Both Much of What is Right and Much of What is Wrong with the First Movie is also Present Here

Rating: 7/10 (21 May 2011)

As luck would have it, Chamber of Secrets has more of a story sweep than its forerunner, though it lacks much determination or tension. But, most importantly, it does preserve the light-hearted sense of humor and childlike buoyancy that made the first film entertaining. The humor is slightly on the mawkish side this time, and Columbus hasn't decided against tacking on another winning-is-good wrap-up, this time even more peppered with honey-baked schmaltz than last time, but the light-hearted youthful nature of the material is still intact and keeps it engaging even for those of us who haven't seen it in nearly ten years.
This second annual production design festival starts with Harry reuniting with Hermione and Ron, and his arch-rival, Tom Felton's Draco, as they prepare for sophomore year at Hogwarts. Many of the old faculty return, including Dumbledore, the stringent McGonagall, and the gloomy, hostile Snape. There's a new recruit, a totally engaging Kenneth Branagh as the charming, narcissistic Gilderoy Lockhart, who is more engrossed in fan mail than teaching defense against the dark arts. But all's not sound at Hogwarts. A sinister conspiracy is looming, with someone plotting to burglarize the renowned Chamber of Secrets and let loose a monster. It's up to Harry and his mates to expose the perpetrator before Hogwarts finishes.
All real inspiration motivating this hat-in-hand outing is rooted in Rowling's original ideas. The Harry Potter stories don't break new ground, but they merge time-honored fantasy blueprints into a breezy, creative and contagious concoction, but Columbus isn't poised to make any real leaps with the material, and periodically this suit-following sequel seems more like processed merchandise than a live, three-dimensional film. It pleases, meets expectations, but doesn't blow one's mind.
All of the unforgettable moments happen in the powerfully dynamic latter half of the movie, including an staggeringly accomplished gathering of giant, inhospitable spiders and a likewise arresting encounter with a massive snake. These scenes, with their perfect virtual worlds and graphic effects, minify even the most imposing sequence from the first movie. The film's other significant effect is Dobby the computer-generated House Elf, who at once manages to be little more compelling and a little less grating than Jar-Jar Binks, sans minstrelsy.
Radcliffe, Watson and Grint are more self-possessed and practiced than in their previous excursion, especially Grint, who has settled impeccably into the role of the more hapless, more neurotic comic relief. Branagh had been below the radar in the past few years. It's refreshing to see him burst back into the public interest with something this pleasant. The other noteworthy add-on is Jason Isaacs, who admits emits unadulterated wickedness, as Draco's father, Lucius.
Indeed, much of what made the first film so charming stays resolutely primed, from the strapping ensemble performances to Stuart Craig's impressive production design. The atmosphere of invention, that early interface with the stories' vibrant characters and quirky corresponding world, is absent. In its place comes frenetic commotion. As companion pieces, Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets interlock perfectly. Not shocking, bearing in mind that many of the same people were responsible for both.