake for me as the series continues. Think about it; unlike the other books, Voldemort isn't the main baddie; the backstory and character-building rockets to another level; and it marks the beginning of a much darker tone as the story grows with the audience. Not to mention the stellar final confrontation and the events leading to it (it lasts like a lot of pages!).
I guess we'll start with the main conflict. If you haven't read it before (I would say "How?" but I was in that position a couple of months ago), Harry finds out that he is supposedly being hunted by the infamous Sirius Black. The criminal, convicted of murdering a dozen civilians under a single curse, has escaped Azkaban (basically wizard Alcatraz) and is on his way to Hogwarts for some confrontation, later planning to bring the Dark Lord back to power.
Harry discovers that Sirius is the reason for his parents' deaths. Already, this factor adds such a personal feel to the conflict. It involves people who knew Harry's parents very well; the only people he could talk to to know what his mother and father were like. The book culminates in Harry finding the only real family he has left within those people, adding a satisfying end to book.
Honestly, clap it up for J.K. Rowling. I don't even know what the J.K. stands for, but she is magnificent at character-building. Through a decent amount of the book, Ron and Hermione are in a giant feud. The fight escalates to the point where Harry doesn't even know if they'll make up. Harry's place in the drama is perfectly done. As Hermione isolates herself in her mountain of schoolwork, Harry mostly hangs out with Ron. Hermione eventually breaks down, yelling at a teacher and slapping Malfoy (extra points for that). Not only is it a realistic progression, it teaches a lesson to kids as well, and one that is often overlooked -- don't overwhelm yourself with school.
The teachers also gained some depth, which is a smart move. We learn about Snape's past, for example. Rowling knows how integral Snape is to the whole series, so she gives us hints of why he acts the way he does, feeding us the events that conjured his personality. Dumbledore has remained relatively flat in the series so far, but, especially at the end, you get the feeling he's always there, watching and knowing what's going on. It builds a further trust with him and Harry that transcends through the rest of the books (to my knowledge).
Three books in, and the characters are becoming extremely fleshed-out. It's getting creepy how much I can relate to these characters on a personal level, being in school myself. Rowling paces this page-to-person bond flawlessly. There are no strange bumps or dips in the long drive. Give me a situation, and I know how each character would react.
The movie, though not perfect, does the book justice. Some small events and character development was glossed over, but the genius of it is that, even if those book details were not shown in full, you get the feeling it's happening in the background. You never felt like it was cut after cut; there was always an "off-screen" element to it.
Okay, and the final scene had some amazing performances. They got Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, and David Thewlis in the same room! The only real striking problem with the film (which should have been in that scene) is the explanation of the Marauder's Map and how it ties everything together in the end. Viewers would know more about Harry's father and have a more satisfying and less confusing ending. Either way, the overall arc of the story remained in-tact to many book-readers' relief.
But come on, you gotta watch this scene (or not, I don't care):
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, in my opinion, had zero flaws book-wise. It continued with a different, more unique aspect of the story, opening avenues for adventures yet to come. I can't wait to keep reading.
