The Prisoner of Azkaban directed by Alfonso Cuarón and adapted from the novel of the same name by J.K Rowling explores the theme of good and evil in a bold new direction from the first two film. As the third installment of the series, the tone of this film is much darker and morally complex. The wonder of the Wizarding World still prevails but the veneer of whimsy has eroded. In this film review, I shall analyze The Prisoner of Azkaban using three different lenses, the symbolic lens, the anagogical or hope lens, and the ethical lens as well as literary examples with a basis in Christian Spirituality to connect these lenses to the broader theme of good and evil.
Harry’s journey throughout The Prisoner of Azkaban is one of anger and confusion. The main conflict in the film is initiated by the escape of Sirius Black, the notorious murderer, from Azkaban prison. The main assumption throughout the film is that Sirius is a loyal Voldemort support and he betrayed Lily and James Potter to the Dark Lord, which lead to their deaths. Harry seeks retribution for Sirius’ crimes and when it is revealed that Sirius has found his way to Hogwarts, Harry wants to kill him out of anger. He faces a moral dilemma. Should he succumb to the darkness and commit murder to avenge his parents, or is there more to the story than meets the eye?
The symbolic importance of death imagery is fundamental to the moral complexity being presented in the film. There are three distinct examples of this in the