"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" Reviewed November, 2002
Studio: Warner Bros MPAA Rating: PG - for scary moments, some creature violence and mild language Mom Rating: 5 out of 5 Kid Rating: 5 out of 5 Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Kenneth Branagh, Robbie Coltrane, Tom Felton, Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, John Cleese, Richard Harris, Devon Murray, Julie Walters, Shirley Henderson, Hugh Mitchell, Julian Glover, Alfred Burke, Jason Isaacs, Gemma Padley, Mark Williams, Miriam Margolyes, Gemma Jones, Sally Mortemore, Ed Tudor-Pole, Bonnie Wright Writer: Steve Kloves Director: Chris Columbus
I can't imagine the pressure on the team responsible for the Harry Potter movies. These folks have the formidable task of taking the most beloved children's books of the last half-century and translating them to film. And no matter how good a job they do, someone is bound to complain. After all, the series is popular because J.K. Rowling is such a gifted and imaginative story teller who sparks the imagination of her readers -- all of whom have their own idea of how Harry and his friends should look, act and talk.
If the filmmakers create a scene-by-scene transcription of page to cinema, some fans will be pleased - but critics will complain that they have missed the opportunity to go deeper into the emotions and themes of Rowling's tale. No, this is a task that really does prove that you can't please everybody.
Fortunately, Chris Columbus, Steve Kloves and the production team behind "Chamber of Secrets" will probably end up pleasing more people than not.
This movie is funnier than "Sorceror's Stone." It is also a bit scarier -- and clocking in at 2 hours, 41 minutes, one of the longest films I've ever sat through with my six-year-old.
Strangely enough, she didn't notice - and neither did I. Some of the critics have complained that the pace of this film was too frenetic, but the first graders who attended with us didn't squirm, didn't fidget -- and were disappointed when it was over -- because they wanted MORE.
If you or your kids did not read or see Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, make sure you rent the video and view it first. This film doesn't bother with any pesky exposition and goes directly into the story, and newcomers to the series will miss a lot if they do not go back to the first one. (After the screening I saw, I overheard a couple of adults who had not taken this step and they were pretty lost -- for instance, they didn't have a clue about the origin of Harry's distinctive lightbolt scar... and were totally puzzled about the scenes of playing Quidditch.)
Besides, if you see the first Harry Potter movie immediately prior to viewing the second, you will enjoy noticing how much the young cast has grown in a year. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are all noticeably more mature this time around -- and the distinguished adults who portray their teachers have more to do. It is especially poignant to watch the late Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore, whose frailty adds to his authority as headmaster.
Some of the most delightful scenes involve the wizarding Weasley family, with Julie Walters turning in a fun performance as their harried mom. And this time around, we meet Draco Malfoy's sinister dad, Lucius -- who's played with malevolent zeal by Jason Isaacs.
But this film will probably be remembered for Kenneth Branagh's comic turn as the foppish Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Gilderoy Lockhart. Branagh looks like he's having such fun playing this hammy publicity hound -- and so do we.
Now about those scary parts: This is not a film for your youngest children, and you can expect kindergarteners and first graders to land on your lap during the most intense scenes (which involve giant spiders and a gruesome monster snake called a basilisk).
Once again, Harry represents the good of man fighting against the forces of evil in a climactic battle scene. And rest assured, good triumphs over evil -- but as in all classic adventures, it is touch and go for a while.
And when it's over, you and your kids will find yourself wanting more. As it will be another year before the release of the third film, this might be a good time to break out your copy of "The Prisoner of Azkaban" and get in a little light reading with your kids... so you'll be ready.
Donna Schwartz Mills is the webmaster Mommy of SocalMoms.com, a new resource for moms in Southern California. She is also the work-at-home expert behind the ParentPreneur Club and editor/owner of Family-Content.com. Reprinted with permission.
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