My second Harry Potter-saga favorite movie

Rating: 7/10 (10 June 2017)

Here's round two of the adventures of young wizard Harry Potter and friends. While not a terrible movie, this one is probably my least favorite and the most forgettable. It's more faithful than the previous film, but that's not entirely a good thing, as this one really drags, and, at this point, it's not quite necessary yet since the books didn't start getting really detailed, ambitious, and overblown until part 4. Columbus returns as director, and this time we follow 12 year-old Harry going through his second year of schooling. As if rival students, menacing teachers, and loads of schoolwork weren't enough, things start getting dire at school when people are found petrified like statues, threats are written on walls in blood, and a monster is on the loose. Even a gifted wizard like Harry may have some serious trouble coping. I can appreciate that they were trying to be more faithful to the book, but they might have been too faithful. It's my least favorite entry, and, while it's not boring, it's just not gripping enough, I feel, to warrant a film of such length. At least the film is good about balancing the tone fairly well. All the actors are fine, and they are only getting better and more comfortable with the characters with each new entry. Harris made his swan song here as Dumbledore, but his replacement in part 3 takes up the mantle with ease. All in all, a decent movie, but like I said, probably my least favorite.