As Ron Weasly would say, this movie is "bloody brilliant"

Rating: 7/10 (4 December 2002)

As Ron Weasley would say, this movie is "bloody brilliant." Of course, this time around he would say it in a much deeper voice. Indeed the children from the first film have matured beyond what anyone could have expected. Even though filming reportedly began shortly after The Sorcerer's Stone opened a year ago, every single child character seems to have gone through the biggest parts of puberty in just a year. Ron's (Rupert Grint) voice is cracklier, Harry's (Daniel Radcliffe) is deeper, Malfoy (Tom Felton) seems to have grown feet, not inches, and Granger (Emma Watson) has transformed into an even more mature version of herself.
The magic of our introduction to these characters and to the world of Wizardry is gone and this film is much darker than the first; barely any daylight penetrates the school. Most children will find a few of the scenes much too frightening where as Sorcerer's Stone was a film that everyone could find delightful. The spider sequence in the Forbidden Forest scared me more than anything else since Arachnophobia. Surprise surprise, I'm arachnophobic (mostly due to the aforementioned movie), but the fact remains that this sequence, and many similar ones in the movie, were treated as they would be in any great mainstream thriller. Even though I'm still emotionally shaken from that scene, I respect that Columbus does not sacrifice anything just to make it more acceptable.
I am able to respect this mostly because this movie is an even greater visual treat than the first (as if that were possible). Even though I used to be a huge special effects advocate, after the recent Star Wars disasters and a hoard of other films that have misused special effects, I have gone over to the other side. Then comes along the first two installments of this series, which make better use of special effects than any other movies I have ever seen. In Chamber, there is a Quiddich match between Gryffindor and Slytherin that is even more heart pounding than the one in Sorcerer's Stone (again, as if that were possible). The seeker's, Potter and Malfoy, chase thorough the bowels of the stadium after the Golden Snitch with a rogue bludger trying to take Harry out for good. If the Quiddich matches keep getting better and better, I can't wait to see what they will do for the fourth installment, Goblet of Fire, where our heroes go to the Quiddich World Cup. Even before the Quiddich match we are treated to a Whomping Willow which is grander, more violent, and more visually pleasing than I was prepared for. And then there's good ol' Dobby - the most successful fully animated character in a live action film. While Jar Jar Binks was a technical marvel, I don't know a person on this planet what wouldn't pay to see him killed. Dobby could have been another Jar Jar, but his screen time is kept in check and his humor is just right. There's also a flying car, a huge snake (which may be as frightening to children as the spiders), a duel between Malfoy and Potter, a great hall that is even more gorgeous than before, and a flurry of small but pleasing wizardry special effects.
My biggest reason for liking this movie is that it is the best fusion between an older style of filmmaking and a newer one. It makes use of the grand technology that we have today, but never lets it dominate the incredibly engaging characters, especially the supporting cast, nor does it hinder the progression of the plot one bit. Richard Harris will be sorely missed as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. He brought such great charisma to the film and his role gets more and more vital as the series continues. I hope that Radcliffe, Grint, Watson, and Felton all decide to stay on for the entire series. Each of them is such a perfect fit for their role that it is hard to imagine anyone else playing Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco. Then there's Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid and all the other professors at the school - each of which is so different from the other that it is hard to give each of them enough screen time without making the movie even longer.
It is inevitable that every fantasy movie will have a few things that I wish would have been done different. I wanted to spend a little more time with the Weasley family because each one of them is such a delight and their house is a small magical wonderland. But, I understand that it was important for this film to get onto center stage as quickly as possible, and center stage for this film meant Hogwarts. Even though my memory is a little hazy, there were some interesting classroom scenes that were left out (again, understandable because none of them are truly necessary). My biggest regret is that Ron and Hermione, who are constantly at each other's throats in the novel, don't have that same relationship in the movie. There is part in the end where they refrain from hugging to shake hands. My editor, who has not read the novels, was understandably confused as to why they didn't hug.
As I said earlier, Chamber of Secrets is the worst novel in the series. Actually, it's the only one I haven't read twice. Luckily, the plot structure, twists and turns are what Rowling has never failed at. I enjoyed the ways the mystery was revealed piece by piece even though I had previous knowledge of everything. The third act of the movie consists of a long stretch of action (intertwined with all the revelations to bring the story full circle). This is where most movies would screw everything up and settle into a final battle that is pedestrian if even that. Chamber of Secrets builds up to this the entire time so a final battle sequence with Harry, a large snake, and a phoenix is more than welcome. We've waited for it for over two hours, we need the payoff. The hardest part of a movie might be the post climax wrap up. I remember how much I enjoyed Dumbledore's final chat with Harry in the first installment, and the same thing happens here. Additionally, there is a little "standoff" between slave Dobby and master Lucius Malfoy that gave everyone a good laugh.
Here are a few quick things I could spend hours more writing about: the humor in this film keeps it alive and energetic in an otherwise dark and frightening setting. Stuart Craig (the production designer) has returned to create an incredible marvelous magical world by expanding the grandeur of Hogwarts. We get to venture into parts of the school that we had no idea existed before with little nooks, crannies, pipes, bathrooms, classrooms, and so much more. Kenneth Branagh (who plays Gilderoy Lockhart) is a wonderful addition to the established cast of teachers and clearly enjoys himself in this role. John Williams again provides a musical score which is so far the best this year. Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) makes himself contemptible and dark from the very beginning and keeps the evil vibe in every scene he is in. The pacing is incredible, it jumps right into the plotline and into the world of wizardry because all the basic rules have already been established.
I don't know how this second installment will be received, but it is a rare feat in modern cinema: a second installment that is as good as, if not better than, the first. With Columbus no longer opting to direct the third installment (due out in 2004), I hope that the next two movies don't falter because this could easily be the greatest series in film history. Harry Potter has made more than a believer out of me with a world as grand and imaginative as Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy, but with sufficiently more in terms of characters and witty dialogue. And to think, a year ago I would have liked nothing more than to see the Sorcerer's Stone fail. And then I saw the movie. Oh what a difference a year makes.