The journey continues

Rating: 7/10 (17 August 2014)

The first sequel to "Harry Potter" is absolutely fantastic, far better than the original one. Or, I should say, despite some uneven pace and tone of the film, it is much more three- dimensional and complex, giving us what we want: theills of fantasy. Harry Potter is in the second year at Hogwarts, and now is ready to go back to the school, in spite of the advice given by strange creature called Dobby, who shows up before him to warn that very bad things would happen if Harry goes back. But Harry ignores his warnings anyway, and starts his new year at the school, only to find weird occasions that remind him of Dobby's words. And finally, he is to know that "The Chamber of Secrets," about which no one (including the teachers) knows -- its existence, its location, and its terrifying secrets -- is opened by someone inside of the place, and students start to fall victims to it. Can Harry stop the danger, and regain the peace for the school? The premise seems similar to that of the original film, but the overall tone of the film gets darker and more sinister. It is possible that some of the pre-teen kids might find the film too scary at some time (especially they don't like slugs, spiders and snakes), and perhaps adults find it the same way. Don't underestimate the film's dark elements any more. But the most remarkable thing about "Chamber of Secrets" is its hugely improved CGIs, reflecting the filmmaker's confidence coming from the commercial success of the previous one. The match of Quiddich is again used as one of the highlights, and the newer game scene is simply great, much better than the first one. With enhanced sound effects, the fight between Harry and Malfoy looks more realistic, even frightening, flying all over the ground and stands (and unbelievably, under them). The only weak point is its new character Dobby, created all by CGIs, which still looks unnatural sometimes. Moreover, in the opening sequence, the film attempts to get laughs using Dobby not so effectively, making him a bit irritating creature like Jar-Jar Binks or Scooby-Doo. But wait a while, and see Ron's family is introduced, including ever delightful Julie Walters ("Billy Elliot") as Ron's mother. Another new character is given by Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart, a new teacher (and a celebrity) at Hogwarts. Obviously he is a comic relief, and Branagh is surprisingly good, this time not resorting to his overacting tendency that destroyed Woody Allen's "Celebrity." And don't miss the brief scene after the end credit roll. Daniel Radcliffe is as good as before, and so is Rupert Grint (in fact, they are giving the best acting in the film), but most regrettable is Emma Watson's Hermione, who is given much shorter time on the screen. All the actors are good, but their presence seems to be rather sacrificed to establish darker images of the school. So, John Cleese is allowed to speak very briefly only twice, and even Maggie Smith and Allen Rickman are not allotted enough time to impress us. You brink your eye, and you will miss Fiona Shaw! It is, however, undeniable that the film went through great improvement, and it explores much darker side of magic, which gives more thrills to adults and children alike. But how will they keep this pace in the future? Is it possible to combine evil elements with the concept of family picture? That is my only concern, and the second sequel would show the answer.