Director:
Chris Columbus
Writers: J.K. Rowling (novel), Steve Kloves (screenplay)
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
Release Date: November 15, 2002
Harry ignores warnings not to return to Hogwarts, only to find the school plagued by a series of mysterious attacks and a strange voice haunting him.
While it may be exaggerated due to Harry Potter standing next to a house elf, but the first thing I noticed upon watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was Daniel Radcliffe’s growth spurt. The second is the drop in octave in his (and Rupert Grint’s) voice. Our Hogwarts students are growing up, and like the magic of the Harry Potter franchise that draws so many fans seeing the cast evolve is a fascinating add-on as well.
Tom Riddle’s Diary is the linchpin in the film and is probably even scarier than the basilisk because you cannot see where it keeps its brain and instead must rely on trust which could easily be swayed. The flashbacks said diary holds were well laid out with a sepia-tone look to distinguish past from reality, along with piercing, I mean business look in Tom Riddle’s eye it is all a bit unnerving.
Outside of Tom Riddle’s Diary polyjuice potion is the next biggest ammunition that Harry, Ron and Hermione have and was fun to see play out. My one complaint is that I wish Jamie Waylett and Josh Herdman who play Crabbe and Goyle had spoken rather than Grint and Radcliffe doing a voice over and have always wondered how Malfoy fell for that. Although I did enjoy seeing Hermione Granger’s(Emma Watson) transformation into a cat.
I had not seen the movie in several years and the one thing that worried me was Aragog. Overgrown spiders are a little absurd to begin with and this giant spider and it’s spawn could have gone cheesy B movie real fast. While the effects may not have held up 100% their pinchers are still creepy and share Ron’s sentiments of fear.
Each new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher beings spice to the story, last year it was Professor Quirrell’s stutter and this year it was the pompous Gilderoy Lockhart. Played by Kenneth Branagh, Pofessor Lockhart is every bit as conceited as I could have imagined, pulling off a great performance and is one of my favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers.
The ending was a lot creepier than I remember it being, deceiving Tom Riddle emerging from the Diary to order a basilisk after Harry Potter and the intensity and quick pace in which the scene unfolds is a beating heart moment. and the determination in Harry’s voice is quite strengthening, showing were his loyalties lay while still having a childlike side when freeing Dobby.
Harry Potter is an excellent continuation in Harry Potter’s adventures in both book and film form. While it is much darker than its predecessor Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is an entertaining film to watch.
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