Not for those who like to be entertained by a movie...

Rating: Null/10 (15 November 2002)

Well with all of the positive reviews of this film abound, it's nice to see that I'm not alone in thinking this movie is weak, lame and predictable. Sure, I haven't read any of the books. And now that I have watched both of the Potter films, I can be absolutely sure that I will not waste any more time on such a crap series. Really people, does this movie need to be 2 hours and 40 minutes? I think not.... I'd rather do my laundry by hand...
Once again, the desire to make $$$ results in a sequel that needs to rehash all of the same boring details from the first movie.... As if we're all to dumb to remember what happened a year ago, this is one of those sequels that has to ask us, "Hey, remember this from the first movie? Well here it is again." Instead of trying to entice us with new cool ideas, the CHAMBER OF SECRETS treats the audience like a bunch of cucumber-brained dolts who can't handle a developed story with interesting characters... Is there one character from either of these flicks that is remotely likeable? Surely not the stupid troll Dobie or whatever it's name is, introduced to make audiences cringe like the horror of another CGI annoyance Jar Jar Binks. Kenneth Branagh is also added to the mix as a vain professor with no brass, and that should have been enough to keep me away, but for some reason I kept watching. And Robbie Coltrane should not have been given another job after making that POPE MUST DIE movie in the mid 90s... Poor Richard Harris though. It's a shame that such an accomplished actor had to die with this film being his last effort. I would have much rather seen him as English Bob again in an UNFORGIVEN sequel.
Sure this is ultimately a kids movie. I understand that, but why treat today's kids like dingbats? Why can the two BABE films be enjoyable for adults and kids, but these POTTER flicks stink like yesterday's diapers... And talk about unnecessarily long... The two movies together add up to be slightly over 5 hours.... Now wouldn't one think that within 5 hours of footage, some of it would be entertaining? Just like the new STAR WARS prequels, it's all about lame effects and bad acting.... Why get good actors when the SPFX are of low caliber as well? I guess I miss the good old days when monsters and creatures were made of latex & makeup, and obviously in the scene being shot. Whereas nowadays, actors are required to react to a blue screen or a piece of cardboard.
Well I guess I got what I deserve. It's a good thing that well-crafted films are still in the theaters now, like PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE, RULES OF ATTRACTION, ROGER DODGER and AUTO FOCUS, otherwise we'd be in a sad state of affairs.... I mean c'mon, the only good film Chris Columbus has been associated with was GOONIES, and that was about 18 years ago....
Bottom line, if you want to be aggravated by bad acting, lame story developments and half-a**ed SPFX, see this movie. If you want to watch a film with some heart, go rent the DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS. I'm outta here...