Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review
by Karina Montgomery (karina AT cinerina DOT com)November 27th, 2002
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Matinee and snacks
Chamber is my least favorite of the 4 Potter books due to the disjointed narrative and sub-narrative, but this is a bang up adaptation of it nevertheless. Lots of fun and action, laughs and mystery, and really, isn't that why we love Harry Potter? That and Daniel Radcliffe is starting to grow into the very handsome young man we know he will become.
Warning to parents - the previous movie was safe for the under 8 set but I think most parents should preview this one for their wee bairns. As villains go, Voldemort in the first film was amorphous and unreal, and all other major perils were the comprehensible ones of the school yard. This film has deadly, spooky creepy critters, untrustworthy and wicked adults (treated without a comedic touch, except for the Dursleys) and spiders and a big ass level 10 critter and also some blood. It's not PG-13, yet, but it's close.
Meanwhile our adorable heroes are growing up so fast. Crabbe and Goyle can almost be seen flashing their voter registration cards. I won't lie to you either; it is so sad to watch Richard Harris, knowing this is his last performance as Dumbledore. His gentle voice, sparkling eyes, and sheer presence will be impossible to duplicate. I remember, when watching the first film, thinking "oh no what if someone gets ill or dies! This ensemble is so fragile and perfect."
Kenneth Branagh is god in this movie as self-important celebrity wizard Gilderoy Lockhart. I am sorry Branagh has not yet been tapped to direct a Potter film - he SO gets it, and it's not like he doesn't have the chops. Chris Columbus has created an indelible flavor and tone that, for all the Potter fans I know, couldn't be more perfect. It's a tall order to helm an adaptation of a book so many people are so nuts about, and to be met with universal adoration for the work. This film is no exception.
I would also like to report that Dobby is not the next Jar Jar Binks - his character is CGI, true, but his dialogue and movements and character are actually more restrained than in the book, and not at all irritating.
I must address why the film is rated lower than its predecessor. Since this time around, we know the characters, for the most part, we don't need to spend as much time on that sort of development. While this is often a fatal trap for sequels, it is also why sequels are so tempting to make. We do have some new characters, and dwell on them somewhat, and our existing friends gain some depth as well. Anyone who hasn't seen Sorcerer's Stone doesn't belong in the audience anyway. One near-total omission of character information, unfortunately, confuses the greater story arc involving Lucius Malfoy, Draco's flaxen-haired dad. If you don't know the book, you may miss Harry's one line that connects him to the story; this is a perplexing series of scenes without that whiff of culpability. Fortunately, the Potter series thus far is pretty good about making the bad guys clearly bad, so hopefully the kiddies won't miss the hint. The car scene eats up a lot more screen time than I would have afforded it, but beyond that, I have no serious complaints. It's fun, satisfying, mysterious, exciting, and funny too. What, you haven't already seen it?
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These reviews (c) 2002 Karina Montgomery. Please feel free to forward but just credit the reviewer in the text. Thanks.
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