Rating: 
Summary: Enchanting!
Review: It is up to Harry and his friends, Ron and Hermoine, to open the door to the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. If they fail, lives will be lost and the school doomed to close.An excellent plot, dazzling effects, enchanting characters, and fearsome villians are the ingredients to brew up a fantastic movie! And seeing it on the big screen is well worth the ticket price. If you have children and are concerned about the fear factor, I took my five-year-old to see it and he thoroughly enjoyed it without nightmares. I highly recommend this movie for both parents and their children!
Rating:
Summary: Harry Potter Rocks!
Review: It is very hard to get a 31 year old man excited about the movie, but I could not wait for this one to come out. And of course I was the first one in line to see it. Brilliant movie. First of all, movie was very closely kept to the book just like the first one, for which I must give thumbs up to the filmmakers. Second, entire cast returned to recapture the magic in this chapter with some excellent editions, couple of which I must name: Kenneth Branagh portraying Gilderoy Lockhart. When I was reading the book, person I pictured in my mind as professor Lockhart was exactly who I saw in the movie. Kenneth Branagh did an amazing job delivering his character. Jason Isaacs portraying Lucius Malfoy - larger then life performance. What a cast. Brilliant performances all over. Third, for all who are worried about the length of the film: it is non-stop action. There is not even one boring second in this movie. At the end of it I could not believe that almost 3 hrs had past. I did not want it to end. Forth, visual presentation of this movie is immaculate. Special effects are incredibly well incorporated with real characters. People involved in creating such perfection definitely deserve recognition. As far as the story goes, I trust everyone interested in watching it has read the book or at least has seen the first movie. This chapter covers the second year of school for Harry. Everyone is a little older (and not just characters - actors as well) and a little wiser. Story is getting more complex and challenges are more frightening and harder to overcome (its going to get harder as each year goes by). It is an amazing story and it was presented in an amazing way. This movie is better then the first one - as hard as this may be to believe.
Rating: 
Summary: Too fast?
Review: I, along with a whole slew of people, went to see this movie opening weekend. I was sadly disappointed -- the original movie had a special naivete that this one lost. This one, true to JK Rowling's series, was a much darker story, but I can't imagine a movie getting much darker than this. In addition, the final fight scene was not worthy of the first movie's chess scene and fight. My guess is that maybe this movie came out too fast? Production started shortly after the first movie earned millions at the box office, and maybe it didn't have the proper pre-planning necessary for a movie of this sort. The special effects and computer-generated animation were fantastic, but like we saw in "Star Wars: Episode 2", special effects and cool animation make not a great movie. This one, because of the story, will make zillions at the box office, but I suggest that Hollywood think and plan a little harder before beginning production on "Harry Potter: The Prisoner of Azkaban."
Rating: 
Summary: At least this time the ending...
Review: ...seems nicer. One of my biggest problems with the first movie, besides the mind boggling length, was the [poopy], pointless, closureless ending. Sure, we all knew he'd be back for a second movie, but nothing about the way they chose to end the first film allowed it to stand on it's own, nor did it give you anything to look forward to. This second movie goes a bit furthur in trying to use good cinema techinques for such things. Much of the problems both films have is their vain attempt to balance faithfulness to the original story within time constraints. Will the 3rd movie be any longer? Will they have to make two versions like we see in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (where the special edition dvd has over 30 min of extra scenes that were in the book but cut out of the movie for time)? The third book is even more verbose, the fourth almost epic, and if they stick to creating the movies in close mirror image, we're all going to be stuck in a 4hr+ movie by book 4!
They go through all this effort to create versimulitude that one sits and wonders why they added some of the unnecessary things and didn't add other fun things that we would have liked seeing. Budget? Casting difficulties? They include the Hagrid side story about the spiders, and even have Harry go into the forest to find the truth, but they systematically eliminate other aspects of the story. It doesn't further the plot much, but why completely eliminate the fact that Percy has a girlfriend, the only reference being Nearly Headless Nick passing them and saying "Oh Hello, Percy. Hello, Miss Clearwater" during a transitional scene. Would it have been that hard (or have really taken up that much extra time) to keep in the original references to Percy's growing up--him staying in his room all summer, barely coming out for meals, sending letters to someone; Ron and Harry as Crabbe and Goyle running into Miss Clearwater (well actually "A Ravenclaw" but we all know who it probably was) before running into Percy (midnight meeting..?); Miss Clearwater and Hermione both petrified at the same time, Percy completely distraught over it; Ginny reavealing that she had caught them necking... Other things I would have liked to see--Hogwart's only ghost professor, Professor Binns, and the Sir Nick's Death Day party.
Then there are little things they add that they didn't need to add--hits as a growing relationship between Hermione and Harry (we all know that her and RON are the big thing in book 4!)--are they possibly preparing for eliminating future characters, like Cho Chang?
And yet my biggest complaint isn't in the screenwriting or how they chose to set up the shots, it is in the cheapness of things. Dobby sounds and looks like a British cross between yoda and Jar-Jar Binks--and not even a good cross. Do we all remember how great the Goblins of Grignotts looked? Why does Dobby look so bad? Am I the only one who misses the good old days of puppetry and good makeup over pure computer animation? Also, the sword Harry pulls from the sorting hat--it looks plastic. I mean, I know it had to be light enough for Harry to wield, but the hilt looks like a bad prop purchased at a cheap holloween shop!
Overall it was more exciting than the first, but I'm looking forward to the third--maybe a new director and more exciting plot will get this story going and produce a film worth paying for.
Rating:
Summary: The Magic Continues...
Review: The magic continues in the newest film in the Harry Potter series. This movie is definitley better than the first. The characters are movie complex, the plot is darker, and the performances are more heartfelt. After a mysterious warning from a house elf named Dobby, a journey to Hogwarts via a flying car, and a run in with a whomping willow, Harry Potter returns to his second year at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry to uncover the opening the legendary Chamber Of Secrets,releasing the horrors within. Fans of the book series will find little to cringe about in this movie, as it sticks close to books plotlines. The performances are more heart felt, the movie is funnier and darker than the first. The only scene omitted from he movie is the de-gnoming of Ron's garden, which was probably a good thing, since the movie runs 2 hours and 40 minutes. Fans will get to visit Ron's house, meet the new defense against the dark arts teacher, meet Dobby, and see Lucius Malfoy. They will also get to see a brilliant game of Quidditch, and even a little romance between Harry and Hermione. I would caution parents if they're taking kids 7 or under:
The plotline is darker, as Harry hears a bodyless voice calling to him, as they have a run in with large and evil spiders, and have a climactic duel with the Basilisk, a giant spider. This movie truly lives up to the first and is well worth the wait.
Don't miss this magical movie!
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: Although the novelty of the wizard school has worn off, the sequal still made me feel inquisitive with it's various twists and turns. The cast is excellent -- Kenneth Branagh plays a very humorous Gilderoy Lockhart. Although this movie has more laughs than the first one, the funny moments are not cheezy and they are balanced by just as many dark moments. The computer-generated effects and characters really enhance the experience, but the plot is what carries the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: A HORRIBLE TOUCH OF WICCAN PROPAGANDA!
Review: This is a stupid film that really bothered me the last half of the film, knowing that little kids that watch this will probably end up in a cult! I felt an evil force while watching, pulling at me. I wonder what that feels like to a kid who "loves" it? I pray for their souls! Kenneth Branagh and the Quidditch match gave the film it's single star! Skip this trash! Grade: F
Rating:
Summary: Beware...too scary for small kids
Review: Children 8 and above SHOULD be okay. Smaller kids, particularly those scared of spiders, should skip this one. A lot of fun action filled scenes, several of which were not in the book. Perfect Malfroys, perfect Tom Riddle. Vague on Ginny issues, so those who have not read the book may be confused by her role on this story. Great music, great effects. Great Dobby! Things I did not like: Basilik was scarier than it should have been. Spiders were entirely too creepy. Dumbledore was difficult to understand in places. No real explanation for the sword of Godric Griffindor. Not enough Snape or Weasley twins.
Very annoying Moaning Myrtle! Things I did like: The car! The casting (perfect Lucius, Arthur, Lockhart), the music, the sets, the costumes, the special effects. Draco (what a gem!), Crabbe and Goyle as Harry and Ron. Great movie to see time and time again. I will watch it at least 10 times (and I am almost 40!) but my 4 and 6 year old kids will have to be happy with just the books for now. So go see it already!
Rating:
Summary: A film adaption of a great novel at it's best. Incredible.
Review: I sat down and read Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in one day, in one sitting. I loved the book, and was determined to love the movie. The film does the book every bit of justice it deserved. NOTHING of dire importance was left out. Some gratuitous dialogue was changed to make it easier to understand (and not as lengthy). Chances are you won't notice anything left out other than Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party unless you just read the book a few days ago (like I did). The effects were great, the casting was great, everything about this movie was great. I have not enjoyed a film so much in a long, long time, and was thrilled to see it done so close to the book. It could not have been done any better, in my own humble opinion. Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart was especially delightful. He pulled off the roll flawlessly and added a great bit of humor to the film in his own acting style. I can't say much else about this movie except GO SEE IT!!! If you loved the book you will love the movie just as much, perhaps even more! And make sure you stay for the special clip that plays once the movie credits have finished rolling by at the end! ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Too Long For It's Own Good
Review: They had me until the one-hour mark. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets adapts the second book in J.K. Rowling's mega-successful book series, and before you start bashing me for the two-star review, just let me say that I love the books. But there IS a reason why most book-to-movie transfers leave large chunks of the book on the cutting-room floor. Chamber of Secreets is just WAY too long at nearly three hours. I was loving it until about an hour in. Then we meet "Moaning Myrtle", and it was about then that I really started to notice entire scenes that had nothing to do with moving the plot along. A lean, mean 90-minutes or two-hours would have been much better. Did we really need TWO long scenes with the flying car? The scene in The Dark Woods with the spiders was cool, but it didn't serve the plot in any way. I was bored, and to be totally honest, the theater full of kids was getting restless too. By the time the actual SECRET of the Chamber of Secrets was revealed, I had a sore butt, and a wandering attention span, and there were restless kids running all over the theater asking when they could leave. Asking a kid to sit for nearly three hours is asking a LOT. On the plus side, the effects are MUCH better than last time. The performances are great, like last time, especially Emma Watson (Hermione), and the wonderfully expressive Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley). I'll be there when The Prisoner of Azkaban opens next fall; I just hope it's a little faster-paced. P.S.- Make sure you stick around until after the credits end!
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