Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Description
Fantastic 3-Disc Set Includes:
Creating the World of Harry Potter Part 2: Characters
A Whole New Realm of Discovery … Discover the intriguing inside stories of why so many of Britain’s most celebrated stars took roles in the series • See the newly unveiled screen test between Daniel Radcliffe and Evanna Lynch (selected to play Luna out of 15,000 hopefuls!) • Go on the set to see firsthand how each of the directors brought unique strengths to th… More >>
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March 8th, 2010 at 8:14 am
“The Chamber of Secrets” novel in the Harry Potter series is generally considered the weakest of J. K. Rowling’s books – it does not have the joyful discovery of “Philosopher’s Stone”, the dark twists of “Prisioner of Azkaban” or the epic nature of “Goblet of Fire”, but is simply a very good story. However, I predict its relative simplicity will make “Chamber of Secrets” the most successful book-to-movie translation in the series, as it is undoubtably better than the first movie, and it will be a daunting task for film-makers to tackle the intricate plot lines of book three and the collosal book four.
Like all the books, “Chamber” begins midway through the summer as Harry’s twelfth birthday is nearing, and again he faces a rather dismal one in the company of his horrible uncle, aunt and cousin. Excitement is already on the move however, as when Harry enters his bedroom the house elf Dobby is waiting for him, who warns him that under no circumstances is he to return to Hogwarts, where a great danger is waiting for him.
But return he does, after being rescued from his family by the Weasley family and the now-famous flying blue Ford Angelia, and indeed finds what Dobby promised – something is stalking the halls of Hogwarts, putting all the students in great danger. Taking it upon himself to save his beloved home Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione seek out the clues, and find themselves facing a terrible evil. In a story filled with giant spiders, savage willow trees, magical swords, disembodied voices, mysterious diaries, glorious phoenixes, flying cars and Quidditch matches, the action and excitement doesn’t let up until the ending credits.
Once again Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson return as the three main protagonists, and I’m glad to say that while their acting was a little awkward in the first movie (understandable for newcomers) they’ve mellowed out and are much more natural with their characters and each other. Under-rated actor Tom Felton is again wickedly good, and Maggie Smith (McGonagall), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Snape) roll out brilliant performances. Unfortunatly I can’t say the same for Richard Harris – Dumbledore in my mind is an elderly yet lively and energetic man, yet here I was petrified he was going to kneel over any second.
The best part of any sequel in a series is the myraid of new characters to see, including the afore mentioned Dobby, the mysterious and sinister Tom Riddle, the narcissic Gilderoy Lockhart (played with great pizzazz by Kenneth Branaugh), and pompous Cornelius Fudge, and more of the Weasley family – more from Julie Walters as Molly Weasley, an introduction to Arthur Weasley, and from George, Fred and (especially) Ginny.
Three performances stick out though: Lucius Malfoy was great – cold, calm and elegant, this guy just *oozed* sinister charm, Moaning Myrtle, with her high-pitched sobs and shrieks was an unexpected surprise and Colin Creevy, the forerunner to Book Four’s reporter Rita Skeeter and J. K. Rowling’s dig at the media was a small, but essential gem, and I love that split-second scene of horror on his face as the runaway Buldger hurtles towards him!
Finally the sets, costumes and props are lovely, but the special effects are only so-so. The Quidditch game (again more visually exciting than any written account) is very good, as is the ‘monster in the chamber’, but the phoenix, spiders and Dobby could have used some tweaking.
All in all, a fun, interesting, colourful, sometimes-scary, and faithful adaptation to a beloved book, that (along with the Two Towers) brought 2002 to a fantasy-filled climax in the movie industry.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 8th, 2010 at 9:29 am
I’m a senior citizen who loves Harry Potter. I have read the first 3 books and will purchase “The Goblet of Fire” on books on tape.
I won’t go into the plot. Suffice it to say it follows the book. The acting was wonderful by our 3 main stars. There is not enough of Alan Rickman, a truly wonderful actor. Kenneth Branagh was so-so and I don’t know the man who played Lucious Malfoy but he was perfect. I hated him in “The Patriot” and hated him even more here. Richard Harris will be sorely missed. What a fine performance for his last film.
I never realized that the film was 2 3/4 hours. The time flew. The special effects are outstanding.
I liked the further character development. You see what a wonderful and loving family Ron Weesley comes from. You find out why Hagrid is the way he is. You also get to realzie why Draco Malfoy is the way he is when you get to see the father.
There was so much to see. So much to enjoy.
For the first movie, I saw the movie first and then read the book. For this story, I read the book first and then saw the movie. Either way, I was thrilled with both movies.
I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward the the third movie.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to see “The Chamber of Secrets”, please go and see it. It’s a treat for the eyes, mind and soul.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy
Rating: 5 / 5
March 8th, 2010 at 11:53 am
“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the second installment from director Chris Columbus, continues right where the first left off. Harry finds himself spending a miserable summer with his horrible Muggle relatives who alienate and neglect him. Only when his best friend, Ron, comes and rescues him from his cell of a room do things start to improve. But Harry has received a mysterious warning from a house-elf named Dobby: he will be in grave danger if he returns to Hogwarts. With the help of Ron and Hermione, will Harry be able to save Hogwarts from a deadly evil?
Overall, “Chamber of Secrets” was very enjoyable. The acting couldn’t have been better. Daniel Radcliffe nearly outdid himself this time around. He is everything Harry should be and seems to pull it off effortlessly, quietly endearing the audience to him. Rupert Grint is fabulous as well. His facial expressions and voice inflections always find a way to make me smile. Kenneth Branagh (who I haven’t been fond of in other roles) is obnoxiously appealing as the flamboyant Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) shine in their roles as perfectly as they did in “Sorcerer’s Stone.” The late Richard Harris gives a memorable and touching performance as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.
The special effects were stunning. From the Whomping Willow to the quidditch match to Aragog’s spidery lair to the final confrontation in the Chamber of Secrets, everything (particularly the quidditch match) looked thoroughly real and was all I could have hoped for it to have been.
It was a lot of fun seeing some of my favorite scenes brought to life. I absolutely loved the polyjuice potion part (it was so funny!), Harry’s stay at the Burrow (although I wish that part could have been longer), and Ron, Fred, and George’s flying car rescue of Harry.
However, there were some aspects of the movie that I found less appealing. Be forewarned, there are more differences from the book in this movie than the first. Most of them don’t really get in the way of the story, but a few I found to be personally annoying (and won’t mention them here for fear of spoilage).
“Chamber of Secrets,” like every movie based on a book, loses something in the translation from page to reel, but Chris Columbus has succeeded once again in creating a spectacular representation of the magical world that we Muggles have come to love.
Bottom Line: Not as good as the first movie but still a must-see for HP fans. The brilliant acting makes up for most plot changes.
Rating: 4 / 5
March 8th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
The Good: It is everything the first was-it is still great! It’s still a must-see movie for any Harry Potter fan. It may not have the suspense and the gripping scenes Rowling’s book has but it’s still a fantastic feature! Chris Columbus once again does a wonderful job on the movie. He keeps the Harry Potter ‘magic’ alive. He has created something that in the near future will be a classic. The characters, the plot, the inventions, and the suspense are all wonderful! Emma Watson once again plays her role to the best of her ability. She is perfect for the role of Hermione! The movie certainly has more than it’s share of charm; charming characters, the magical ‘charm’, and the sheer image of Rowling’s peculiar inventions. The film’s special effects and the acting will impress you. This sequel to 2001′s ‘movie of the year’ is scarier, longer, more suspenseful, and more interesting than the first. But you obviously need to know the story of the first book (movie) to understand and enjoy this installment. The late Richard Harris (Dumbeldore) is first a surprise then an immeasurable relief–and fated to be the proudest legacy of the movie that is a beautifully crafted dark fable. In fact this installment is something you would enjoy even if you haven’t read the books! The wacky inventions will impress you (as I mentioned before). Another thing that I was impressed by was the enigmatically stunning phoenix (a Greek mythical bird that burns into flames). This feature has tons of new things; New characters, extra school lessons, new creatures, and new inventions! Overall it’s an excellent installment!
The story revolves around Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) who has not had a fine summer. Not only has he had to put up with his haughty Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) and Uncle Vernon Dursley (Griffith) and their fear of his magical abilities, but also it seems as if Harry’s best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) have forgotten him – as they haven’t responded to a single one of his letters. Then, unexpectedly and strangely, house-elf Dobby emerges in Harry’s bedroom and warns of great danger if the aspiring wizard should attempt to return to Hogwarts. Dobby than tries to prevent the wizard from attending his 2nd year at Hogwarts. Although they faced a dangerous mishap at Platform 9 and 3 quarters, the worst was yet to come. The news of the flying car (that Harry and Ron rode) had reached Snape. But basically (Later) the 3 youngsters continue their adventures this time trying to find out about the deadly ‘chamber of secrets’. Watch them unravel the haunting mystery at Hogwarts!
Bad: There isn’t really anything ‘bad’ about Harry Potter. Gilderoy Lockhart however, was very annoying. Snape was as usual the mean, cruel, hateful, and despising teacher at Hogwarts. But if you think about it, that’s the way Rowling has made them… so I guess there’s no ‘bad’ in the movie!
Ugly: In only a word… “snakes”. Creepy, crawling, slithering, slimy, ugly reptiles! However ‘snake-lovers’ (like the majority of the people I went with) would enjoy the ‘snake scenes’.
Harry Potter is a creative work of art! Overall rating: A+
Rating: 5 / 5
March 8th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
The magic is back! Harry, Hermione, and Ron Weasley return to the screen with yet another adventure, bigger and better than ever, as they begin their second year at Hogwarts. With a veritable flick of his magic wand, director Chris Columbus offers up �Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,� the second chapter in the on-going saga of everybody�s favorite young wizard, who is joined this time around by a new instructor (teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts), as well as some formidable new opponents. There�s also a couple of surprises along the way as Harry encounters a rather singular character in his bedroom, and another deep in the Forbidden Forest. And, yes, there IS a Quidditch match.
Harry�s second year at Hogwarts begins inauspiciously with a warning to stay away; someone– or some�thing�– doesn�t want him there. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) is undeterred, of course, and is soon back in Gryffindor House along with his friends and fellow students. But the warnings persist, now written in blood on the walls, and they portend an ominous fate for Harry, as well as many of the other students of witchcraft and wizardry. The messages indicate that the �Chamber of Secrets� has been opened, and that dire consequences (for some unknown reason) are about to befall many of those in attendance at the school. And this is serious business; enough to make Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) fear that Hogwarts may have to be closed indefinitely.
So it�s up to Harry, Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) to get to the bottom of the mystery. And they don�t have much time; already one of the students has been found literally �petrified� in the hall, and the perpetrator is still unknown and at large. Harry knows the answers can be found in the Chamber of Secrets, but the questions persist: �What� is it, exactly, and �where� can it be found?
As if channeling the spirit and imagination of author J.K. Rowling (in whose heart Harry Potter was born), director Columbus brings this film vividly to life in a swirl of excitement and colorful characters. He sets a perfect pace that will keep even the youngest members of the audience enthralled, and his transitions are impeccable, always moving the story forward with nary a single lull or hesitation. It�s a film that will grab you in the opening frames and sweep! you along to the finish.
Written for the screen by Steven Kloves (adapted from the novel by Rowling), the story is compelling, the dialogue is fresh and crisp and, as expected, the special F/X are the absolute best. And Columbus uses it all to great effect, aided in no small part by the exemplary work of film editor Peter Honess, the original score by William Ross and John Williams, Roger Pratt�s brilliant cinematography, and last, but certainly not least, the engaging performances turned in by his young stars and veteran performers alike.
Young Daniel Radcliffe�s portrayal of Harry is so complete and natural that, simply put, he IS, and will forever be, �Harry Potter.� It�s the kind of definitive performance that will always, without question, be a part of Radcliff�s life, putting him in such dignified company as Sean Connery (James Bond), Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes). And, for better or worse, that�s not such a bad place to be. He has a gift, and if he uses it wisely, he has a long and successful career ahead of him.
The characters of Hermione and Ron Weasley are definitive, as well, but not in the way that Radcliffe�s Harry is, but inasmuch as it would be impossible hereafter to accept anyone else but Watson and Grint as, respectively, Hermione and Ron. Their portrayals are solid, endearing and entirely convincing; who will ever forget Hermione�s adamant stare, or Ron�s bemused expression of befuddlement? Though without a doubt they will always be associated with these characters, they have the kind of talent that should take them successfully beyond their �Potter� personas. And hopefully they will make choices in the future conducive to their auspicious �star-making� turns in these films.
Kenneth Branagh gives a delightful performance as Gilderoy Lockhart, the new instructor at Hogwarts, whose self-importance has made him a legend in his own mind. He is pompous and self-serving, but in a fun kind of way that allows you to see immediately beneath the mask of his vanity and his puffed up ego; he�s the Wizard of Oz revealed as the man behind the curtain. And Branagh plays him perfectly.
In this chapter we�re also introduced to Draco Malfoy�s father, Lucius Malfoy, played with deliciously restrained malevolence by Jason Isaacs. After meeting Lucius, it�s easy to see that Draco (Tom Felton) is an apple that didn�t fall far from the tree.
Also turning in a memorable performance is Shirley Henderson, as the empathetic, disenfranchised ghost, Moaning Myrtle, doomed to forever roam the lavatory in which she met her untimely and premature demise. With very little screen time, she manages to make a decided connection with the audience, which makes her an effective and integral part of the story.
Reprising the roles they established and made their own in �Harry Potter and the Sorcerer�s Stone,� are Richard Harris (Dumbledore); Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid); Alan Rickman (Professor Severus Snape); Bonnie Wright (in an expanded role this time, as Ginny Weasley); Julie Walters (Mrs. Weasley); John Cleese (Nearly Headless Nick); Richard Griffiths (Uncle Vernon); Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia); and Harry Melling (Dudley).
The additional supporting cast includes Toby Jones (extremely effective as the voice of Dobby, the House Elf), Christian Coulson (Tom Marvolo Riddle), Miriam Margolyes (Professor Sprout) and Sally Mortemore (Madam Pince). Be forewarned, there�s a scene in the Forbidden Forest that will absolutely make your skin crawl; but it�s all a part of the fun, and by the final scene of �Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,� you WILL, without a doubt, believe in magic.
Rating: 5 / 5
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 pm
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