Reel News - 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'

Reviewed by Justin Colburn & Keayn Dunya

Daniel Radcliffe .... Harry Potter

Rupert Grint .... Ron Weasley

Emma Watson .... Hermione Granger

Kenneth Branagh .... Gilderoy Lockhart

Maggie Smith .... Minerva McGonagall

Richard Harris .... Albus Dumbledore

Alan Rickman .... Severus Snape

Robbie Coltrane .... Rubeus Hagrid

Warwick Davis .... Filius Flitwick

Sean Biggerstaff .... Oliver Wood

Tom Felton .... Draco Malfoy

Shirley Henderson .... Moaning Myrtle

Bonnie Wright .... Virginia Weasley

John Cleese .... Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington/'Nearly-Headless Nick'

David Bradley .... Angus Filch

Christian Coulson .... Tom Marvolo Riddle

Toby Jones .... The House Elf (voice)

Jason Isaacs .... Lucius Malfoy

Harry Potter is about to begin his second year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry when he is visited by a house-elf named Dobby. Dobby warns Harry not to go back to Hogwarts. Harry ignores the warnings and returns to Hogwarts. He is still disliked by Professor Snape, Draco Malfoy, and the rest of the Slytherins while returning to the friends he has made. Yet there are strange things happing at Hogwarts. Harry keeps hearing a voice that only he can hear. When people turn up petrified, all signs point to Harry because of his unique talents.

Justin

There are a lot of clichéd lines that Hollywood uses to promote movies when they come to theatres or video, one that is commonly seen on children's movies is "great for all ages" or "fun for the whole family." These lines are designed to persuade parents to take their children to see the movie in the hope that they will be able to enjoy it as much as their kids. As much as I dislike these unoriginal taglines I have to admit Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets is a good film "for all ages."

When we arrived at the theatre there were several childless couples standing amongst the families in the long, discouraging, line that was waiting to get in to the movie (It made me appreciate buying our tickets in advance). The story isn't dumbed down to a child's level, where the answers sought are crammed down your throat and characters don't need sufficient motivation to perform the action needed to advance the plot, nor is it presented at a level that children would have difficulty understanding it. Harry Potter is told in a way that entices and envelops your imagination into it, regardless for what age you are.

If you were a fan of the first movie or a fan of the books (or both) the Chamber of Secrets will be just what you're expecting. It does whatever good sequel should and builds upon what was established with the first film. The Potter and Malfoy's rivalry has grown, the relationship between Harry, Ron and Hermione has strengthened and everyone's magic has become more powerful. I anticipated the Quiddich game more than anything else in the movie and was not disappointed in the least. Kenneth Branagh's performance was a pleasant surprise, he embraced the role of the fop as if it were the role he was born for. My biggest disappointment with the movie is that Richard Harris will not be back for the next film, he was a terrific actor and his presence will be greatly missed.

In our review for the first Harry Potter film we said that it would be able to take it's place among the great fantasy/adventure films of our childhood (Princess Bride, Dark Crystal, etc...), Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets also belongs on that list now. There have been a lot of films that have been tagged "fun for the entire family" in the past, and Harry Potter is one of the few that deserves it.

Keayn

Few sequels are as good as it's predecessor. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is one of them. This is one of the rare instances where the movie is just as good as the first of the series.

The Chamber of Secrets moves along at a brisk pace. All the setup is done in the predecessor, so we are able to dive right in. The movie starts with the summer ending and Harry at home with his adoptive aunt and uncle. There is more of a glimpse of Harry's relationship with the Dunsley's. There is a fragile truce between them until Harry can return to Hogwarts. Dobby spoils that peace and sets everything in motion.

There are few bad things that can be said about Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets. Visually it is astounding. The actors are all top shelf and each one is developed in their own little way. I admire the way the movie seems to switch between being plot driven and being character driven. It often seems that the characters are being proactive instead of just reacting to a situation. It is also great to see the interplay between Alan Rickman's Snape and Kenneth Branagh's Gilderoy Lockhart. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) seem to have grown as actors. The performance they give is a lot smoother this time around. My only exception was with Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). His accent waxed and waned more than a few times during the movie.

I do have to give my respect to the special effects team. So far the Harry Potter movies have been visually astounding. The backgrounds are rich and believable. The effects are also seamless where they interact with the actors. I have heard it said that at times it can be distracting but I feel that it enhances the movie.

Another reason I have grown fond of Harry Potter is because of the relevant issues. Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone dealt predominately with the issues of abandonment and family among other things. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets deals a lot with responsibility, trust and loyalty. I also find it funny that the groups that are protesting Harry Potter are overlooking the positive messages. In a world where our social values are out of whack positive models are vilified for the fact that they don't completely jive with our overly PC view of the world. All things considered, I wonder if Hagrid will hire me to feed fluffy.

4.75 out of 5 socks