Harry Potter is the young wizard known around the world, first by the series of wildly popular books by author J.K. Rowling, now by the hugely successful movie franchise based on the series. While fans, both young and old, wait for the sixth book of the (ultimately) seven-book series, the films are catching up and have transformed book three, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” onto the big screen. There are some noticeable changes to the look, the feel, and the entire tone of the film as a new Director takes over the film itself, and a new Headmaster replaces a dearly beloved character.

The latest film is Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who garnered critical acclaim and an Oscar nomination for his 2001 film “Y tu mamá también,” and is decidedly different from its two predecessors. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the first two films in the series, were both Directed by Chris Columbus and had a decidedly “family appeal” to them. They stayed very true to the books and convincingly brought Rowling’s characters to life for the first time. However, the main characters (namely Harry, Ron, and Hermione) are now all very well known and their roles are (somewhat) clearly defined, so as Cuaron takes over the helm, it’s time to grow up and get gritty.

As the trio heads back to Hogwarts for their third year, there is a new threat to Harry’s life. Sirius Black (played by Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban, the wizard’s prison, and since he was a follower of “you-know-who,” everyone assumes that he will come after Harry to finish him off. Azkaban’s guards, Dementors, are black-cloaked, Death-like creatures, and are sent to guard (float) around the perimeter of Hogwarts in hopes of catching Sirius, but seem instead to gravitate towards Harry, who is so fearful of the Dementors that he passes out whenever they are near.

With the main themes and new characters at a decidedly darker level, Cuarón’s approach to the film matches the maturity of the story. Brown and grainy, the narrative style and scene transitions of the film give you the impression that you are not reading a current best-seller, but are viewing an ancient tome, yellowed and grisly at the edges. Gone are the bright and exciting locations such as the Quidditch grounds and the colorful mountain vistas surrounding Hogwarts. They’ve been replaced with a constant overcast and sometimes rainy gloom, sucking the liveliness out of the scenery and filling the screen with constant dreariness and dread. These changes much more accurately capture the feeling and imagination of the book, and accentuate the nuances that make these novels so interesting and enjoyable.

Even the new characters introduced in the film are dark and soiled, yet perfect for their roles. As Sirius Black, Gary Oldman fits the bill perfectly. Although he does not have a lot of screen time in this film, he will undoubtedly make for an amazing turn in the forthcoming installments. One of the student’s teachers finally gets a face, as Emma Thompson takes on the role of the Divination teacher, Professor Trelawney. Bespectacled and wide-eyed, her take on the seriously loopy fortuneteller with a knack for stating the obvious is nearly spot-on. Costumed in flowing scarves and a speaking in a raspy voice, Thompson introduces the Professor and sets her up for a recurring role as well.

Unfortunately, the series has lost a majority of its soul in the character of Albus Dumbledore. Michael Gambon valiantly steps into the wise old wizard’s shoes, but never quite captures the heart and love the way Richard Harris did in the first two stories. As Dumbledore, Harris had a way of sounding authoritative and wise during his dialogue, yet his eyes were like a window to a warm and caring soul. In contrast, Gambon is an authoritative figure in the film, and adds a bit of fun and levity to the character, but the inner love that Dubmledore seemed to carry for Harry and the other children never seems to radiate through.

With Harry, Hermione, and Ron all growing up (along with their readers and core fan-base), their actions and emotional connections also are maturing. As Ron and Hermione are reaching puberty, their interactions with each other take on a decidedly awkward affair, trying to determine if they are merely friends or do they actually have feelings for each other. Harry is also getting older, and seems much more introspective in this film than in the past. His mood swings into anger (against Voldemort and Sirius Black) also grow and swing much more violently in this film. Cuarón again captures the now pre-teens in a very good light and captures their emotions, actions, and reactions, much more succinctly than Columbus ever did.

What separates this chapter from the rest (so far) is the fact that it so accurately captures the emotional and visual “feel” of the book. Where the novel is geared towards children who can make up their own minds and imagination around the characters and the story, the film being directed by an adult gives the visualization of those thoughts and images a deeper result. This is definitely not for the young children, as the Dementors, Warewolves, and snarling, beady-eyed dogs show up throughout the film, and they are not pretty. However, those young kids that started reading the books years ago are now pre-teens themselves, and adults love these books as well, and will probably relish the fact that their beloved characters are back on the big screen. If the remainder of the films so accurately capture the emotional ties as has been done with “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” we’re in for a delightful run indeed.