LONGER DARKER BETTER

A Film Review of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Copyright 2002 Glenn Walker

This was a very fast movie or at least it seemed like it went by fast. This is a good thing. To me, one of the signs of a bad movie is when you start looking at your watch.

As opposed to the first installment Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone, there seems to be quite a bit omitted from the book but it should also be noted that the first book is the shortest and they all get longer from there. I’m sure no one wants to see movies longer than three hours.

There’s no set up for this one. If you’ve seen the first film you know what’s up so here they just jump in and go for it. You know the players, you know the score, hold on for the ride.

The tone is darker and the story is more energetic. The flying car is exciting, the kids are settled into their roles and Voldemort is more menacing if not as horrific as in the first film. The special effects are top notch which again is no surprise. You can feel the spiders as they approach on the screen.

As stated before the child actors have grown into their parts. The viewers no longer think of them as the actors playing Harry, Ron and Hermione but actually as Harry, Ron and Hermione. Kenneth Branaugh is exactly as I imagined Gilderoy Lockhart to be. Richard Harris is Dumbledore, it’s a shame he won’t be in the next films.

Darker, yes, more exciting, yes, even more anticipation for the next one, yes. Bring it on. A year is too long to wait.

Previously published at Comic Widows
http://www.comicwidows.com