Better Than the First One

Rating: 7/10 (19 December 2005)

"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" has better special effects than the first one.
I lost count at six teams of special effect companies, including Industrial Light and Magic, but doubtless each one had different responsibilities, whether the wonderful Hogwart's Hall, or the spiders, or the flue powder travel, or the flying car, etc.
Even at three hours not all the story details can be told, so the actors have to quickly mouth a lot of exposition.
Too bad the excellent Brit actors are reined in, even Kenneth Branaugh.
Only the red-haired kid emotes much.
At least the music is less bombastically intrusive than the last one.
So even with all the whiz bang it still isn't as magical as The Wizard of Oz.
(originally written 12/24/2002)