It's like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets if there hadn't been a Chamber of Secrets

Rating: 2/10 (17 December 2007)

I was sadly disappointed by this movie. Back when I first heard about it, I picked up the book since it sounded interesting. It was immediately a favorite, but the movie was a travesty.
It seemed to have hope for the first half. I can deal with minor story variations, but by the end of the movie, they have completely changed the ending so as to destroy the entire build-up/meaning behind the title. Sure, they try to tie it in, but it's ultimately not satisfying. The sad part is that I could really see it succeeding if they had not strayed so far. I thought Will Smith gave a great performance, and they did an excellent job building the atmosphere of the film. If you have not read the book, you may be able to enjoy it. But if you have read the book, I would go so far as to say don't even bother, because it is so loosely "based on" the book that they should not have even used the title.
If you haven't read the book and do see it, I highly suggest reading the book! It's great. My hope is that the movie may at least spur some to pick up the book, in which case they're in for a treat.