Review 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is an amazing sequel and another example of how great sequels can be,

Based on the second book in the book in the Harry Potter book series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is back for his 2nd year at Hogwarts school and things ain't as pretty as last time. A house elf called Dobby (Toby Jones) warns Harry not to return, Harry refuses so Dobby gets him trapped by his mean uncle Vernon (Richard Griffiths). Soon Ron (Rupert Grint) breaks him out with the help of his brothers Fred and George (James and Oliver Phelps) and after missing the Hogwarts Express, Harry finally returns to Hogwarts.
This time he goes under the wing of the new D.A. teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh), gets attacked by Bludgers during Quiddich matches, attends dueling clubs, learns more about himself and tries uncover a dark secret buried deep in the castle for years.

The plot is genuinely brilliant, it feels so much darker, more engaging, more lively, more mature and somehow more confident and sure footed than the the Philosopher's Stone.
It continues its predecessors themes of identity and what makes a person who he or she is.
As the film progresses, we see that Harry's identity is shaped by his decisions rather than any aspect of his birth. Like the book, the film provides us contrasting characters who try to conceal their true identities: Gilderoy Lockhart lacks any real identity because he turns out to be nothing more than just a charming liar.

In terms of identity, Harry and Malfoy are treated as complete opposites of one another, Harry comes from humble beginnings and has had to work for a lot of things and only has fame thrust upon him whereas Malfoy has been born into privilege and has been spoilt and pampered and handed things, like his Nimbus 2001 broomstick, to him curtsey of his rich family.

The film also deals profoundly with racial themes (there's this scene were Malfoy calls Hermione a muddblood which is a derogatory word for a wizard with muggle parents

like calling a black person a negro).
Whatever monster that is lurking within the titular chamber is targeting muggle-born students.

Tonely and stylistically the Chamber of Secrets is very much a companion peice to the Philosipher's Stone: It maintains the whimsy and wonder of its predocessor but takes the series into darker waters.

The plot point with a diary as a warning against uncritical acceptance of information from sources whose motives and reliability cannot be checked and Institutional authority is portrayed as self-serving and incompetent.

I think that at 160 minutes that the the Chamber of Secrets is a little too long but

Returning director, Chris Columbus' direction is unobtrusive, the cinematography is superb and captures , the production design is brilliant particularly the titular chamber, a vast, foreboding cavern filled with snake statues that look as though they're about to strike; The Burrow where the Weasley's live is rambling, chaotic but homely space that serves as Wizard home Harry never had and Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom is a dingy  The score by John Williams is chilling, , the action is far better than the first film, the special effects are way better than the first film, the make up is beautiful, the costumes are fabulous and there are some great moments of humour and the ending has a delightfully uplighting sense of

The acting once again is great, Daniel Radcliffe (on top of that I think we see the first bits of maturity in Daniel Radcliffe) Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are great once again,

Harry also struggles with wether or not he actually belongs in Gryffindor. His dilemma with Slytherin vs Gryffindor

Kenneth Branagh is simply brilliant as Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. He's living embodiment of the films theme of what makes a person who he or she is.
He's such a joke in the way that claims to performed all these great feats and yet comes across as an incompetent buffoon and the fact that he's so vain and full of himself just makes him so oblivious to all of those who detest him. He's such a pretentious prick. He’s the type of character you just love to hate.
Also, having a teacher who is completely inept/incompetent lends itself to a lot of great laughs in a sequel that's arguably darker and more mature than its predecessor.

Mark Williams is amusing as Ron's dad Arthur,

Jason Isaccs  playing Lucius Malfoy 

 

Christian Coulson is outstanding playing Tom Riddle perfectly going from calm and nice to manipulative and delciously evil.

Elsewhere in the cast, Richard Harris (in tragically his final film role), Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw, Harry Melling, Julie Walters, Sean Biggerstaff, Matthew Lewis, Chris Rankin, Bonnie Wright, Tom Felton,

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a rare sequel that's definitely better than the first film and definitely worth a try, 5/5.

The Anonymous Critic.