Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - Film Review

Cars fly, trees fight back, and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s magical abilities and courage.

The team behind the first Harry Potter film returned to direct its sequel. Chris Columbus is back in the director’s chair with the longest-running Potter film in its eight-part franchise. Steve Kloves once again pens a faithful adaptation of the original J.K. Rowling novel, which leans into the darker mystery elements of the story.

While the film faithfully follows the book's narrative, it presents a shift in tone. The whimsical fantasy undertone, prevalent in the first film, gives way to a more visually immersive magical world. The leading trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, are seen casting spells, brewing potions, and unraveling the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. The increased budget allows for a more spectacular display of magic, enhancing the film's appeal.

The entire cast, including the iconic trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, reprises their roles from the first film and takes us on a nostalgic journey. Their unique dynamics, particularly the central theme of Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s friendship, are portrayed remarkably by such a young ensemble. This film also marks the poignant farewell of Richard Harris, who made his final appearance as Professor Dumbledore before his passing.

Richard Harris's portrayal of the wise headmaster was a masterstroke of casting. His serene stage presence perfectly embodied the character, bringing Dumbledore to life on the screen. While Sir Michael Gambon would take up the mantle for the rest of the series, both actors brought their unique interpretations to the role. Harris's performance stands as a testament to his talent and a heartfelt tribute to his memory.

Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal of the film’s latest Defence Against the Dark Arts professor—narcissistic and fame–obsessed Gilderoy Lockhart—was absolutely genius casting. He captures the character’s egotistical flamboyance, effortlessly turning him into a far more sinister and unhinged character as his fraudulent past comes to light. It was a shame the character didn’t come back in the films. It would have been nice to see Branagh make that cameo in the fifth Potter instalment.

The mystery of the Chamber of Secrets, while hitting all the key beats, is condensed regarding the characters who are attacked by the monster. The filmmakers kept it focused on characters the audience knew or were introduced to in this film, choosing to cut Penelope Clearwater's involvement in Hermione’s attack (Hermione is alone when she is petrified, but in the adaptation, takes a mirror as a precaution once she’s figured out what the monster was) and a storyline with Percy Weasley as Clearwater was reduced to a background character.

Even with the film’s runtime, no changes in this adaptation heavily impacted the overall storyline. As I said previously, the Columbus Harry Potter films are very faithful to the book and hardly ever deviate from the source material.

In the Harry Potter film series, several actors have portrayed the enigmatic and malevolent character Lord Voldemort, also known as Tom Riddle. However, when it comes to playing the young Tom Riddle, Christian Coulson was the best, in my opinion. Both charismatic and terrifying, he was such a good casting, and the filmmakers definitely missed an opportunity for him to reprise the role in flashback scenes in later films.

Bonnie Wright also has a more significant role in this film as Ginny Weasley becomes a more integral part of the story. She gives a good performance and shows promise, but I think the scriptwriters did not know how to write Ginny’s character arc within the limitations of a film narrative. But we can discuss that more once we get to the Half-Blood Prince review.

Watching these films back is a bittersweet experience when you see the British talent that we have lost. Seeing actors such as Richard Harris, Alan Rickman and Robbie Coltrane bring these characters to life with such brilliant performances, their legacy continues through the characters they played.

With a dramatic fight sequence and a heartfelt ending, this was a perfect conclusion for Chris Columbus to bow out as director.

My rating of Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (2002) - ★★★½.