Jun 04, 2004 06:18 AM
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(Updated Jun 05, 2004 05:11 PM)
The third instalment to the Harry Potter movies opened yesterday in Malaysian cinemas. Harry Potter movies are kind of a ritual with me and my younger sisters. Call it a sisters? day out if you want to.
I had a lot of trouble getting the tickets for the premier.
Phone booking was all full throughout my district and even in the neighbouring district!
I ended up going one day early to purchase the ticket.
The story tried to keep as much to the original as possible and they strayed only in ways they would have to in order to condense a book into a two hour movie.
The Story
Deranged murderer Sirius Black has escaped from the wizards? prison of Azkaban and the whole wizarding world is on the hunt for him. Sirius was said to be a staunch supporter of Voldemart and now he?s after Harry.
As for Harry, after leaving the Dursleys due to a spat he had with Uncle Vernon?s sister, he was whisked away to the Leakey Cauldron by the ingenious night bus and started on another exciting year at Hogwarts where he had divination class, defense against the dark arts with a new teacher and of course, care for magical creature, now taken over by Rubeus Hagrid.
The only problem is that, apparently Sirius Black is looking for him.
What I thought
For one thing, the actors have all definitely grown up, hitting puberty somewhere along the way apparently. Ron has grown up and has this rocker boy look going on suddenly. Harry looks the same albeit taller and more adult. But the biggest change has got to be Hermione, now a young lady with assets (hah!)
Even Draco Malfroy did?t look as greasy as he did in the first two movie, in fact my friends agreed he had grown rather handsome though still pretty much a pansy.
Dumbeldore was replaced with a new actor as the previous one died after the shooting of the second movie. I prefered the first Dumbeldore.
The CGI and special effects are superb.
Buckbeak looked very real, the night bus was fun and the dementors were excitingly scary.
The scene where Harry flies off on Buckbeak was very well executed and a treat to watch.
The problem with the movie though is that unless you read the book or at least watch the previous two movies, you would probably be at a lost with the pacing of the movie.
I have the uncanny sensation as though I was being rushed through the story.
It?s almost like the creators want to get everything in, done and over with. I wonder how they?re going to condense the fourth and fifth books (which are MUCH thicker) into movies.
Still, it did what a movie was suppose to do and pretty much lived up to the hype. Harry Potter offers children a magical ride and adults the occasional glimpse into their inner child.
