Review of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) by Stevenf — 11 Jul 2013

Twice as spellbinding and twice as magical as the first, but a side-swipe story has left the Chamber of Secrets as one of the weaker entries in the massive franchise, this aside, Harry and his companions return in fine form for more secrets to unfold from the magical castle of Hogwarts.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson all reprise their roles as Harry, Ron and Hermione respectively, and its remarkable how quickly these actors grow up, their tasks at Hogwarts also reflect their growth, they must deal with fame, lies and of course, magical happenings. When several students become petrified, as case of paralysis where the subject is frozen still without an immediate cure, Harry and his friends find themselves at the centre of it all again, more so for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Of course there is still fun to be had, with Qudditch returning and looking better than ever, and of course the comedic tone remains on par, especially with addition of Kenneth Branagh as Professor Lockhart, a man who isn't everything he seems, we are also introduced to Dobby, a house elf who is out to help Harry in any way possible, but seemingly gets in the way at every turn.

Its clear from the beginning that the tone has shifted slightly darker from the debut entry, with equally as many thrills to be had and some spectacular set-pieces equate to quite the blockbuster film, but much of the cast feels underused, understandably its difficult to adapt a book into a two hour film but I feel some scenes could have been shortened to make way for the excellent cast, like the returning Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, in his last film as Albus Dumbledore after passing away, and of course the sublime Alan Rickman.

Watching the film back, it does feel like a go-between, and while much more of the essence of the books is explored, it isn't one of the better entries in the films, it lacks the punch of fantasy that the others possess, and ultimately falls behind the rest.

But moaning aside, this is still a deserved entry in the series, it continues to amaze and carry the lives of our unlikely heroes, brimming with excitement, touches of horror and emotion, but turning into a darker path which suits the story it is telling. But the film is truly made again with the glorious cast who portray their characters with pride to the books but also to suit their own methods. Not the best, but certainly worth the watch.