What does it take to kick the Harry Potter movies into gear? Nothing less than a flying car - specifically, an aging blue Ford Anglia that's been made magical by Ron Weasley's father and misappropriated by his brothers. The moment the twins and Ron drive up to rescue Harry Potter from the Dursleys' suburban prison, where he is literally barred into his room, we know the sequel is going to be more fun than the first movie.

And it is a lot more fun, from the very moment Harry and Ron take flight in the bewitched car after they miss the Hogwarts train. Director Chris Columbus definitely raised the level of his game (by at least the 100-foot altitude the car takes over train tracks and emerald valleys).

The story's a lot sharper, too.

Not only does Harry first meet Dobby, the meddling house-elf who warns him of a murder plot against him, but Harry also starts hearing a menacing voice saying, "kill, kill." What's more, someone - or something - is petrifying non-pureblood students in the dark corridors of the school and writing messages in blood on the walls.

Some people, naturally, suspect Harry. Though he's more suspicious of his enemy, Draco Malfoy, who's a chip off his evil father's block, he does have doubts about himself, a theme that carries throughout the series. This is a clever move of author JK Rowling's, as it keeps Harry more sympathetic than he otherwise might be.

In this installment, we also learn a bit of side story about the half-giant, Hagrid, and how he came to be expelled from Hogwarts. And we see how there's something of a race war brewing among pureblood wizards and those of mixed ancestry.

But it's not all dark. The students have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, a vain phony played to perfection by Kenneth Branagh. Lockhart is famous for all sorts of magical conquests, as well as for his charming smile and attractively coiffed hair (a wig, it appears).

When we first meet Professor Lockhart, he's at a bookstore event, surrounded by dozens of swooning fans. Soon enough, though, his students learn he can't even restrain a Cornish pixie. And his duel against Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) is a horrible mismatch - and not in Lockhart's favour.

We're also treated to our first meeting of Moaning Myrtle, a deranged ghost who occupies the bathroom where Harry, Ron and Hermione meet to discuss the mystery, and later manufacture a potion that accidentally turns Hermione into a cat.

And finally, Ron Weasley provides plenty of comic relief with his broken wand, vomiting slugs by the bucketful after a hex goes wrong.

It's the mixture of comedy and drama that make the stories so appealing. Yes, each installment is a matter of life and death (and is rated PG for some scary moments and mild language). But the humour makes the stories lovable. It's not just Harry we end up rooting for; it's his friends, too. You'd have to be pretty jaded not to be excited by the prospect of the third movie by the time this one wraps up.

What's more, the overall message of the movie is one that should mean something to parents. It can be summarised by a quote from one of Professor Dumbledore's pep talks with Harry:

"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are," he says. "It is our choices."

How nice to show kids how much this matters with humour and excitement. It certainly beats a family meeting.

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Synopsis of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™