Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Review by Clint Morris

That bespectacled wee conjurer is back, and whether or not you're actually an intransigent Potter fan or fervent disciple of the narrative succession – or even someone with only infinitesimal curiosity in the meek mystical-one - no one can quarrel that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets won't be a film to miss.

Essentially – if even by getting acquainted via Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – you know what to expect: a ostentatious scale fabrication, some glittering special effects, some amazing performances, and an elongated running time.

Unless you've got a butt made of brooches, you should be able to handle that.

Like The Phantom Menace was to the Star Wars prequel series – the Philosopher’s Stone was to the Harry Potter series. It served its purpose of being the introductive instalment or conception for the rest of the run.

Not that those films'weren't entertaining – Potter was quite a phenomenon – but because they were the elucidation pieces of their series, you can only expect fleet feat and concrete narrative.

From the get-go, The Chamber of Secrets is already superior to its series precursor, if only because it doesn't skip the exposition.

The filmmakers deduce we already know all we want to know about Hogwart's apprentice, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), his friends, foes and school neighbourhood – and for the most part, we do -- so it’s straight to the story.

An unidentified scoundrel is picking off students and leaving them in a horrified state before scurrying some enigmatic messages daubed in blood across walls. He hints that there's more trouble coming to the beleaguered “mudbloods” (wizards born to human parents).

The school laypeople assume it could be a progeny of the school's founder, Salazar Slytherin, and because Potter now has the ability to talk to snakes – something Slytherin could do – Potter becomes the prime suspect.

Even though he's ultimately deemed blameless, Harry and friends Ron and Hermione decide to find out who the wrongdoer behind the unpleasantness is.

United with some much more probable performances from the first film, some super new CGI superfluities (Dobby the house-elf is a highlight), terrific similes and stronger storyline, The Chamber of Secrets is predestined to be one of the summer's biggest cinema drawcards - and rightly so.

4 out of 5

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Australian release: Thursday November 28
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman, Jason Isaacs.
Director: Chris Columbus.
Website: Click here

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