Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban Is Still The Best Film In The Series Thanks To One Epic Scene

If you were to ask a room full of Harry Potter fans what their favourite film is, chances are you’ll get a heap of arguments for why each of the eight films are a good candidate for the number one spot. The Fantastic Beasts films don’t count because they’re spin offs and they, well, suck. But with Prisoner of Azkaban turning 15 this year, I’m here to make the case that it is the best Harry Potter film and every other entry doesn’t hold a candle to it. Prisoner of Azkaban was the point where the story takes a much darker turn and it was fitting that the producers got Alfonso Cuarón to direct the adaptation. Not only did he keep the narrative relatively streamlined (it is the shortest film in the series) while still conveying all the necessary information, he introduced a new visual aesthetic that sweeps the floor with what we had seen in the previous films. But the thing that elevates Prisoner of Azkaban from “very good” to “best of the franchise” is the scene where Hermione punches Draco in the face. After two and a half movies of seeing that blonde weasel be all slimy and irritating, it was incredibly satisfying to see him get his just desserts with a fist to the nose. Hell, the film could just be two hours of Hermione smacking Draco around and it’ll be ranked in my top three. But beyond Hermione slugging Draco and the technical wizardry introduced by Cuarón, it is all the little things he does that makes Prisoner of Azkaban really stand out. Details like the expanded Hogwarts ground, the singing choir at the start-of-term feast, Harry riding Buckbeak, and having students wander around in casual clothes rather than wizard robes go a long way into making the film feel, well, magical. Valid arguments can be made for why any of the eight Harry Potter films can be considered the best but let me ask you this: besides Prisoner of Azkaban, does any of them have a scene involving Hermione punching Draco really hard in the face? I rest my case. Happy 15th anniversary, sweet prince.