Very nice addition to the series

Rating: 8/10 (28 February 2005)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a somewhat restrained film, as Christopher Columbus makes the darker book seem much more childish than it is. Granted, the main characters are 12 years old, but it was way too light hearted.
It's Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts, and trouble seems to be brewing again. Harry is hearing voices in the walls, voices that he thinks are connected to strange happenings around the school. Meanwhile, the teachers are equally puzzled.
The second Potter boasts stronger acting than before, as the lead actor Daniel Radcliffe grows in talent (and in size). He once again portrays Harry well, and continues this trend in the later sequels. Rupert Grint is the best of the trio with his knack for comedy. He offers some of the best lines in the film, but this is short lived because he gets some of the worst in movie 3 and 4. The adult actors are always in fine form. Richard Harris gives a warm and fatherly performance as Albus Dumbledore, something his successor, Michael Gambon, lacks. Alan Rickman is mysterious again even though his character was proved to be good in the first film. The standouts are Ken Branaugh and Christian Coulson as Gilderoy Lockhart and Tom Riddle respectively. Branaugh captures the essence of the character very well, making it one of the most accurate performances in any of the movies, and given his past, it's no surprise. Definitely the best part of the movie. Coulson also gives a great performance, but unfortunately telling you would be spoiling the ending (although half the world has either seen this or read the book or knows the truth about Tom Riddle). The other actors (Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, and Julie Walters) all give fine performances as well.
The film is very restrained in its writing and directing. The script is the most accurate translation of the books, but there are moments where it gets slow. The climax, however, comes out of nowhere and moves along fast, which is one good thing that Steve Kloves does. The film is also an action/adventure breed, and it fits the bill this time around. The quidditch scenes are back and better than ever, although one scene contains the most obvious example of how fast the kids are growing (Tom Felton's voice changes drastically throughout the film). All in all, CoS is a fine movie for the average moviegoer, but the book lovers will find that it is a rather restrained and toned down version of the book. Due to some violence, especially the potentially scary climax (giant snake, anyone?), HPCoS might scare a viewer under age 10.
8/10 --spy