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Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2001)
Reviewed
by Hannah Tunnicliffe |
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| Rating:
Pottertastic! |
|
| Director |
Chris
Columbus |
| Writers |
Steve
Kloves |
| Stars |
Daniel
Radcliffe
Rupert Grint
Emma Watson
Richard Harris
Robbie Coltrane
Maggie Smith
Kenneth Branagh
Jason Isaacs
Alan Rickman
Tom Felton |
| Length |
160
minutes |
| Country |
UK/USA |
| Genres |
Adventure
Family
Fantasy |
|
Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has hit the big screen at
last! The question is, how does it rate? To kick start the film
we have Dobby the House Elf, a flying car and a Whomping Willow,
what more could you ask for! I have to say I was fairly impressed!
Even though the start of the film featured all the fantastic
new characters and events it was a little slow starting. We
see Harry, Ron and Hermione unravel the mystery behind why students
from Hogwarts are being Petrified (turned to stone!), inevitably
the finger is pointed towards Harry when he is caught with his
wand in a compromising position! Fear not though as all is resolved
but not before lots of jump worthy moments! I'm afraid I hopped
out of my seat on more than one occasion! How Sad! I recommend
that all Parents wanting to take young children think carefully
because it could cause a few tears before bedtime!
The two bad guys Snape and Malfoy, played by Alan Rickman and
Tom Felton do not disappoint. Rickman's trade mark dead pan
face and Felton's sneer are ever there and they both portray
the parts excellently. The introduction of Lucious Malfoy played
by Jason Isaac'c also delights, his venomous attitude gives
us a glimpse of what Malfoy is to become. Some one who truly
does deserve a mention is Kenneth Branagh. He plays the heart
throb Gilderoy Lockhart to a tee, complete with cheesy smile.
If he fails to entertain then nothing else will. Unfortunately
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry has not improved and is something
of a disappointment, his features may resemble those of Harry
Potter but his acting ability is nothing special. Ron and Hermione
however are played brilliantly by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson
and are a pleasure to watch.
There are some truly magical special effects (excuse the pun),
and if you are arachnophobic or are not partial to a few scales,
do not go, as your skin will be crawling for weeks! Dobby the
House Elf is 100% believable and very well done, I imagine he
fulfilled the expectations of many kids through out the country.
The effects have definitely improved since the last one and
are set to become more challenging but they can they keep pace?
Unfortunately die hard Harry Potter fans, such as myself, will
dearly miss episodes from the book such as Nearly Headless Nick's
Deathday Party and Percy's venture into the world of romance!
And they will also spot tiny mistakes. For example, Gryffindor
have their first lesson of Herbology with the Hufflepuffs not
the Slytherins! ( Yes, Yes, I know, this is something any self
respecting person should not have noticed!)
Last but not least we must mention Richard Harris, who's performance
of Dumbledore was brief but perfect. Warner Brothers are going
to be hard pressed to replace him as he was a truly talented
actor who captured the imaginations of all children and will
not easily be forgotten. |
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HARRY
POTTER and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros.(c)
2002 Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved. Harry Potter Publishing Rights
(c) J.K.R.
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