Review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Another boring summer holiday with his Aunt and Uncle ends with Harry losing control and using magic on his Uncle’s sister. He runs away and is picked up by the Knight Bus, a purple triple-decker, which takes him to the Leaky Cauldron. There he meets the Minister of Magic who tells him he isn’t in trouble for using magic outside of school, strange considering this is usually taken very seriously, but then Harry is soon going to find out he has more important things to worry about.

He learns from Mr Weasley that a wizard by the name of Sirius Black, a notorious mass murderer, has escaped from Azkaban, the wizarding prison. Apparently he was a disciple of Voldemort and blames Harry for his master’s demise. He is now on the hunt for Harry, with the desire to kill him in order to facilitate Voldemort’s return to full power. Dark creatures called Dementors, who guard the prison, are searching everywhere for him. Harry is told not to go looking for Black. Why would he go looking for someone who wants to kill him? It seems there is more to Sirius Black than meets the eye...

This is film number three out of eight (the last book is split into two films) and it’s notable as the point where things take a slightly darker turn. It breaks away from the conventions of the first two and tells a more interesting story. The characters also have a lot more depth, Sirius Black and the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, Remus Lupin in particular. The first two films were very faithful but rather unexciting, the director seemed afraid to attempt to make his own mark on the films. This time around they made the brave decision to choose Alfonso Cuaron, director of Y Tu Mamá También. This decision definitely pays off; he adds an aspect of realism to the film, which may seem strange for a fantasy but it works really well. The look is darker and grainier and there is a naturalistic feel to it that makes all the fantasy elements more believable, and paradoxically, more fantastic. It is a film that works on its own but also won’t disappoint the legions of Potter fans.

The plot of the film is rather murky at times and there are moments when more explanation would have been beneficial to those who haven’t read the book. It fails to fully explain the friendship between Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, Sirius Black and Harry’s Dad, James Potter. It also doesn’t enlighten audiences that these four were the creators of the Marauder’s Map: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs or that three of the friends became Animagi (able to turn into animals) in order to look out for Lupin. These small details should have been clarified in order for viewers to get a better idea of certain character’s relationships and motivations.

This film, along with the others in the series, is a real showcase for the cream of British acting talent. There are fine performances from Robbie Coltrane, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson and Michael Gambon (taking over from Richard Harris as Dumbledore). The three leads have matured and developed and look much more comfortable in their roles. Gary Oldman as Sirius Black is an inspired piece of casting. Famed for playing madmen and bad guys, more recently he has come to portray guardian figures for heroes such as in the new Batman films. Along with David Thewlis as Professor Lupin who also does an excellent job, he delivers a character with shadowy complexity which results in a credible and convincing performance. Both actors, playing characters who are firm fan favourites, excel during moments of serious emotion as well as those of good humour.

The end of the film is rather poignant and makes way for the future films, which continue to get even darker. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is my favourite in the series. It has an interesting story, a skilful director, great characters, engaging actors, emotion, humour, secrets, twists, and even a bit of time-travel thrown in for good measure.

Review: The Book of Eli

From director pair The Hughes Brothers (From Hell) comes the story of a lone man walking across post-apocalyptic America, heading West, carrying with him a book of great importance. Denzel Washington plays Eli, this softly-spoken man on a mission who won’t let anything or anyone get in his way.

He has to hunt for food, fight off ambushers and walk, endlessly walk, towards his goal. The Earth has been damaged by a nuclear war that tore a hole in the sky, killing most of the population and blinding many survivors.

One day Eli reaches a small town presided over by a man named Carnegie (Gary Oldman). Unfortunately, Carnegie is also a man with a goal, and his goal is to find a specific book that he believes will aid him in ruling this town, and many others like it. He wants to wield the power within its pages, to use it as a weapon for controlling the people who have lost hope. And guess who has the only copy of this book…

After escaping Carnegie and his men by way of a gunfight, Eli is followed by the young Solara (Mila Kunis). He rescues her from some ambushers and she joins him on his journey. They spot a house in the empty wilderness that seems largely unaffected by the devastation and stop to pay a visit. Inside lives an elderly couple called George and Martha (Michael Gambon and Frances De La Tour) who, although appearing very nice and welcoming on the surface, hold a dark secret. When they are tracked down by Carnegie and his men, Eli must find a way to reach his destination, no matter what.

Gary Oldman is on fine baddie form and it’s nice to see him returning to the dark side after recent stints playing a guardian to Harry Potter and a comrade to Batman. Mila Kunis looks cool in her aviator shades and there’s a nice transition for her character, who grows stronger and more independent by the end, after being trapped by Carnegie’s rule for most of her life. It was quite hard to stop thinking of her as Meg from Family Guy though. There is a supporting cast of talented actors who are impressive, if a little underused. As I mentioned, Michael Gambon and Frances De La Tour appear, as do Tom Waits, Malcolm McDowell and Ray Stevenson.

Another of the film’s highlights is the cinematography. The desaturated, stark look complemented the mood, setting and story perfectly. Oscar nominated Director of Photography Don Burgess (Spider-Man, Cast Away, Forrest Gump) deserves praise and the RED digital camera (used on District 9 and Green Zone, amongst others) is gaining lots of fans.

The Book of Eli seems to divide its audience, mainly in terms of how they react to the ending. It’s definitely worth a second viewing, to spot answers to any questions the film might have raised. If you like your post-apocalyptic tales, with some good action scenes and a twist to get you thinking, this is one you should check out.