Underwhelming

Rating: 6/10 (18 November 2002)

I was underwhelmed. I haven't read the books and I knew nothing going in, except the first movie.
This movie is all plot. There isn't one iota of character development at all. we learn nothing new about any of these character's motivations beyond what we already knew from the first film. Characters come and go, and disappear for long stretches as the plot dictates.
Many scenes are well done but ultimately pointless and should have been cut to bring the film down to a more bearable running time. In particular, the entire opening sequence of Harry at home. it's Harry Potter 1 reduxe.
The spider scene was quite well done and creepy but also extreneous. It's a long scene with a deus ex machia resolution that really doesn't tell Harry anything.
Of the 2 scenes of students in class, the one with winged gremlins also serves no function but it was in the book so they included it.
The Quiddich match was very well done and exciting. Had the feel of the speeder bike chase from Return of the Jedi. Probably the best part of the film.
Even more so than the first one, this film had the feel of plot gears grinding away, each scene happening because the book dictated it that way. As the first one, it lacked any magic or spontinaity. It feels "programmed" and ultimately lifeless, a visualization of the book, not a film on it's own.
I wanted to be wow'ed. I wasn't.