--- title: "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" year: 2004 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban" fi1m_score: 82 critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 18 published: "2026-09-19T16:25:34.019505+00:00" updated: "2026-09-19T16:25:34.323542+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Directed by Alfonso Cuarón · 2h 21m · MPA PG · Adventure, Fantasy **Fi1m score: 82** · Critics 77 from 18 reviews *In a sentence:* The year Hogwarts got weather, the children got jeans, and someone finally had the sense to hire a decent teacher > Alfonso Cuarón takes the third Potter book and makes the first Potter film that looks as if rain might fall in it. It is darker, funnier and better acted than the two before, and it fumbles its own plot in the last half hour. ## Synopsis Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is thirteen and spending another wretched summer with the Dursleys when he loses his temper, inflates a visiting aunt and walks out into the night with his trunk. The Knight Bus, a purple triple-decker, takes him to London, where he learns that Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), a convicted murderer, has broken out of the wizard prison Azkaban and may be coming for him. Hooded Dementors board the Hogwarts Express to search the carriages for Black. Back at school, Harry, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) begin their third year under a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin (David Thewlis), while Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) introduces the class to a hippogriff called Buckbeak. ## Review The first two films were faithful, bright and made mostly indoors. For the third, producer David Heyman hired Alfonso Cuarón, and *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* is the first of these films with a point of view. It is the best of the three, and anyone who found the earlier two too polite should try again here. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is thirteen and angry, and Cuarón lets him be. He runs away in the night and is picked up by the Knight Bus, a purple triple-decker that squeezes between two London buses like toothpaste from a tube. Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), a murderer, has escaped from the wizard prison, and the school is guarded by Dementors, hooded things that drift in and freeze the windows. The one that boards the train and leans into Harry’s compartment went through us like a draught. Michael Seresin lights the carriage from its lamps alone, frost climbs the glass, and John Williams’s score stops. It frightened us because it took its time. Stuart Craig has rebuilt Hogwarts around a hillside, with a covered wooden bridge, a stone courtyard and a clock tower whose pendulum swings behind the actors. Seresin shoots it in grey Scottish daylight with a wide lens that makes the corridors long and the children small. Jany Temime puts the pupils in jeans and hooded tops when they are off duty, and they look like pupils at a school. Steven Weisberg closes scenes with an iris shrinking to black, and the film has a rhythm the earlier two did not. The adults are the best yet. David Thewlis’s Remus Lupin, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, is shabby, tired and kind. His lesson in which the class takes turns making its worst fear ridiculous, with Alan Rickman’s Snape ending up in a grandmother’s hat and handbag, is the funniest set piece in the series; we laughed out loud. Emma Thompson’s Sybill Trelawney is wrong about nearly everything and sincere about all of it. Oldman appears mostly on wanted posters, screaming, until the last act, and then earns his billing in a few minutes. The children have grown unevenly. Emma Watson is acting now, properly; when Hermione throws a punch it is thrown by someone who means it. Rupert Grint is broader and gets away with it because Ron is broader. Radcliffe is better than before and still watchful rather than expressive. When the film asks him for grief, on the bridge in the snow, he gives it stillness and Thewlis does the rest. Then the flight. Harry is thrown onto the back of Buckbeak, the hippogriff, it runs off a cliff, and the camera goes with them down over the lake, his hand trailing in the water, Williams bringing the theme up underneath. We were moved, and slightly embarrassed to be, because it is only a boy on a large bird. Cuarón has spent an hour making the school cold and shadowed, and a minute of open sky lands like a gift. The problem is the plot. Steve Kloves’s screenplay keeps the pace up by cutting explanation, and the last half hour, which takes a turn we will not describe, delivers a great deal of history at once, with several people shouting. Anyone who has not read J.K. Rowling’s book will follow what happens and be hazy about why, and one important question about who did what to whom is never answered on screen. The film runs 141 minutes and feels it in the middle, where a Quidditch match in a thunderstorm is spectacular and advances nothing. Even so, this is the one we would put on. It is a PG, and the Dementors are well up to that certificate; a nervous eight-year-old may want a hand to hold on the train. Everyone else can watch the weather come in over the hills and be glad someone finally let it. *Fi1m score 82, published 19 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics call this the best of the three Potter films so far, and nearly all the credit goes to Alfonso Cuarón. The reviews agree he has darkened the series, in its lighting and its mood, and given it an atmosphere the first two lacked: wintry Scottish scenery, wide lenses, a spookier Hogwarts. The set-pieces are singled out repeatedly, the Hippogriff flight and the Dementor confrontations above all, along with a time-jumping climax several find the most satisfying stretch of the series. Many also think the young leads have grown into their roles. The reservations cluster on the plot. Several critics find the storytelling murkier than before, with too much left unexplained; The Independent argues that vital information has been cut so the central mystery never resolves, and Variety thinks the story never coalesces. The Guardian finds it less engaging than its predecessors. Nobody dislikes it, though, and the spread is narrow: even the mixed notices admire the look of it. ### Reviews we read (18) - **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (90/100, inferred): Cuarón brings big ideas and internal conflict to the series, focusing obsessively on Harry’s psychological evolution into a young adult through suggestive, expressionistic compositions and a meta showdown with time and self. The film trades action for a boy confronting the perils of time and his own fears rather than a big scary animal. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban/) - **The Times**, Kevin Maher (★★★★☆): Cuarón attacks the material with auteur instincts, darkening everything literally and thematically to deliver the series' pinnacle with a bravura time-jumping climax. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-2004-review-the-best-one-30kq57ldr) - **Total Film** (90/100, inferred): Given the best book, Cuarón delivers the best film yet by streamlining the plot, adding stylistic coherence with a darker, dynamic visual approach and goosebump-inducing set-pieces like the Buckbeak flight and Dementor confrontations. The young leads are uneven (only Watson truly acts), but the atmosphere and spectacle make it a franchise high point. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-review/) - **Screen Daily** (85/100, inferred): Cuarón delivers a genuinely spooky and emotionally involving adventure that gives the Potter world much-needed character and atmosphere through a distinctive, austere vision. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban/4018878.article) - **The Telegraph**, David Gritten (85/100, inferred): Cuarón's direction marks a huge stride forward, making the film far more visually striking and finally doing justice to Rowling's imagination in what is easily the best story of the three books filmed so far. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2016/12/26/harry-potter-prisoner-azkaban-2004-original-telegraph-review/) - **Radio Times**, Dave Aldridge (4/5): Cuarón brings a darker, edgier, scarier feel to the series while the young leads grow into their roles and fun elements like the Knight Bus remain. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-u4nypi/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban/) - **The New York Times**, A. O. Scott (80/100, inferred): The critic hails Cuarón's direction as a step up, noting the film is the most interesting of the three Potter movies for looking and feeling like a real film with emotional force and visual panache, while acknowledging some plot sacrifices. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/03/movies/film-review-an-adolescent-wizard-meets-a-grown-up-moviemaker.html) - **Time Out**, WH (80/100, inferred): Cuarón's direction makes it the most interesting of the three Potter films, with deeper characterization of the adolescent leads and a more wintry, thoughtful tone reflecting the source material. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban) - **Los Angeles Times** (75/100, inferred): The critic notes the film comes close to capturing the essence of the books especially in its final hour, crediting Cuarón for breaking free with convincing young performances and heartfelt magic despite initial constraints from the series formula. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-archives-harry-potter-prisoner-of-azkaban-review-20170626-story.html) - **Empire**, Colin Kennedy (70/100, inferred): Cuarón comprehensively re-imagines the Potter aesthetic with visual flair, wide-angle lenses, dynamic camerawork and a grounded Muggle-world feel, delivering the series' best SFX and rousing climax. The young cast remains limited and the narrative engine still has issues, but it hauls the franchise up to the books' standards. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/harry-potter-prisoner-azkaban-review/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film not quite as good as the first two due to murkier plotting that requires more explanation, but praises the darker, more menacing tone and Cuarón's visual style along with strong performances from the young leads and supporting cast. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-2004) - **The AV Club**, Scott Tobias (70/100, inferred): Cuarón successfully infuses the material with his own vision while staying true to the source, making the film darker and more whimsical than its predecessors. The result is a collection of minor improvements in acting, storytelling, and effects integration that mark a clear step forward for the series. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-1798199735) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (65/100, inferred): The film introduces a darker, more grown-up tone under Cuarón but feels less consistently engaging than its predecessors, with strong set pieces undermined by occasional lapses in pacing and a retreat into a more insular wizard world. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/may/28/harrypotter) - **Variety**, Brian Lowry (60/100, inferred): The critic finds the film visually dazzling and darker with a bold stylistic shift by Cuarón, but notes it suffers from a disjointed narrative that feels less accessible and never quite coalesces into a fully realized story despite thrilling moments. [Read](https://variety.com/2004/film/awards/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-3-1200533115/) - **The Independent**, Nicholas Barber (50/100, inferred): Cuarón introduces the missing ingredient of magic through spooky gags, atmospheric shadows, and especially natural scenery from Glen Coe. The focus on atmosphere comes at the expense of plot coherence, with vital information cut so the central mystery remains unresolved, resulting in a flawed but potentially masterful film on DVD. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-pg-the-day-after-tomorrow-12a-565367.html) - **Eye for Film**, David Haviland (90/100, inferred): The critic finds the film extremely entertaining and the best in the series so far, with enough action, humour and suspense for adults and children. Cuarón's direction brings a darker tone and strong visuals, including exciting action sequences like a storm-lashed Quidditch match and a flight on a Hippogriff, though the story occasionally loses momentum. [Read](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-film-review-by-david-haviland) - **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (85/100, inferred): The critic highlights how Alfonso Cuarón brought a darker tone and fresh energy to the series, with stronger visual storytelling, ingenuity and performances from the young leads. It received the strongest critical notices of the franchise and is positioned as a creative high point that shaped the direction of the later films. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a325872/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban-a-retrospective/) - **Paste**, Ellen Johnson (85/100, inferred): The critic calls Cuarón’s film the standout and best entry in the series, crediting its darker, more faithful Scottish aesthetic, concise pacing (especially the time-travel element), and accessible, technically coherent storytelling that works as a standalone stunner. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/harry-potter/the-prisoner-of-azkaban-alfonso-cuaron) ## Details - **Director:** Alfonso Cuarón - **Director:** Alfonso Cuarón - **Screenplay:** Steve Kloves - **Novel:** J.K. Rowling - **Cinematography:** Michael Seresin - **Editor:** Steven Weisberg - **Music:** John Williams - **Production design:** Stuart Craig - **Costume design:** Jany Temime - **Producer:** David Heyman, Mark Radcliffe, Lorne Orleans - **Cast:** Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter; Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley; Emma Watson as Hermione Granger; Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid; Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore; Gary Oldman as Sirius Black; David Thewlis as Remus Lupin; Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew - **Runtime:** 2h 21m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 4 June 2004 - **Genres:** Adventure, Fantasy - **Budget:** $130 million - **Box office:** $790 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwErvYgoH70 ## Where to watch in the US - HBO Max: streaming, uhd - Peacock: streaming, hd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd - Hulu: add-on, hd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $5.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, uhd - Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-19.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2005: Best Original Score (nominated); Best Visual Effects (nominated) - Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2005: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (nominated) - BAFTA Film Awards 2004: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (won) - Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Family Film 2004: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Family Film (nominated) ## If you liked this - *A Little Princess* (1995): Cuarón’s earlier children’s film, a boarding school and a father lost, and just as tender - *Pan's Labyrinth* (2006), Fi1m 87: A girl, a fairy tale and a war; the Spanish cousin to this film’s darker corners — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/pans-labyrinth.md) - *Kiki's Delivery Service* (1989), Fi1m 86: A young witch leaves home and finds work; Miyazaki keeps the magic ordinary and the flying wonderful — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service.md) - *Whistle Down the Wind* (1961): Children hide an escaped convict in a barn; grey Lancashire light and no condescension - *The Witches* (1990): Roeg and Dahl frighten children properly, with Anjelica Huston taking her face off in a hotel ballroom --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/harry-potter-and-the-prisoner-of-azkaban