Difficult to Adapt, but Well Done Here

Rating: 9/10 (22 November 2002)

DETAIL SPOILERS TO FOLLOW - NO PLOT SPOILERS TO ANY WHO'VE READ THE NOVEL
From the start, it is very difficult to adapt any novel, let alone one of the more intricate and lengthy JK Rowling novels. Chris Columbus and Stephen Kloves did an excellent job moving the story from literature to the screen. At times, Columbus' directing left me wanting more, as he tends to focus on the intricate sets (which are amazing) before the actors. A more talented director would have started each scene right in the action and focused on the characters. The fact that Columbus' methods are not the best does not really hurt the film on the overall.
The stars in this film (Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson) are back and put in even better performances than we saw a year ago in "The Sorcerer's Stone," which really is excellent. I especially enjoyed Grint's portrayal of Ron Weasley, which is dead on to the novels. Radcliffe grows into his character moreso with this film that the last, and Watson is brilliantly spot on as Hermione, though she isn't given quite enough time on screen. Tom Felton's portrayal of nemesis Draco Malfoy also is as good as before, if not better. Beyond the star child actors, there is less offered from the bigger name, adult stars. This is more attributed to the fact that the novel is focused on the children than anything, though it would've been nice to see more of Maggie Smith as Professor McGonegall or Alan Rickman as Professor Snape (both two of my favorite actors). Kenneth Brannaugh is excellent as Gilderoy Lockhart and if you're expecting the character from the novels, you will be most pleased. The casting directors should also take pride in the actors they've chosen for the other newcomers: Arthur Weasley (played my Mark Williams) and Lucious Malfoy (the talented Jason Isaacs). Both are excellent screen versions of the characters you've read about.
You should expect the writers to cut elements from the novels out for the film (it does run a two hours and forty minutes, long already), but certain things will be slightly annoying to readers of the novels expecting the film to perfectly uphold the events of the novel. Arthur Weasley and Lucious Malfoy do not fight in Flourish and Blotts bookstore, and I was waiting on the edge of my seat for that to happen. The poltergeist Peeves is again left out of the film, though clever rewriting made that possible. Another element sorely missing was the Death Day party of Nearly-Headless Nick. It would've been an opportunity to give us more of John Cleese, who is an excellent choice for the character, and it is a shame it was left out.
But the bottom line is that "Chamber of Secrets" is an excellent film that features excellent acting and was perfectly cast. It has portions that are indeed scary and features dazzling sets, makeup, costumes, and special effects. ENJOY!