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The stag is the form Harry’s father took when he shape-shifted into an animal as a young wizard. “Expecto Patronum” is Latin for “I expect a protector.” The word “patronus” is derived from the Latin “pater” meaning father. Most interesting to me is the name of this spell, the “Patronus Charm,” and the form his fear-shattering spell assumes, in Harry’s case, a glimmering, silver stag. Harry learns to master his fear by focusing intently on whatever brings him great happiness and casting the accompanying spell. This fear-conquering ability is of surpassing aid to Harry as the plot progress into the later books. As mentioned, he has much to be afraid of on top of his frequent run-ins with the most evil wizard his world has ever known, Lord Voldemort.

New Harry Potter helmer Alfonso Cuaron does a great job of both heightening the horror all the while keeping it kid-friendly (but just barely).Ĭomplimentary to the horror motif, the plot’s emotional thrust revolves around Harry’s attempt to master his fear. This is a horror film complete with werewolves, would-be-guillotiners, shape-shifters, and ghastly ghosts. The plot is concise and economical in a way that highlights Harry’s encroaching terror at being hunted. This third film is better than the two that preceded it. This installment also begins the plot’s movement toward its eventual climax at the culmination of the series in the seventh and eighth films. There is no explicit mystery to solve this time, just a mass murderer to avoid and personal emotional obstacles to overcome.

This is the first of the Harry Potter movies to move beyond the episodic structure of the first two movies. Harry and crew’s Hardy Boy days are done.

Further complicating matters, the dreaded Dementors, Azkaban’s joy draining security ghouls, are scouring the countryside for their escaped inmate, and they seem to have a taste for Harry’s soul as well. Apparently, Harry is especially endangered (of course) because people are sure Sirius escaped in order to track down and kill Harry. As the story begins, the adults in Harry’s life warn him again and again about the mysterious Sirius Black, a condemned mass murderer recently escaped from the wizard prison of Azkaban.