Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Retrospective Part 2

For many, this film is the weakest of the set. Most find that it treads the same territory as the first film, but instead of fixing its flaws, it makes them even more noticeable. If you read Retrospective Part 1, then you will remember that I was unhappy with the overabundance of unnecessary subplots. It was excusable in the first film to take so long to introduce us to Harry and the process of getting him to Hogwarts. But it is completely unnecessary for this film to need almost an hour to get him to Hogwarts before the main plot has to start. Sure, it is exciting to watch Harry and Ron trying to fly a car and such, but too much was made of the film's beginning that was ultimately excessive fat.

However, I do not see this film as the worst by far of the lot. I put it right on the same level as the first film. It is longer by far, but the main plot is far darker and more intriguing. The sequence in the Chamber of Secrets is a tremendous climax (and for my money, better than the first's) and certainly anticipates the next film. The visuals are far superior in this film (though the Quidditch match has some spotty effects). The film is also graced with stronger performances from the three leads (who still have not grown into their roles),  but more importantly is the introduction and expansion of its supporting cast. The late Richard Harris gives us his farewell performance as Dumbledore (which has still yet to be bettered by Michael Gambon's own respectable interpretation); Alan Rickman continues to repulse and fascinate as Snape, Maggie Smith continues to impress as McGonagall and so on. However, for me, the highlight of the film is the introduction of Kenneth Branagh as the obnoxious Gilderoy Lockhart, a role that fit him like a glove. He may be clumsy and borderline over-the-top at times, but one cannot take away from the fact that Branagh infuses this film with a great deal of energy and charisma that was sorely lacking in the first film. It gives the film a nice balance with the overall dark story and mystery plot.

That said, the plot, which many feel is a recycling in structure from the first film, is darker and in many ways more exciting than the first. Many have noted that with the next film, the story takes a turn for the darker. I would disagree and say that this story is already a far darker one than the previous film's plot. However, unlike the next film in the series, this film has one factor from the previous film that hampers it from reaching its fullest and darkest potential: Chris Columbus. It was clear by the end of this film, that the series could not go on with him at the helm. If many people felt disappointed by this film, it had to be because Columbus failed to fix his errors from the first film. This film needed to exhibit an evolution of style to emphasize the shift in tone, but Columbus simply goes back to his bread and butter without seeking out a new recipe. The first two stories have some great emotional moments, and while Columbus incorporates them into the films,they are presented in a distance overly objective manner that fails to carry them to their fullest extent. Columbus doesn't really worry so much about character development as he does about getting to the next point in the book.The series is filled with hammy moments, but these two films seemed to depend on them a bit to much.

I did enjoy the film, though I still feel that after two Harry Potter films, the series was still far from nearing its potential. For purist fans, Columbus must be applauded for his fidelity and attempt to please everyone at once. However, his translation from one medium to another lacked any subjectivity/sensibility on his part, leaving the films to feel more like talking storyboards rather than an actual film. Tomorrow, I will go over the film that gave the series a push in a direction toward something greater.