`Dobby Has Come To Warn You Sir.' Not as good as the first Harry Potter' movie, but a decent enough sequel.

Rating: Null/10 (19 May 2003)

I mentioned in my first Harry Potter' review, that I had big expectations' when I got around to seeing the sequel titled the chamber of secrets.' Having now seen it, and sure it is an entertaining movie, but for me, it did not have the same appeal as the first film had. But if I was ten years old, I am sure that this movie would be a classic, which I am sure the movie world will one day be calling it. I am not sure whether it deserves such praise.
Something Evil Has Returned To Hogwarts! At the start of his second year of an amazing journey into the world of wizardry, cars fly, trees fight back and a mysterious elf comes to warn Harry Potter. This year at Hogwarts, spiders talk, letters scold and Harry's own unsettling ability to speak to snakes turns his friends against him. From duelling clubs to rogue Bludgers, it's a year of adventure and danger when bloody writing on a wall announces: "The Chamber of Secrets has been opened". To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron and Hermione's magical abilities and courage in this spellbinding sequel.
Back in the lead role of Harry Potter is young star Daniel Radcliffe. I enjoyed his role in the first movie a little bit more, but he has proven in both movies that he is a fine choice as Harry. Harry is saved from his life of misery with his Uncle Vernon (Richard Griffiths), Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) and Dudley Dursley (Harry Melling), by his best friend Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) in an immensely enjoyable escape. The other friend Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) was also good, although her character has a rather less than appealing affect called petrifying' placed on her when she is trying to help Harry and Ron figure out what is going on at Hogwarts.

There are also some very new and original characters that have been designed for the sequel of Harry Potter'. The best addition to the Harry Potter cast in my opinion happens to be a computer generated house elf' called Dobby'. He is so funny in what he says and does. It is credit to the creators of this creature, as he looked very human' from where I viewed it. Another of the new characters that I found great joy in watching was the strange ghost called Moaning Myrtle', who was an important person in the make-up of the movie. Of the human members of the cast that were new to the movie, it happens to be one of Hollywood's better known actors. The fraud book writer Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagher) was a character that I found funny, and shows that he is a person that Harry and his friends need to be wary of.

Yet the regular adult members of the cast did not have the same impact as they did in the first movie. People such as headmaster Prof. Dumbledore (the late Richard Harris), Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Prof. Snape (Alan Rickman) and Prof. McGonagol (Maggie Smith), were all given minor roles in this movie, which brought the film down, in my opinion. In the first movie, these actors had better defined characters and gave adult viewers of the movie something to be able to take away from it. I cannot say this was evident in the Harry Potter sequel, which was disappointing. It must be mentioned that these actors take a risk by taking on such roles, so it would be better if they had greater roles within the film.
However the story did have some good points to it. The action that was written certainly made for an entertaining story in places. So was the way that the story made the chamber of secrets' seem like a very evil and disturbed place at Hogwarts, especially for Harry. The exciting and scary parts of The chamber of secrets' would have been too much for some youngsters. The movie's screenplay was well adapted once again by screenwriter, Steve Klobe. Also back a second time was director Chris Columbus, who had great success in the first of these movies. While he did an okay job in the sequel, I wish that he had done things a little bit different, like make the adult characters come through a bit better and did certain parts of this film just like the first movie.
Which bring me to the scene highlights of The chamber of secrets'. I really enjoyed the scene which involved the three main characters and how they a drink a potion that changes them. This was a funny and original part of the film. With great visual effects, The Chamber of Secrets' had such big moments such as when Harry and Ron are on the run from some menacing looking spiders. Harry's confrontation in the chamber' was also great and well produced by all involved, as was the way that Harry learns the secrets of the chamber. The one scene that I found most disappointing was the Quidditch' match. While this was one of the great highlights of the first movie, it was not so for me in the second, as it was not as action packed like it was in the first movie.
The Harry Potter' movies still makes me wary of how bad witchcraft can be, especially in the hands of youngsters. Harry Potter is also a character that I am sure was created with certain people in mind. I am thinking of youngsters who come from backgrounds like troublemakers', poor kids' and parentless children', as Harry fits under all these categories. He would have to appeal to all of the children who might fit under one or more of these banners. Look all in all this was a good movie, but nothing that I would call great.
CMRS gives Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets': 3.5 (Good Very Good Film)