A major fan is sadly disappointed

Rating: 8/10 (17 November 2002)

*For all of you who haven't read the book, I suggest you stop reading now. Spoilers ahead*
For starters, let me say that I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and have been for quite some time. The books are wonderful, and I was very impressed with the first movie. However, I have to say that I was expecting more out of Chamber of Secrets than this.
Just like The Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets follows the book extensively well; a person can almost recite the lines from the book directly onto the movie screen. However, the second Harry Potter movie does not move the audience as the first one did. Perhaps it is because the first movie did so much introduction, or maybe it is because I've read Chamber of Secrets one too many times (a side effect of waiting for both the movie and the fifth book to come out), but this one seemed to be lacking a lot of what the first movie dished up.
First of all, the movie seems to be centered entirely on Harry, Ron, and Hermione. OK, they are the main characters, but this does not mean that we have to focus on them and them alone. Many other major characters are not given a fair time on the screen, namely the professors and other students. Here is the first part of where the movie leaves the book: Chamber of Secrets gave a lot of attention not only to the main crisis (students being petrified), but also to Harry's classes (which, I might add, needs to cut Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherins from it, because all of us who follow the book know that for the first two books, Slytherins only had Potions class with Gryffindors). The book pays attention only to Herbology because of the significant use of the mandrakes. Transfiguration is the only other class seen in the movie, and that is barely given any notice at all. Even though the movie gives more notice to Malfoy (a complaint made by many who saw Sorcerer's Stone), he is cut dramatically from the story, only seen in the sections where he is needed for further plot development; it would have been better if he and the other characters were given more time to be seen, and not as a background.
My other problem, though this one I can let go, is the cutting of my two favorite sections of the chapters: the Deathday party and the Valentine's Day celebration. John Cleese, reprising his role as Nearly Headless Nick, is given just enough time to be seen before he finds himself petrified, and this is given only a few lines following it near the end. Anyone who knows the book will know that Nick was a central part of the story and deserves more screen time. The Valentine's Day section was important because it gave Harry more of a reason to be curious about Riddle's diary, but the movie has it look like he just found out how it worked by pure dumb luck. Yes, Chamber of Secrets does seem to exist decently without these two sections (more than likely cut out because of lack of time), but I would have preferred to have them in it.
Of course, the acting in the movie is wonderful, just as it was in Sorcerer's Stone. Kenneth Branagh gives a wonderful performance as Gilderoy Lockhart, but, as stated previously, it would have been better if he were given more time on screen. All of the returning characters once again play their roles to a `T', with Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron), Emma Watson (Hermione), Richard Harris (Dumbledore), Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Alan Rickman (Snape), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), and even all of the returning students performing magnificently. The special effects are wonderful as well, with eye-popping scenes with Harry fighting the basilisk, the flying car, and the giant spiders, all keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.
Unfortunately, acting and special effects are not enough to keep this movie afloat. The movie itself is great, but it is not enough to please die-hard fans of Harry Potter (and believe me, there are plenty out there). Sorry, but it is this reviewer's opinion that Chamber of Secrets does not live up to its prequel, and it is my hope that Prisoner of Azkaban will save the series.