"Harry Potter" is the "Star Wars" of the new generation

Rating: 10/10 (17 November 2002)

I just came back from seeing "Chamber of Secrets" and I thought it was excellent. Most of the flaws from "Sorceror's Stone" have been fixed, particularly in the special effects dept. The story is brilliant and it stays true to the book, yet works wonderfully on screen. I believe that Harry Potter is THE fantasy series of the Millenial generation (kids under 20), the same way the Star Wars trilogy was for Gen X-ers. That's not to say adults won't enjoy the film, because as a young 20-something, I am both a huge "Star Wars" and Harry Potter fan.
The "Chamber of Secrets" is a much darker story that requires the viewer to pay attention to every detail. Older kids and adults will most likely enjoy this film. Reading the books isn't a requirement, so don't let that stop you from seeing the film if you aren't already a fan. Since I read the book 3 years ago and forgot many details, I think I enjoyed the film more. Purists may be disappointed at certain omissions, but casual fans and newcomers with open minds should be very entertained.
I'd definitely recommend seeing the first movie before this one, especially if you're new to the series. Otherwise, you might have lots of "what the heck?" moments. This film delves deeper into the wizard world, with even stranger creatures and sinister plots involving elite wizards. The first film was basically an introduction to the wizard world, following a very straight path through one school year. The second is more story-oriented, jumping from event to event without a real sense of time. We do get to see Christmas again, as a sort of benchmark. This movie flows so well, that you won't believe you've been sitting in a seat for almost 3 hours; the time really flies.
I won't go into story details, since you can read those anywhere, but I'll just make a few comments. "Chamber of Secrets" is very Harry-centric, meaning the Harry, Ron and Hermione team of the first film is rather weak. Both kids take a backseat to Harry in this one. It was comforting to see the old sub-characters again, especially the Gryffindor kids, but none of them contribute much. Of the new characters, I thought Tom Riddle was the most fascinating. Gilderoy Lockhart was a hit amongst both adults and kids in the audience. I felt Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevey were the most neglected of the new cast, but that doesn't affect the film itself. Moaning Myrtle is annoying, but well played. Dobby the elf was adorable, not looks-wise, but I couldn't help falling for the poor, little thing.
As for scary content, there are a couple "jump out of your seat" moments and a few tense moments that are amplified with very loud sound effects. Like the first film (flying keys scene), the noise level is irritating at times, as I saw a few people put their hands over their ears. The spider sequence isn't so bad, but younger kids might want to shield their eyes. The battle with the chamber's monster at the end is probably the scariest scene for kids, it's reminiscent of any "Jurassic Park" confrontation. There were dozens of kids as young as 3 in the theater, and none of them seemed to have a problem. From an adult's POV, I thought the baby mandrake scene was the most disturbing, if only a bit.
A few more tiny things I'd like to mention: The music is excellent, an overall better soundtrack than the first one. The special effects were much improved, the only real hokey-looking one involved the flying car over the countryside. The sets are gorgeous, I just loved seeing the Weasley house and the Chamber. The best part of Harry Potter is that it's an enchanting, intelligent experience for people of all ages to enjoy. I'd give the film a pretty solid 10/10.