The first movie is very simple, very straightforward, a great start. The second movie built upon the first in all aspects including the music score. More musical themes were added, and the movie itself was much darker and much more humorous in its funnier moments. The third movie, however, is completely different than the first two with the change in director. I won’t say at this point whether it is better or worse, just different.
This film was yes, yet again darker and funnier at the same time, but they too were different, especially in terms of humor. This film was more whimsical and mischievous, and often times downright crazy. While the second film used bits of physical humor to add to the base created by the first film, the third film had more humorous dialogue, especially Hermione and Ron. “Is that what my hair really looks like from the back?” or “Yeah, hadn’t thought about that” (as Hermione saves Harry from Lupin). Although much was taken out, this film did a great job at portraying the book in its best moments. And although bits of Cuarón’s imagination were added to the film, they really help to keep the feel of the entire film constant.
I love how whimsical this movie is! Some people don’t like it, but I do love the artistic quality that Alfonso Cuaron gives to the film. The choir is awesome, and I enjoy the many interlude scenes of The Whomping Willow cut in between other scenes. It’s all very artistic. Speaking again of the whimsical quality of the film, I love the scene when the guys are eating “animal sound effect candies” in their dormitory. I love any scene in any of the Harry Potter films that involves a “normal” moment at Hogwarts, whether it’s hanging out with friends in a dormitory or learning Charms with Professor Flitwick or Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. “Normal” scenes like that make me dream about what it might be like if I went to Hogwarts, not during the epic war against Voldemort, but just go to Hogwarts to learn the magical arts and have a normal year there.
However, there were some things added that I hated about the film.
Firstly, Harry is an underage wizard… Why is he doing, that is, practicing magic (Lumos Maxima) during the opening scene? It’s a neat scene, but it doesn’t make sense with the following scenes… I mean, he didn’t intentionally blow up his aunt, that is, he didn’t use a wand to make it happen, but he thought he was going to get into more trouble doing wandless unintentional magic? Granted, blowing up an aunt is far worse than practicing “Lumos Maxima”, which I don’t recall being a spell from canon. Anyway, Vernon even says, “You’re not allowed to do magic outside of school.” Harry knows it, Vernon knows it, and the screenwriter should have known better too.
Secondly, I absolutely despise the shrunken heads in this film. They are ridiculous, obnoxious, and rude. “Shut the damn door,” one says to Hermione at the entrance to The Three Brooksticks. I also found the shrunken head in the Knight Bus scene rather grating. When the Knight Bus finally gets to The Leaky Cauldron, we see, presumably, a new actor who plays Tom, the proprietor of the Wizard pub. I don’t understand why this new actor was necessary for this character. I can’t understand what he says half the time, and that the Minister of Magic should simply have an office there, an office from which it seems he can order Tom around as though he’s a mere servant, it just doesn’t make sense. However, what if this new actor isn’t Tom? What if I’m simply mistaken? Well, if I’m incorrect, then who is he for Cornelius to order around? And where is Tom, the old barman?
Can I just say that this is the best that the three have ever looked? They’ve grown up right before our eyes in just three years! Their hair, clothes, etc, are really looking much better than the previous two films, and certainly much better than they did in the fourth film. Whoever decided that all the guys in the fourth film should have long hair should be dragged out and shot at, but I leave my opinions about that film for that later review. I’m not really one to talk, though, seeing as I went through that long-hair phase too. I just think the three look the best they’ve ever looked in this film. Draco looks much better, I think, with his hair down in this film too.
Not only do the “child” actors look better than ever, they are also better actors now than they have ever been before. Yes, I do think Dan’s skills as an actor have improved immensely compared with previous films. Except when he cries. Then, not so much. Thankfully he’s under the invisibility cloak for much of it, but still, when he emerges from under the cloak… it doesn’t look like he’s been crying. Even Hagrid is a better crier than Harry is. Speaking of Hagrid, he has some pretty strange pets. What is that thing that he covers up with that quilt?
Emma Thompson’s performance as Professor Trelawney is perfect, and Emma Watson’s (Hermione’s) contempt of her is priceless too. I also prefer Dawn French as the Fat Lady. She is so hilarious, and she plays the Fat Lady perfectly, making the character much more humorous than it was in the first film and providing a comic relief when it is needed. Since I’m on the subject of casting, while I do know that some fans might murder me for this, I actually have come to prefer Michael Gambon as Dumbledore. While I do realize he hasn’t read the books and doesn’t intend to, I just don’t think Richard Harris would have been able to handle the character in future films had he lived. Gambon gave the Dumbledore character the rejuvenation that I thought it needed for this and future films. I particularly liked his first speech of the school year in this film.
Another casting note: who is this kid who talks about the Grim in Divination and about catching smoke with bare hands? Where did this random Gryffindor come from? Couldn’t these lines have gone to Dean Thomas? Or another character created by Jo Rowling? Also, I didn’t like that the finals were cut. Those were some of my favorite parts of the book, again because of what I wrote earlier: I love seeing the “normalcy” of Hogwarts.
A couple minor inconsistencies: isn’t there an invisible upper boundary to the Quidditch Pitch? There shouldn’t be a reason for Harry to fly so high to go after the Golden Snitch, because if there isn’t a boundary, what’s to prevent the Snitch from just flying away? I believe there’s something about that in Quidditch Through the Ages. Also, when Pettigrew changes into a man, he has clothes on. When he changes into a rat, the clothes fall off of him. Does that mean that the next time he changes back into a man, he’ll be naked? If not, then why do that in the movie? A final inconsistency involves Harry roaming the Castle corridors at night. He knows it’s not allowed, and he knows he’ll get in trouble for it, so why, when Snape runs into him, is he so insolent towards him? Doesn’t he realize that Snape can throw every punishment in the book at him? Thankfully Lupin saves him.
Earlier, I mentioned that “much was taken out” of this film. Firstly, I am happy that the screenwriter changed the story so that Harry tells Lupin about seeing Pettigrew in the map, which I believe Harry keeps to himself in the book instead, but Lupin figures it out anyway. However, I do wish the writer would have included the storyline about how the map was made and Harry’s connection to the Marauder’s.
John Williams has really outdone himself for this soundtrack and movie score. Many of the more basic themes from the first soundtrack also appear in the second, but there are enough brand new themes to make up for it. This soundtrack, however, features all new music, including a song with words from Shakespeare’s Macbeth (Double Trouble). I also can’t get enough of Buckbeak’s Flight, A Window to the Past, and The Patronus Light; I keep listening to them over and over again!
