Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), PG, ★★★★

Onto the second installment of the franchise...

After watching the first movie in theaters, I was still in awe as to how detailed and truthful the movie captured the essence of the book. From we last left off, we find out that when Harry was confronting Professor Quirrell/Voldemort, he destroyed his opponent by turning Quirrell into rubble. Dumbledore explains as to why Harry defeated him, it is because his mother gave him a magical, love-based protection which allowed him to not be killed. I liked that it is a piece of the puzzle as to where the journey will end. But, the second movie, again directed by Chris Columbus, is bigger and in my opinion, better than the first movie because of its mystery and also a fantastic sequence towards the end that was scary and awesome to behold, especially in the theater.

Dobby: "Harry Potter must not go to Hogwarts this year."

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) spends the summer lonely in his relatives' home, without receiving one letter from his friends. After a talk with Uncle Vernon (Richard Griffiths) and Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) about not interrupting them with Vernon's clients, Harry comes back into his room and finds a house-elf named Dobby (Toby Jones) who warns him that terrible things will happen this year at Hogwarts and has Harry's letters. Harry does not listen and magically, Dobby destroys the relatives' cake by dropping it onto Vernon's clients. After being locked and "jailed" in his room, Harry is rescued by Ron (Rupert Grint) and his brothers, Fred and George (James and Oliver Phelps).

After being acquainted with their mother and father, Molly and Arthur (Julie Walters and Mark Williams) and their sister, Ginny (Bonnie Wright), they go to Diagon Alley by floo powder. Well, except for Harry who ends up in the wrong alley. When Harry comes back to Diagon Alley, with help from Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), he meets up with Hermione (Emma Watson) and the Weasley family in the book shop to get textbooks until they meet Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh), who is a celebrity author and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

After their path is blocked in Platform 9 3/4s, Harry and Ron take the Flying Car and go to Hogwarts but they are not expelled and they have to serve detention. While serving detention with Lockhart, Harry hears strange voices and sounds and later finds caretaker's, Mr. Filch's (David Bradley) cat, Mrs. Norris petrified and a message written in blood. Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith) is asked by Hermione about the Chamber of Secrets and tells a story about Salazar Slytherin having a secret chamber inside the castle that only the heir of Slytherin can open. Inside, there is a monster that can harm witches and wizards and it is mysterious as more attacks occur.

Wow! What a snake!

I liked this movie more than the first movie because even though the filmmakers show the visual artistry behind the production design and the visual effects, the movie is more focused into the characters' investigation and discovery behind the Chamber of Secrets and it is not late in the movie. I think the story begins at the right time. The movie delves heavily than the first film into its investigation as they have to figure out what is causing the attacks and who is writing messages in blood on the wall. The moviegoer or reader has to be cerebral with the story, otherwise, you will get lost and that is the best way to describe the second movie: cerebral.

Now, I have to say something about its advanced special effects and it is better than the first movie. I believe that the special effects served for a purpose this time because like I said in the review in the first movie, the effects were great to witness but all it represented was visual wonder and does not serve the story as much. The effects further the story along and served a purpose. Dobby, as a creature, is lovable but has a point as to what is going because he is Lucius Malfoy's (Jason Isaacs) servant. The spider named Aragog in a terrifying but funny scene tells Harry and Ron that Hagrid is innocent. However, the best sequence in the movie is in its climax in which Harry confronts both Tom Riddle and the monster which is a big snake and it is breathtaking and scary simultaneously. There is a hilarious scene that lets you breathe and laugh a little bit in which Snape (Alan Rickman) and Lockhart do a dueling contest followed by Malfoy and Harry Potter facing each other. I thought Kenneth Branagh had a charming and humorous role as the new professor.

Director Chris Columbus captured both the quiet yet disturbing suspense in both the Hogwarts castle and its investigation which involved innocent wizards but also innocent people who had no participation in the attacks. The movie balances the tense drama with the fun visuals and humor quite nicely as we delve more into the world of Hogwarts. Also, the movie is so personal as the friendship between Harry, Ron and Hermione grow. Again, the second movie becomes more faithful and focused as the series goes along and gets darker as the mystery regarding Harry's past continues.

****

Next: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Review