Better than Sorcerer's Stone

Rating: 7/10 (12 July 2014)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) suffers from many of the same flaws as the first movie: it's trying so hard to be faithful to every detail that it slows down the pacing, the child actors are awkward and stiff, and the direction is overall uninspired.
However, this is undoubtedly more watchable than Sorcerer's Stone. For one thing, it has more atmosphere. Like the novel, it's Gothic and mysterious. Details such as the echo of the basilisk slithering throughout the castle, the ominous Chamber of Secrets, and the enigmatic depiction of Tom Riddle are all well-realized. The climactic battle between Harry and the basilisk still gives me chills after all this time.
Luckily, Chris Columbus was outed once the producers got to the next film. They put in an accomplished director, Alfonso Cuaron, and the movie franchise was all the better for it.