Better action is not enough.

Rating: Null/10 (17 November 2002)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a competent piece of diversion for adults and children alike, but it fails to transcend the medium. While slick and well-made, there is still something forced about the whole endeavor, in terms of the acting, pacing and some of the visual effects. Daniel Radcliffe is noticeably more comfortable with his role than he was in the first film, which does aid in connecting with the character, but I still find it difficult to be transported into the events of the movie. In other words, the performances failed to engage me. However, I was impressed that the film reflected the dark tone of the book, which could have been very easily glossed over by the studio who hopes to profit. The action sequences are appropriately intense, and the portion in the Dark Forest admittedly scared me to death. The effectiveness of this and other portions of the film made it a more enjoyable experience than the first. Despite all that, many of the problems in the Philosopher's Stone persist, holding what could have been an amazing adventure film back, and simply making it a decent piece of entertainment.