Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
It’s almost irrelevant to review a movie like this – it’s like reviewing “Episode II.” Everyone who’s going to see it is going no matter what, and people who couldn’t care less will not be swayed by a good review. But I soldier on anyway.
It was entertaining, primarily because of Kenneth Brannagh, who ripped into the role of self-important pseudo-wizard Gilderoy Lockhart like a pit bull and didn’t let go. But it’s two hours and forty minutes long, and unlike the first one, which felt rushed at about the same length, this one feels draggy. The kids are still good, but everyone just seems to be going through the motions. And the action scenes are, I think, way too intense for younger kids. (Thousands of giant spiders at one point even freaked me out a little bit.) Maybe I would have enjoyed myself more if the group of teenage girls behind us would have shut the hell up and stopped kicking our chairs.
Ahem. Old man moment, sorry.
I have hopes for the third installment, to be directed by Alfonso Cuaron, whose “A Little Princess” is thought to be one of the best children’s movies ever. His sensibility is certainly more offbeat and less commercial than Chris Columbus’.
This isn’t a bad movie. But it could have been so much more.
<< Maybe I would have enjoyed myself more if the group of teenage girls behind us would have shut the hell up and stopped kicking our chairs. Ahem. Old man moment, sorry. >>
Not really. I’m just eighteen and had the same angry rant after seeing “Sorcerer’s Stone”. I mean, Jesus Christ, someone’s sitting in that goddamn chair in front of you, it’s not a kickboard.
Anyway, I hope to see the new installment sometime soon, being a big fan of the books. Peace out.
–Robert
Aside from the way-too-young child behind us who was scared out of her wits (and her parents telling her to shut up the whole time), I really enjoyed it. It did feel like it was dragging a little, but the inclusion of some plot details which were taken out would have improved that some. I’m worried about what will be left out of the next two, since those books are even longer, or much longer in the case of the 4th. Overall, I think it was an excellent interpretation of the book. I look forward to the next one leaving me without the cheesy, Chris Columbus aftertaste, though. The kid who plays Harry was forcing that big, victorious smile a little too hard at the end there for my taste. I felt like I was watching a Whitestrips commercial.