Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets - the much anticipated sequel to the 2001 blockbuster Harry Potter and the philosophers stone, in my view, is exceptionally better; better in every department, compared to the last one.
I have not read any of the books, so the entire concept of Harry Potter was very new to me.The first instalment of Harry Potter did not impress me a great deal. I had found the screenplay too weak, the characters lacking, and the acting - unprofessional. Most damaging however, was the overall childish feel of it, thus limiting its appeal to mature audiences. However the chamber of secrets improves upon each of the aforementioned aspects; quite considerably.
This time around, Harry finds himself at the epicentre of a sinister conspiracy to kill/rid all the non-wizard children. Legend has it, that there is chamber in the building, a chamber that houses a creature of immense evil. Someone has opened the chamber and unleashed the demonic creature behind it. The creature is loose in the school, petrifying non-wizards(that are semi-human) leaving its victims inanimate and frozen. The future of the school is in danger and our young wizard Harry and his friends have to solve the mystery of the chamber of secrets to save the school and put an end to this creature.
The plot unveils like a puzzle that pieces together gradually and slowly, but not without many doses of charm, absolutely outstanding special effects and light and delighting comedy. This version is also quite sinister and scary - fancy that? In a time, where the most scariest films are not scary - a children’s movie manages to be scary.
Though negligible in the grande scheme of things, the near 3 hour length of the film and the dozens of plot devices can impede on the film sometimes. Thankfully, the editing is very fluid and there is a lot of entertainment value, so much of the length does not register.
Special effects, as mentioned before, are outstanding and present in abundance throughout the length of the film. There is little footage, where CGI is not implemented; even ordinary backgrounds are alive with interlaced digital wizardry. One sequence worth a special mention, is the jaw-dropping game scene, which is quite literally a white knuckle ride (In the previous, this scene was done with cartoonish CGI)
Technical credits are outstanding. I can predict Harry Potter will garner many technical Oscar nominations this year, as it does deserves them. Cinematography is awe inducing. The director of photography makes excessive use of aerial cinematography. Frequently The camera gracefully descends from very high into the opening of a window. The lighting, which was also striking in the latter version, is again exceptional; lighting the interiors and exteriors with a barrage of simulated natural lighting(moon lighting; torch lighting, daylight, shadows) Set pieces are also excellent. Sound and music are thrilling.
Performances are good. Daniel(Harry Potter) has developed his acting skills considerably - relative to the previous, where he simply looked like a child following the directors cue. The supporting cast also show some improvement.
In totality - Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets, is something children all over the world, and maybe us adults, should be proud of.