CHAMBER OF SECRETS : A Great Improvement On The First Film...

Rating: 8/10 (24 May 2006)

HARRY POTTER & THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
In terms of the Harry Potter books, "Chamber Of Secrets" is probably the most light-hearted book in the series. It covers very little ground in terms of offering background on Hogwart's legacy and it doesn't necessarily establish central themes of the entire series... however, it is arguably the most fun. "Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets" was a large step up in quality from the first film in the series, and it is without a doubt Chris Columbus' best film to date.
It tells the story of Harry's second year at Hogwarts. The school is beginning to be terrorized by an unknown monster that is supposedly being controlled by the Heir Of Slytherin. The Chamber Of Secrets, a mysterious cave that's whereabouts are unknown to all of Hogwart's staff, has been opened causing students to be "petrified". On top of all this, Harry has started to hear strange noises coming from the walls and he's the only one who can hear it. Harry and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger set out to figure out the mystery behind the Chamber Of Secrets and the voices in Harry's head.
What makes the second film so much better then the first film is that it remains focused on the story it is telling. Whereas "The Sorcerer's Stone" tried to incorporate more of the fan's favorite moments from the books that ultimately didn't serve the plots... "Chamber Of Secrets" edits out all the extraneous material. So although some fans will ultimately be disappointed that certain chapters from the book are missing, the film is far more exciting and cohesive because of it.
By remaining focused on the storyline, all the action scenes are given more excitement. Whereas the first movie used special effects for flash and spectacle (the flying lesson, the shifting staircases, etc.), this film utilizes the special effects to offer more scares and thrills only when the story calls for it. All sequences (ranging from the Spider Pit, to the flying car, to the finale) are handled much better and therefore, "Chamber Of Secrets" never lags like the first one.
Performances from the supporting cast are solid as ever, with Richard Harris offering a wonderful final performance as Dumbledore. Kenneth Brannagh also makes an especially entertaining addition to the ensemble. Brannagh plays Gilderoy Lockhart, the arrogant new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, and he obviously has fun really digging into the vanity of this character. Also, Jason Isaacs makes a wonderfully threatening villain as Draco Malfoy's father.
The children still don't quite nail their roles for me... but they are still young. The only actor that really captures his character is Rupert Grint as Ron. I just sense that Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson are more tentative when it comes to their roles... whereas Rupert Grint both understands his character and is willing to have fun with him. However, Daniel Radcliffe does do an admirable job of helping bring the CGI character Doby to convincing life. Doby remains one of the only CGI characters in movies (aside from Peter Jackson's films... where Gollum and Kong were phenomenal additions) that adds to the film instead of detracts.
Overall, "Harry Potter & The Chamber Of Secrets" is the most commercially enjoyable film of Chris Columbus' "Potter" films. And even though a little more artistic integrity probably could have been added by a more experienced and gifted direct, I think "Chamber Of Secrets" stands up against time and the more recent films in the franchise.
... B+ ...