Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PG) Review

Overall Rating

Fun Fun Fun is all I can say. Very true to the book. There was more action and adventure for Harry and his friends. Ron has got to be the most adorible kid ... really funny. Hermione is having a bit more fun. Malfoy and his buddies are as evil as ever. The teachers are great! Gotta love Snape! It's good clean fun for the whole family

Problems aside, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is overflowing with imagination and glorious visuals (the grandly luscious production design by Stuart Craig is a character in and of itself). Despite failing to equal its precursor, the film will entertain adults and is an undoubted treat for children, especially because it encourages an expansion of the mind rarely seen in this genre. Had as much time been spent on the writing and development as was obviously spent on the computer-generated effects, it could have been a true modern classic. As is, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is an engaging and often thrilling experience, but it is far from deep, and doesn't emotionally resound as it should

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" follows the same general pattern of "Sorcerer's Stone:" a prologue with Harry's miserable relatives; the trip to Hogwarts; the start of classes, friendships, and foes; a Quidditch match; and, finally, the injection of the main storyline. There is a comfort level to this familiar outline, helped immeasurably by the entire returning cast and a few choice new additions. Kenneth Branagh (1999's "Wild Wild West") is a splashy standout as narcissistic Master of the Dark Arts Gilderoy Lockhart; Jason Isaacs (2002's "The Tuxedo") is appropriately menacing and hateful as Lucius Malfoy, father of Harry's bullying classmate Draco (Tom Felton); 36-year-old Shirley Henderson (2001's "Bridget Jones's Diary") amazingly portrays ghostly school girl Moaning Myrtle, who haunts the ladies' bathroom; and Dobby the House Elf is beautifully animated, emotionally endearing, and well-voiced by Toby Jones.