Review: Harry Potter 'Chamber' Finds Key To Fun

'Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets' (PG) (out of four)

Harry Potter is back for his sophomore year on the big screen, and this time around, his magic wand is packing considerably more zap.

There's no denying that the boy wizard's debut in 2001 with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was a satisfying one. However, the train to Hogwarts chugged along at a lumbering pace at times because the story required such of an enormous amount of set-up.

Perhaps that's why the second book-to-screen adaptation, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," easily surpasses its predecessor.

With its characters firmly planted in place, it's free to roam into a full-fledged adventure that's driven by an infectious spirit from start to finish. Sure, the narrative of "Chamber of Secrets" is about as dark as the first film, but its winning performances, brisk pace and dazzling effects elevate the tone considerably. It's a fun movie to watch.

The action picks up almost immediately in "Chamber of Secrets" as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to his second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in style -- via a flying car (in one of the film's best sequences) with Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) at the wheel.

Meeting up again with pal Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), the trio soon finds themselves in the midst of dire circumstances at the school, where an unknown force is petrifying students and leaving warnings written on the school's walls in blood.

Harry is particularly troubled by it all, as he hears voices coming from within the walls. However, Harry can't afford to ignore the voices -- for you see, he's the one who holds the key to unlocking the chamber of secrets.

With "Chamber of Secrets," Radcliffe, Grint and Watson are starting to come into their own as actors. The success of the film heavily weighs upon trio's shoulders, but they carry the load with relative ease.

Radcliffe has grown considerably since the first film, both in physical appearance and as a performer. He's got a great screen-presence, yet his performance is very unassuming. He's subtle, self-assured and very likable as Harry. In short, he's a natural.

Still, it's Grint that's the standout among the three. He's a magnetic actor, and his facial expressions are priceless. Grint's the perfect comedian to Radcliffe's straight man.

Showing up all the young ones in the cast, though, is Shakespearean veteran Kenneth Branagh, who steals every scene he's in as the narcissistic Professor Gilderoy Lockhart.

For you boomers, think Ted Knight on the "Mary Tyler Moore" show, and you'll get an instant visual of Branagh in "Chamber of Secrets." To sum it up, Lockhart's totally full of himself, but not necessarily arrogant -- he's just helplessly unaware that he's a total buffoon, and we can't help but love him for it.

Branagh's role is the most pivotal of the adults this time around, while Maggie Smith and Alan Rickman's roles of Professors McGonagall and Snape are considerably reduced from the first film. Robbie Coltrane's Hagrid has less to work with, too, although, he's more essential to the film's central plot.

Like Branagh, Jason Issacs is a welcome addition to the mix -- in a small, but satisfying turn as Lucius Malfoy, the father of Harry's sinister rival Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton). Also new is Toby Jones, who provides amusing voice work as the mischievous house elf, Dobby -- an impressively animated computer-generated character.

The film has its bittersweet moments, too, but not intentionally. That comes by seeing the late Richard Harris in his final screen role as Professor Dumbledore, in one last, great charismatic performance that exudes the actor's wisdom of the craft. There's no other way of putting it: he'll be terribly missed.

Parents and kids who have read the books know that there are big some scares in store in "Chamber of Secrets," so it shouldn't come as a big surprise that the film has its share of intense moments. Pushing the limit on the film's PG rating are Harry and Ron's encounter with giant spiders and Harry's climactic battle with a deadly serpent.

Apart from the scary moments, there are plenty of adrenaline-filled thrills in "Chamber of Secrets." Like "Sorcerer's Stone," the film's Quidditch sequence rivals again the brilliance of the pod race in "Star Wars: Episode One." The great thing is, the Quidditch scene is even better this time around.

Readers of the books shouldn't have any troubles understanding the intricacies of "Chamber of Secrets," and will likely revel in director Chris Columbus' and writer Steve Kloves' dedication to author J.K. Rowling's source material.

However, fans of the Harry Potter phenomenon as a movie experience alone may find the ending of "Chamber of Secrets" a bit convoluted, and the 2 hour, 40 minute running time a bit long.

Young kids unfamiliar with the books will likely be the most affected by the shortcomings, but not to the point that they won't be able to distinguish the good guys from the bad. That message is very clear.

In the end, "Chamber of Secrets" is not a clean sweep, but the broomstick is sure brimming with excitement. Bring on "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban." It won't come soon enough.