“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Grade: B+

I’d wager that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a better book than its predecessor, yet that’s not true of the film adaptation. In this movie sequel, the magic is still there, but the adaptation-by-numbers approach is even more noticeable. A few more notes on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:

Directing:

There’s a difference between being faithful and being fervent. For his second film in the Harry Potter franchise, director Chris Columbus chooses to repeat his lifted-straight-from-the-page perspective. But Chamber of Secrets is a more complex book, and not everything easily translates from page to screen. Luckily, the wonderment from Sorcerer’s Stone carries over — the movie is still immersive despite its formulaic structure.

Acting:

Same actors, just a year older. The talented ensemble of children and established British stars once again brings the Harry Potter world to vivid life, and the addition of Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart adds a nice touch of comic relief. Unfortunately, co-star Rupert Grint has also been relegated to comic relief. He whimpers more than he speaks.

Writing:

Sorcerer’s Stone was too long at 150 minutes, and Chamber is 10 minutes longer than that. That’s probably because Rowling’s source text is even bulkier, meaning Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves have to squeeze even more chapters into the adaptation. If they can copy-and-paste, then so can I: the film can at times feel disjointed, but the story is so engaging anyway that we can easily forgive such flaws.

Music:

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has less whimsy and more mystery, which means legendary composer John Williams has some new tricks up his sleeve. But even he sounds like he’s relying on the original and repeating what’s already been done. Let’s give the man a break, though — this was a pretty quick turnaround. It’s still a good soundtrack despite the familiar sounds.

Ending (SPOILERS):

The final battle with the basilisk is worthy of the movie’s bloated blockbuster budget (although some of the plot twists are better “gotcha!” moments in the book). After that, we lose a little steam with the Harry Potter/Lucius Malfoy showdown in Dumbledore’s office. But at least we close with another heartwarming Hagrid scene, which is a repetition that I can readily get behind.

“Master has given Dobby a sock.” – Dobby

Why Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets gets a B+:

Once again, director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves are afraid to take risks, preferring to remain as faithful to J.K. Rowling’s source material as possible. Luckily for them, the source material is fantastic, which makes for another riveting storyline.

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