Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets Reviews

2002

Rated:
70
from 41,957 members

Harry Potter has not had a good summer. Not only has he had to put up with his overbearing Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley and their dread of his magical abilities, but also it seems as if Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger have forgotten him, as they haven't replied to a single one of his letters. Then,.. Read more

Starring	Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh
Director	Chris Columbus
Genres	Children, Family, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

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Critics' reviews (4) of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
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Youngsters who worship the bestselling work of fantasy author JK Rowling will find this sequel to The Philosopher's Stone even more to their taste. The mood is darker and more scary, but adventure tinged with danger has always been attractive to children, though this may prove too much for the very young. Here, predatory spiders stalk Harry through the Forbidden Forest, there's a mandrake root with an ear-splitting scream and Harry (an audibly older Daniel Radcliffe) even exchanges a kiss with Hermione (Emma Watson). Director Chris Columbus (again working from a screenplay by Steve Kloves) has allowed some mechanical repetition to creep in, but overall this manages to be ingenious as well as faithful to its source. Of the adult performers, Kenneth Branagh stands out as the egotistical new teacher Gilderoy Lockhart, managing to upstage even the special effects, but, sadly, the character of Dumbledore (Richard Harris) is mostly lost within the convolutions of the plot.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
More interesting than the first film in the series, it still remains a puzzle to the unconverted as to why this bland and resolutely old-fashioned saga should prove so popular.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
The news from Hogwarts? After many adventures our brave, clearly older young knight Harry slays the dragon. The... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008
Most helpful members' reviews (3) of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
View all
26 out of 38 people found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

My wand. Look at my wand.

This is where the Harry Potter story really begins to take off. This movie is a little more horrific than the first story with some frightening visuals. Think giant spiders and snakes. The story is tight, and well told, limiting us to the world and knowledge of Harry Potter, the way it should be. Music and sound are great. Cinematography is beautiful and smooth. The acting is better that what I would expect from a film centralized around a large amount of teens and pre teens. If you saw the first, see the second. If you haven't seen the first, see them both.
- - JediSi
  - Posted 31 Aug 2007 21:37
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful

What fun!

Harry potter is such great fun, whatever age, whatever film type you enjoy, harry potter is so very watchable and if nothing else will take you back to that wonderful childhood feeling where we all wished we could be magic!
- - sammy from Hampshire
  - Posted 14 Oct 2003 11:43
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

Better Than No 1

If you or the kids liked the first, then you will love this!.

A bit darker, a bit better.

Maybe a tad long for kids (but on DVD you can stop for breaks, as and when!).
- - A customer from The Midlands
  - Posted 28 Jan 2004 23:46
Most recent members' reviews (2) of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
View all
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Not as good as the book!

It's good and all that, but it somehow doesn't have the magical quality of the books. I think that children who have not read the book will be enthralled, but for followers of the book, I think that it will be a big disappointment.

On the up side, Emma Watson (Hermione) is great, but I guess she, like the film, had already done it in the first one.
- - A customer from England
  - Posted 11 Apr 2004 12:31
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

family film

Good family film. This film appeals to all generations.
- - A customer from Luton
  - Posted 06 Sep 2004 18:47

26 out of 38 people found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

My wand. Look at my wand.

This is where the Harry Potter story really begins to take off. This movie is a little more horrific than the first story with some frightening visuals. Think giant spiders and snakes. The story is tight, and well told, limiting us to the world and knowledge of Harry Potter, the way it should be. Music and sound are great. Cinematography is beautiful and smooth. The acting is better that what I would expect from a film centralized around a large amount of teens and pre teens. If you saw the first, see the second. If you haven't seen the first, see them both.
- - JediSi
  - Posted 31 Aug 2007 21:37
8 out of 11 people found this review helpful

What fun!

Harry potter is such great fun, whatever age, whatever film type you enjoy, harry potter is so very watchable and if nothing else will take you back to that wonderful childhood feeling where we all wished we could be magic!
- - sammy from Hampshire
  - Posted 14 Oct 2003 11:43
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

Better Than No 1

If you or the kids liked the first, then you will love this!.

A bit darker, a bit better.

Maybe a tad long for kids (but on DVD you can stop for breaks, as and when!).
- - A customer from The Midlands
  - Posted 28 Jan 2004 23:46
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

[Highly rated reviewer]

Entertainment all the way through

The second Harry Potter film once again directed by Chris Columbus (Home Alone) is a very enjoyable action packed film that will certainly appeal to both Harry Potter fans and those who no nothing about the Harry Potter world. I must confess to missing the whole Harry Potter craze and now I have watched the first two films I must say I am hooked and cannot wait to rent the third film. Great story, superb characters, an all british cast and a superb score by the ever reliable John Williams all contribute to a decent film.
- - Welshslider from Cwmbran
  - Posted 30 Jul 2007 09:16
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful

One of the shortest films I have seen in a long time, it was all over just as it began, mainly due to the disk having a scratch or something on it and the disk sticking within minutes.
- - Clare#57 from TORKSEY
  - Posted 27 May 2004 20:17
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

Fantastic

Turn off the phone put your feet up and enjoy. Pure escapism from start to finish. Great film in a great series!
- - Skupi from Sheffield
  - Posted 18 Jan 2006 12:56
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

Not as good as the book!

It's good and all that, but it somehow doesn't have the magical quality of the books. I think that children who have not read the book will be enthralled, but for followers of the book, I think that it will be a big disappointment.

On the up side, Emma Watson (Hermione) is great, but I guess she, like the film, had already done it in the first one.
- - A customer from England
  - Posted 11 Apr 2004 12:31
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

Pure magic

Absolutely superb. I was spellbound. Better than my own imagination when I read the book. The goodies were so good and the baddies were so very bad they almost stole the film.
- - A customer from Wandsworth
  - Posted 24 Feb 2005 14:49
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

i really didnt like it

i turned it of after 10 mins it was boring and stupid i thought id like this film but hated every second of it! NEVER AGIAN!

ill stick to watching good films from now on
- - chardonnay_19 from northants
  - Posted 25 Nov 2006 08:59
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

10-10

This film was interesting and exciting a lot of action and really great fun to watch
- - Radhika from birmingham uk
  - Posted 17 Jan 2007 16:20

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Critics' reviews (4)
Youngsters who worship the bestselling work of fantasy author JK Rowling will find this sequel to The Philosopher's Stone even more to their taste. The mood is darker and more scary, but adventure tinged with danger has always been attractive to children, though this may prove too much for the very young. Here, predatory spiders stalk Harry through the Forbidden Forest, there's a mandrake root with an ear-splitting scream and Harry (an audibly older Daniel Radcliffe) even exchanges a kiss with Hermione (Emma Watson). Director Chris Columbus (again working from a screenplay by Steve Kloves) has allowed some mechanical repetition to creep in, but overall this manages to be ingenious as well as faithful to its source. Of the adult performers, Kenneth Branagh stands out as the egotistical new teacher Gilderoy Lockhart, managing to upstage even the special effects, but, sadly, the character of Dumbledore (Richard Harris) is mostly lost within the convolutions of the plot.
- Radio Times
- Posted 29 Jan 2006
More interesting than the first film in the series, it still remains a puzzle to the unconverted as to why this bland and resolutely old-fashioned saga should prove so popular.
- Halliwell's Film Guide
- Posted 02 Mar 2006
The news from Hogwarts? After many adventures our brave, clearly older young knight Harry slays the dragon. The... read more on Time Out
- Time Out
- Posted 04 Nov 2008
Spellbinding... more magical, exciting and fun than the first
- Jonathan Ross
- Posted 14 Jul 2009

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- Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
  
  Harry Potter has not had a good summer. Not only has he had to put up with his overbearing Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon Dursley and their dread of his magical abilities, but also it seems as if Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger have forgotten him, as they haven't replied to a ...