Chris Columbus

Harry Potter prepares to return to Hogwarts University when mysterious things begin to occur, onset by the appearance of the house-elf Dobby. Upon reaching the school with old friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry and the other students are shocked when danger sets foot within the halls of Hogwarts and dark secrets are uncovered about the past.

Where the first film shined in its wonder and brilliance, the second installment in the series flashes with its deeper forays into the darker world of Harry Potter. The stakes are ratcheted up fairly quickly, and we once again are thrown into the grand cast of characters that populate this franchise, including new additions such as Dobby the house-elf and Ron's younger sister Ginny in her first year. The acting, effects, story, and music build off of the predecessor wonderfully and only leave me all the more excited for the future films of the franchise.

Content Concerns: The Chamber of Secrets is certainly a tad darker than the previous film, with allusions to and scenes of death being a bit more prevalent and "real." There are some glimpses of blood in battle, and there are also quite a few grisly creatures (those with arachnophobia, be warned!). There are also three uses of the term "bloody h-ll" by Ron.

(March 9, 2023)… (mer)

11-year-old Harry Potter is thrust into a world of magic when he discovers he is a wizard and is invited into Hogwarts, an illustrious school for young wizards and witches. Along with newfound friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry must endure his first year at the school and learn terrible secrets about both his past and the wizarding world at large -- all while trying to uncover just who the mysterious Voldemort is.

Finally watching this film and getting to experience the magic for the first time was truly amazing, the wonder of it all comparable to the Star Wars and Lord of the Rings film franchises, and I loved every moment of it. From the acting of all parties involved, both young and old, was more than believable, and the mixture of action, storytelling, comedy, and much more made for an exciting, wondrous adventure, leaving me wanting more. It is definitely a magnificent piece of cinema, and one that I will definitely come back to time and time again. Two sidenotes: first, I watched this after reading the book, and I must say it followed it quite faithfully. And second, John Williams nailed it once again. That's all that needs to be said, quite honestly.

Content Concerns: There's a bit of violence and peril involving humans and fantastical creatures, with a few scenes of death but nothing too emotional nor graphic. Concerning the ongoing debate of the "witchcraft" involved in the franchise, it's truly nothing far beyond the likes of what is seen in other fantasy franchises like Lord of the Rings and Narnia. There are also three uses of vulgarity, one of "h-ll," "a-se," and "d-mn."

(March 3, 2023)… (mer)