Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review
by Robin Clifford (robin AT reelingreviews DOT com)November 14th, 2002
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"
It has been a long year since our noble young wizard in training came to the big screen. Eager fans everywhere are now ready, willing and able for the next installment from J.K. Rowling, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
While I have read all of the Potter books published to date and dutifully attended the opening of the first film, I can't say that I am a fan of the diminutive wizard who has attained such worldwide fame. "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was a highly crafted, Hollywood-manufactured flick with lots of flashy F/X that pleased its ready-made audience to big box office numbers. Helmer Chris Columbus and his huge cast and crew are destined to even more acclaim and cash with "Chamber of Secrets."
This time around the kids are more comfortable in their roles as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and it shows in the final product. The supernatural sleuths, spurned on by Harry's past (and the lightning bolt scar given to him by "He who must go unnamed (or something like that)," must risk life and limb to save their beloved Hogwarts School, using magic and imagination to succeed. The young stars have matured and more fully take on their character personas.
The supporting cast, again, includes the venerable veterans returning to their characters. The late Richard Harris will be missed as wise and kindly headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Maggie Smith does nothing special in her reprise as Professor McGonagall. Alan Rickman continues his dour, secretive role as Harry's apparent opponent Professor Snape. The wonderful surprise performance in "Chamber" is given by Kenneth Branagh as the egotistical (and totally fake) Professor Against the Dark Arts Gilderoy Lockhart. Branagh is over the top as the handsome celebrity professor and author who hinders more than he helps in solving the story's puzzle and appears to be having more fun than anyone. A close second in the having fun department is provided by Jason Isaacs as the snooty non-Muggle wizard Lucius Malfoy (Draco's father).The rest of the cast is peppered with other vet appearances such as John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick), Miriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout), David Bradley (Argus Filch), Robbie Coltraine (Hagrid), Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon) and Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia).
The script by Steve Kloves adheres to the spirit of J.K. Rowling's second Potter book and follows the story fairly accurately. The formula of story/action/humor/story/action/humor helps keep the film's overly long 160 minute run time moving along, but things run out of steam at just before the two-hour mark. At this point I was feeling that things should wrap up soon before realizing there was nearly an hour to go. This is due, in part, in trying to get every action/effects sequence up on the screen - Quiddiche games, sorcerer lessons, battles with evil beings are all given ample time to appeal to the eye of the kids who will flock to see this latest Potter pic.
The special F/X are as finely crafted and executed as any that I have seen. The computer-generate house elf, Dobby (voice of Toby Jones), is the singular most striking visual achievement that represents a move a step closer to the perfection of the CGI craft. There are other effects, galore, as Ron and his brothers borrow their dad's flying car to rescue Harry from the clutches of his wicked stepmother-like Uncle Vernon. The flying Quiddiche matches are handled seamlessly and give fuel to the rivalry for leadership between Harry and his enemy, Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton).
All in all, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is all the things that made the first film a hit with its target audience. The cast and crew show an increasing comfort level that translates to a more relaxed air in the finished product. It still feels like it's manufactured but well made nonetheless. In any case, this is as critic proof a movie as there can be and the fans will enjoy it immensely. I give it a B.
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