overlong but exciting and richly detailed

Rating: Null/10 (9 April 2007)

Harry Potter is back living with his aunt and uncle after successfully completing his first year at Hogwarts. Despite ominous warnings from a mischievous house elf, he returns to the renowned school of wizardry in order to further his education. He learns of an eminent threat revolving around an ancient chamber of secrets that could potentially close down the school, but his fellow classmates become suspicious of him when they learn that he's a parsel-tongue and may in fact be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. Like its predecessor it goes on too long, but the story is much more interesting, and there are an abundance of exciting, inventive, eye-popping special effects. Good fun for kids and adults alike, though it could have used a little less plot. ***