Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Fiona Shaw, Harry Melling, Toby Jones (voice), Jim Norton, Bonnie Wright, Mark Williams, Julie Walters, Tom Felton, Jason Isaacs, Kenneth Branagh
Directed by: Chris Columbus
Rating: PG
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
2002

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: In his second year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) are in danger when various students become petrified by an unknown creature lurking around the school. The three friends must venture into the Chamber of Secrets to stop the monster and save those turned to stone.

Review:

Tim: After surprisingly enjoying the first Harry Potter film, I found myself somewhat disappointed in the sequel. The movie is still very good, but was a bit predictable, following the exact same formula as the original. The book is perhaps the same way (never read them, never will), but I found this detracts from the movie. Director Chris Columbus seemed to just resurrect his previous script, changing a few characters and names, and he had this film.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson all give good performances once again. They are obviously a bit older, and it will be interesting to see their continual growth into those awkward stages of life that are fast approaching.

The special effects are once again top notch. Whether we see flying cars, giant spiders, or deadly snakes, we are sucked into this magical world and find ourselves having a good time.

Kids will obviously love this movie. Mature adults may find themselves experiencing deja vu, as this film is so similar to the first, structure-wise. Hopefully a new director for the third film can breathe new life into the series. If not, I'll quickly grow tired of a franchise I was shocked to find myself enjoying in the first place.

*Update- Two decades later, I sat down to watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for a second time, this time with my wife, 9 year-old son, and 6 year-old daughter. It was fun to revisit this film after so long away. Side note- I did finally read the first Harry Potter book, although I haven't made it to this one yet. The first book was good, not sure what my problem was. I laugh a bit at reading my previous review. There's something so humbling about revisiting your previous self. My review was a bit coarse, but surprisingly accurate. I wish I had a more loquacious way of describing this film, but I do agree with my earlier sentiments.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is absolutely a good movie, but it's not quite as good as the first film. The basic structure and plot is quite similar- I'm sure this is a result of J.K. Rowling's book. We pick up with Harry in the Muggle world, not living his best life. He makes it back to Hogwarts, balances classes with a broader mystery, and eventually school is forgotten and the real adventure begins. I was right in my earlier assessment. This film does feel a bit too similar to tone and approach. Some of that is the book and some of it is undoubtedly Chris Columbus once again serving as director. However, I don't want any of this to sound unnecessarily harsh. This is rousing, entertaining adventure. It proves that the first film wasn't a fluke. Sure, you wish this movie didn't lose any quality, but we've now had two successful films at the box office- this is a bona fide franchise in the making. Now, truth be told, the box office was a bit disappointing- the first film garnered $318 million domestically, this one only $262. That's not a great drop, but it does happen with sequels. I don't think I've ever heard anyone claim Chamber of Secrets is the best book in the series, though, so all this might be somewhat expected. What matters most is that this is a strong film and the series would continue.

Watching this movie now, I'm struck by the wonderful cast that was assembled. By this point, multiple cast members have died, so it's also a nostalgia trip for me. I didn't recognize the immensely talented cast back when I first watched this film. It's really an embarrassment of riches- Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have obviously gone on to have impressive careers. But you have Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, and so many others, all lending their talent to make this franchise something special. I had a lot of fun watching this movie. And, no, this isn't close to the best movie in the franchise. It might be the worst. But, if this is the nadir (or close to it), you know this franchise has achieved something remarkable.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire