Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Release Date: November 15, 2002
Director: Chris Columbus
Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures
Summary/Review:
Chris Columbus is not a particularly imaginative director which is apparent in this second movie of the series. The first half of the movie seems to emphasize gags about the strangeness of the Wizarding World to an outsider, Harry, and just feels old-fashioned in a bad way. The second half of the film is an (admittedly well-done) action movie, but it sacrifices character moments. For these reasons I find this to be the weakest of the Harry Potter movie adaptations.
Some good features include Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart, a part he appears born to play. Also, Dobby is introduced and is a good mix of special effects creating a suitably strange creature, but also has enough personality to work as a character.
Rating: **1/2
Panorama of the Mountains 