Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Release Date: 28th November 2002 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures

1492 Pictures

Heyday Films

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Fantasy/Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 161 minutes

                 174 minutes

                 (extended)


Budget: $100,000,000

Box Office Gross: $882,546,027 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Before arriving at Hogwarts in his second year, Harry Potter receives an unexpected visit from a house-elf named Dobby, who warns him not to return to Hogwarts and those strange and terrible things are bound to happen. Ignoring his warning, Harry goes ahead with his schedule and returns to school. But not before he starts hearing strange voices from inside the walls. Muggle-born students are petrified, and a message written with blood on the wall reveals to everyone that the Chamber of Secrets has opened. It is another school adventure for Harry, Ron and Hermione, as they must save Hogwarts and uncover the truth.

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter

Emma Watson - Hermione Granger

Rupert Grint - Ron Weasley

Robbie Coltrane - Ruebus Hagrid

Richard Harris - Albus Dumbledore

Maggie Smith - Minerva McGonagall

Alan Rickman - Severus Snape

Kenneth Branagh - Gilderoy
Lockhart

Toby Jones - Dobby (Voice)

Tom Felton - Draco Malfoy

Jason Isaacs - Lucius Malfoy

Richard Griffiths - Vernon
Dursley

Fiona Shaw - Petunia Dursley

Harry Melling - Dudley Dursley

Warwick Davis - Filius Fitwick

David Bradley - Argus Filch

Miriam Margoyles - Prof.
Ponoma Sprout

Matthew Lewis - Neville
Longbottom

John Cleese - Nearly Headless Nick

Leslie Phillips - The Sorting Hat (Voice)

Mark Williams - Arthur
Weasley

Julie Walters - Molly Weasley

Bonnie Wright - Ginny Weasley

James & Oliver Phelps - Fred
and George Weasley

Chris Rankin - Percy Weasley

Sean Biggerstaff - Oliver Wood

Devon Murray - Seamus
Finnigan

Hugh Mitchell - Colin Creevey

Jamie Waylett - Vincent Crabbe

Joshua Herdman - Gregory

Goyle

Julian Glover - Aragog (Voice)

Christian Coulson - Tom Riddle

Shirley Henderson - Moaning Myrtle

Gemma Jones - Madam

Pomfrey

Robert Hardy - Cornelius Fudge

Jim Norton - Mr. Mason

Martin Bayfield - Young

Hagrid

Tom Knight - Mr. Granger

Heather Bleasdale - Mrs.

Granger

Ben Borowiecki - Angus

(Diagon Alley Boy)

Gemma Padley - Penelope

Clearwater

Alfred Enoch - Dean Thomas

Eleanor Columbus - Susan Bones

Rochelle Douglas - Alicia Spinnet

Emily Dale - Katie Bell

Danielle Tabor - Angelina Johnson

Jamie Yeates - Marcus Flint

Luke Youngblood - Lee Jordan

Scot Fearn - Adrian Pucey

Edward Randell - Justin Finch-Fletchley

Sally Mortemore - Madam Irma Pince

Charlotte Skeoch - Hannah Hufflepuff

Alfred Burke - Professor Dippet

Helen Stuart - Millicent Bulstrode

Adrian Rawlins - James Potter (Uncredited)

Geraldine Somerville - Lily Potter (Uncredited)

Crew

Executive Producer/Director - Chris Columbus

Based on the Novel "Harry Potter
and the Chamber of Secrets" - J. K. Rowling

Screenplay - Steve Kloves

Executive Producers - Mark Radcliffe,
Michael Barnathan and David Barron

Producer - David Heyman
Co-Producer - Tanya Seghatchian

Casting Director - Karen Lindsay-Stewart

Animal Coordinator - Gary Gero

Animal Trainers: Birds & Animals - Julie Tottman,

Dave Sousa and Michael Alexander

Production Designer - Stuart Craig

Creature Designer - Paul Catling

Conceptual Artists - Rob Bliss,

Adam Brockbank, Andrew Williamson,

Cyrille Nomberg and Dermot Power

Supervising Art Director - Neil Lamont

Art Directors - Andrew Ackland-Snow,

Mark Bartholomew, Peter Francis, John King,

Steven Lawrence and Lucinda Thomson

Assistant Art Directors - Alan Gilmore,

Dominic Masters and Gary Tomkins

Supervising Modellers - Pierre Bohanna

and Mark Woollard

Set Decorator - Stephenie McMillan

Assistant Set Decorator - Lee Sandales

Property Master - Barry Wilkinson

Assistant Property Master - Jamie Wilkinson

Costume Designer - Lindy Hemming

Associate Costume Designer - Michael O'Connor

Costume Supervisor - David Crossman

Wardrobe Supervisor - Dan Grace

Creature & Makeup Effects Designer -

Nick Dudman

Makeup Designer - Amanda Knight

Hair Designer - Eithne Fennel

Director of Photography - Roger Pratt

Director of Photography: Second Unit -

Mike Brewster

First Assistant Camera: Second Unit - Clive Mackey,

Danny Shelmerdine and John Deaton

Unit Production Manager - Bernard Bellew

First Assistant Director - Chris Carreras

First Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Jamie Christopher

Second Assistant Directors - Fiona Richards

and Michael Stevenson

Second Assistant Director: Second Unit -

Simon Emanuel

Location Managers - Nick Daubney,

Robin Higgs, Si King and Mark Somner

Second Unit Director - Peter MacDonald

Stunt Coordinator - Greg Powell

Special Effects Supervisor - John Richardson

Special Effects Coordinator - Rosie Richardson

Key Animatronic Designers - Chris Barton,

Gary Pollard, Astrid Akseralian and

Valerie Jones-Mendoza

Visual Effects Supervisors - Jim Mitchell and

Nick Davis

Visual Effects Supervisor: ILM - Bill George

Visual Effects Supervisor: Mill Film - Tim Burke

Visual Effects Supervisor: MPC - Tom Wood

Digital Visual Effects Supervisors: Framestore

CFC - Robert Duncan and Mark Nelmes

Visual Effects Associate Supervisor: ILM -

Douglas Smythe

Visual Effects Producers - Theresa Corrao

and Christian Kubsch

Visual Effects Producer: Mill Film - Nikki Penny

Animation Supervisor: ILM - David Andrews

Animation Supervisor: Framestore CFC - Mike Eames

Animation Supervisor: Mill Film - Ivor Middleton

Animation Sequence Supervisor: Framestore

CFC - Quentin Miles

Lead Dobby Animator - Steve Rawlins

Lead Quidditch Animator - Paul Kavanagh

Digital Supervisor: Mill Film - Simon Stanley-Clamp

Digital Effects Supervisor: Cinesite - John Lockwood

Digital Effects Producer: Cinesite - Stuart McAra

CG Supervisor: MPC - Chas Jarrett

Sequence Supervisors: ILM - Howard Gersh,

Indira Guerrieri and Kevin Sprout

Computer Graphics Sequence Supervisor:

Framestore CFC - Ben Morris

TD Supervisors: Mill Film - Andy Kind

and Laurent Kermel

Model Unit Supervisor: Mill Film - José Granell

Model Workshop Supervisor: Mill Film -

Nigel Trevessey

Supervising Compositor: MPC - Charley Henley

Digital Compositing Supervisor: ILM - Dorne Huebler

Editor - Peter Honess

Sound Designer/Supervisor/Supervising Sound

Editor (Uncredited) - Randy Thom

Sound Supervisor - Dennis Leonard

Sound Effects Editors - Martin Cantwell

and Andy Kennedy

Sound Mixer - John Midgley

Re-Recording Mixers - Adam & Graham

Daniel, Rick Kline and Ray Merrin

Foley Artists - Andy Derrick and

Peter Burgis

Music - John Williams

Music Adapter & Conductor - William Ross

Review

It's been years since I've seen a Harry Potter film, and I decided to revisit THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS. I was shocked to hear of Alan Rickman's passing, and because I was so busy with other critiques, I had little time to think about rewatching his films. I decided to continue the series of sorcery and magic by watching the second instalment of Harry Potter. While it's not, by all means, perfect, the first of the sequels supplements a dark tone that is yet to rejuvenate the movie franchise based on J.K. Rowling's fascinating novels. That is not to say it was a disappointment, but more clearly aimed at a younger audience. The sequels progress as the series takes a mature and dramatic approach as the characters grow older with different directors.

This film was the last for director Chris Columbus and the late actor Richard Harris as Dumbledore in the series. Chris would soon leave the director's chair, and Richard passed away. There are a few clues in THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS that the coming movies later explore.

I admit that Kenneth Branagh is an exceptional casting choice for Gilderoy Lockhart. Jason Issacs was indeed perfect for Lucius Malfoy. While John Williams didn't conduct the music for the second movie, which is a fun fact, he brought out the tension in the background music he wrote for THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS.

I wanted to love this film because it was on par with the last one. I certainly had my hopes up when watching this film. I had high expectations based on the first instalment, and unfortunately, it didn't meet those expectations. Still, it is an unforgettable movie with a solid plot, acting and splendid direction. If you didn't see this movie and enjoyed a good family fantasy adventure, you should watch it.

Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie

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