Review Detail

For fans of Prisoner of Azkaban, this is a phenomenal edit. I've seen the film a couple times, and had great difficulty picking out what was edited here...it's seamless. In addition, the completed effects scene looks very professional, I would never guess it had been done by a faneditor. I also have to compliment the music use and synching, as it fits perfectly (unlike some edits which wedge in music that feels out of place). All in all, this is high quality all the way.

The only thing I marked down is the "enjoyment" rating, which is purely due to problems I have with this film. The script absolutely butchers the book, and this leads to events and revelations piling up quickly with lots of Hollywood conveniences that don't seem organic or have explanation. It's left to the audience to make lots of assumptions (for example why a student has the power of time travel in this movie only, why all these adults know Harry's parents, know the map, know each other, why Harry suddenly has godlike power in this movie only, etc, etc). There are so many pretentious shots and directorial flairs that don't serve the story at all (like showing the passing of each season with shots of the tree) and the accumulation just rubs me the wrong way. Some of the additions to this film (like the extended bird scene and night bus scene) actually make me like it less. I would really "enjoy" an edit of this film that attempts to trim more out, though really there's only so much that can be done due to the script and direction.

Still, I'm aware that this is some people's favorite HP movie, likely for all the reasons I disliked above. This is an edit which aims to give fans more of the film they like, and in that, it succeeds perfectly. Great job, JJ Potter.