'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' - A Movie Review

It’s time for another magical year at Hogwarts! Better get your wands, owls, and broomsticks together. Or if you’re Ron Weasley, you’d better get your wand fixed.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is Harry’s second year at Hogwarts. In hopes that it will be a calm year, the dark past looms in the shadows. A mysterious creature is out for blood. It’s up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione to save Hogwarts from inevitable doom.

When I was seven years old, Chamber of Secrets scared the living daylights out of me! The eerie snake talk, scary spiders, and the dark atmosphere made me recoil from the series for seven years. But now, Chambers of Secrets is my favorite out of the Harry Potter series! Talk about ironic!

J.K. Rowling's breathtaking series is a treasure to all fans. It’s a magical fantasy world that gives readers the opportunity to imagine and relate to characters.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have the best onscreen chemistry. The trio improved over the years, becoming their characters and learning the values in friendship.

Rupert Grint is the master at expressions. He is my inspiration to create ecstatic expressions in my experience as an actress onstage. Emma Watson is an intelligent treasure. Daniel Radcliffe will always be here to save the day. He actually improvised that line!

The Harry Potter series is filled to the brim with incredible actors. Maggie Smith, the late Alan Rickman, Julie Walters, Tom Felton, Bonnie Wright... they all leave a legacy!

Jason Isaacs joined the cast as Lucius Malfoy, Draco’s sinister father. Anyone who had the opportunity to be a part of Harry Potter should be proud as the series will continue to be a legacy of its own.

Kenneth Branagh especially made a memorable appearance as Gilderoy Lockhart, showing off his lovely smile and outstanding acting abilities. If you have not seen Branagh in any films, I suggest that you watch Hamlet.

Even in Richard Harris’ declining health, he was able to do one last performance as Dumbledore. An interesting fact is that all of his scenes were filmed first. The final confrontation in Dumbledore’s office was the first scene filmed!

The sets created for Chamber of Secrets were Gothic and out of this world. It’s my dream to visit London someday just so I can walk the cobblestone streets. The visual effects on creatures and scenery were absolutely breathtaking.

I especially enjoyed watching Harry and Ron’s adventure in the flying car to Hogwarts. Although the special effects aren’t as up to date, it’s more about how the filmmakers put in efforts to sell the genuineness of the wizarding world.

Dobby the house elf is the best! I wish he wasn’t omitted from some of the movies until his final appearance in Deathly Hallows. As I had mentioned, it’s tough for writers to add everything from a book. It’s up to the filmmakers to use their own creative liberties.

One flaw that Chamber of Secrets falls on is that it feels too much like a reading book. While the later films take creative liberties to add or omit storylines and characters, Chamber of Secrets goes by the book. During certain airings, deleted scenes have been added into the run, making it even longer and tedious.

Aside from that, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a suspenseful entertaining film from start to finish. It’s not for children of young ages. Take it from me who cowered in the movie theater as a seven-year-old. There are frightening images and sinister voices. The finale won’t disappoint you. You’re in for an epic mystery from start to finish.