New On Video: Harry Potter's 'Chamber Of Secrets'
Second Movie Chapter Has More Zap
POSTED: 1:12 p.m. EDT April 11, 2003
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' (PG) The boy wizard of the book world is back for his second movie adaptation with "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," and this time around, his magic wand is packing considerably more zap.
Starring Daniel Radcliffe again in the title role, there's no denying that the debut with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in 2001 was a wonderful film. And while fans of the books delighted in seeing their characters come to life with movie magic, for moviegoers, the train to Hogwarts chugged along at a lumbering pace because the story required such of an enormous amount of set-up.
Perhaps that's why "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" easily surpasses its predecessor. With the foundation firmly planted in place, the characters are now free to roam into a full-fledged adventure that's driven by an infectious spirit from start to finish. And while the narrative of "Chamber of Secrets" is about as dark as the first film, its charming performances, brisk pace and dazzling effects elevate the tone considerably. In short, it's a fun movie to watch.
The action kicks into high gear almost immediately in "Chamber of Secrets" as Harry 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 friends find 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, since 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, and no doubt a natural for the role.
Still, it's Grint that's the standout among the three. He has a magnetic presence, 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 buffoon, Gilderoy Lockhart, a Hogwarts professor with confused motives.
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. On the light side of the digital effects realm is Dobby (voiced by Toby Jones), a mischievous house elf that becomes an ally of Harry's and a rousing Quidditch scene that easily outdoes the match in the first film.
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.
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.
DVD Features: Like the "Sorcerer's Stone" DVD release, "Chamber of Secrets" is a two-disc set jam-packed with bonus features. Among them are 19 deleted scenes, cast and crew interviews including book author J.K. Rowling, self-guided tours of the "Chamber of Secrets" including places not shown in the film, and activities that allow users to sneak into the Forbidden Forest and Chamber of Secrets. A particularly cool bonus for those with DVD-ROM drives allows users to navigate through 15 special effects features by their voices. (Warner Bros. Home Video)
Also New:
'The Wild Thornberrys Movie' (PG) The latest Nickelodeon animated series to be made into a feature film, "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" makes a wonderful transition to a bigger story by never losing sight of the heart that made it a hit series on the cable channel.
For those new to the "Thornberrys," it's about a family that travels the world over because their father Nigel (voiced by Tim Curry) and mother (Jodi Carlisle) are creators of a nature show. But what makes the trips special for one of the family's two girls, Eliza (voiced by Lacey Chabert), is her ability to talk with animals, a secret gift granted by a shaman.
The story unfolds as we join the family on an African animal adventure, which is cut short when the threat of poachers lands Eliza in a boarding school in London for her own safety. Fulfilling a promise to a cheetah that lost her baby cub to the poachers, Eliza escapes back to the wilds of Africa to save the lost feline -- but is forced to put her power to talk with animals in peril in the process.
Despite its serious theme, "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" is still suitable for family viewing. Its characters are as colorful as its vibrant animation, and its humor and fun adventure makes the 85-minute film zip right by. Legendary singer-songwriters like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon add texture to the movie -- with tunes like Simon's "Father and Daughter," which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
DVD Features: Simon music video and a DVD-ROM feature that highlights a PC-game demo. (Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment)
Starring Daniel Radcliffe again in the title role, there's no denying that the debut with "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in 2001 was a wonderful film. And while fans of the books delighted in seeing their characters come to life with movie magic, for moviegoers, the train to Hogwarts chugged along at a lumbering pace because the story required such of an enormous amount of set-up.
Perhaps that's why "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" easily surpasses its predecessor. With the foundation firmly planted in place, the characters are now free to roam into a full-fledged adventure that's driven by an infectious spirit from start to finish. And while the narrative of "Chamber of Secrets" is about as dark as the first film, its charming performances, brisk pace and dazzling effects elevate the tone considerably. In short, it's a fun movie to watch.
The action kicks into high gear almost immediately in "Chamber of Secrets" as Harry 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 friends find 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, since 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, and no doubt a natural for the role.
Still, it's Grint that's the standout among the three. He has a magnetic presence, 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 buffoon, Gilderoy Lockhart, a Hogwarts professor with confused motives.
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. On the light side of the digital effects realm is Dobby (voiced by Toby Jones), a mischievous house elf that becomes an ally of Harry's and a rousing Quidditch scene that easily outdoes the match in the first film.
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.
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.
DVD Features: Like the "Sorcerer's Stone" DVD release, "Chamber of Secrets" is a two-disc set jam-packed with bonus features. Among them are 19 deleted scenes, cast and crew interviews including book author J.K. Rowling, self-guided tours of the "Chamber of Secrets" including places not shown in the film, and activities that allow users to sneak into the Forbidden Forest and Chamber of Secrets. A particularly cool bonus for those with DVD-ROM drives allows users to navigate through 15 special effects features by their voices. (Warner Bros. Home Video)
Also New:
'The Wild Thornberrys Movie' (PG) The latest Nickelodeon animated series to be made into a feature film, "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" makes a wonderful transition to a bigger story by never losing sight of the heart that made it a hit series on the cable channel.
For those new to the "Thornberrys," it's about a family that travels the world over because their father Nigel (voiced by Tim Curry) and mother (Jodi Carlisle) are creators of a nature show. But what makes the trips special for one of the family's two girls, Eliza (voiced by Lacey Chabert), is her ability to talk with animals, a secret gift granted by a shaman.
The story unfolds as we join the family on an African animal adventure, which is cut short when the threat of poachers lands Eliza in a boarding school in London for her own safety. Fulfilling a promise to a cheetah that lost her baby cub to the poachers, Eliza escapes back to the wilds of Africa to save the lost feline -- but is forced to put her power to talk with animals in peril in the process.
Despite its serious theme, "The Wild Thornberrys Movie" is still suitable for family viewing. Its characters are as colorful as its vibrant animation, and its humor and fun adventure makes the 85-minute film zip right by. Legendary singer-songwriters like Peter Gabriel and Paul Simon add texture to the movie -- with tunes like Simon's "Father and Daughter," which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
DVD Features: Simon music video and a DVD-ROM feature that highlights a PC-game demo. (Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment)Copyright 2003 by Lifewhile.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
