HTF REVIEW: "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" (with screenshots) (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Bamberger]

I'm getting it

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

2001 -- LOVED Fellowship of the Ring, and I liked Sorceror's Stone (with reservations).

2002 -- LOVED Chamber of Serets, and I liked The Two Towers (with reservations).

Same here. While the LOTR films are clearly more ambitious filmmaking on a scope totally above and beyond Harry Potter, I felt that the internal logic and flow of CoS worked far better than TTT's did.

I personally thought that the visual style on this film was heaps above and beyond that of the first movie. I thought the characterization was a bit thinner, but I like that the whole movie was based around the mystery without making the mistake of many sequels where precious screentime is wasted reintroducing characters the audience already knows.

The third one is the one I'm really looking forward to. As the strongest source material of the book series so far, and with a far more ambitious director; this should at the very least be a spectacular failure with the potential to be a spectacular success. Early word is that they've cut Quiddich from the third flick which lends hope that the movie won't be a plot summary like the first two scripts by Kloves were. Don't get me wrong, I thought that worked well for the first two movies, as they were action/plot-driven. But the plot of the third book is all about the characters and the movie should reflect that.

Anyway, my only definite purchase in the immediate future, I've set money aside for the CoS DVD before planning out my Q1 2003 DVD budget.

 

[TheLongshot]

The book is a pretty classical Agatha Christie style mystery, and as with that author, I knew who the culprit was (sorta, I got Ginny but didn't figure out the Tom Riddle connection) but figuring out how it was done was half the fun of the novel. The film didn't caputre this aspect as well as it could have

That's the main problem I had with CoS the movie. They really didn't give the audience enough information to figure things out.

I'll still have to have the DVD, since the fiance will kill me otherwise.

Jason

 

[David Giles]

Here's yet another vote that #2 was better than #1. Ain't it amazing how opinions vary?

 

[PolloDiablo]

somehow they're aging toooooo fast according to Warner Bros. so they'll have to be replaced with new actors that Warners will only have to pay a fraction of salary to

You're joking about them replacing the actors right??? Please please tell me thats some kind of sarcastic remark, it would ruin the entire franchise if they went in and changed the actors, I can't picture Harry, Ron, and Hermione being played by anyone else.

 

[Steve_Tk]

I second that. Replacing the actors would be a poor choice.

Those three kids, or teenagers by the time the 3rd is out, are great casting. Going back to younger kids for the 4th would be a huge mistake.

 

[Chris Farmer]

Never mind the fact that the characters are supposed to age one year per book.

Count me in as another that preferred Chamber to Sorcerer's Stone. It felt like ti flowed better to me and wasn't quite so episodic as the first. That said, I feel that there's still room for improvement, and hold up PJ's LotR as an example of being faithful to the spirit of the books without following them to the letter. Of course, Tolkien is long since dead, while Rowling has been intimitely involved with these movies (as she should be), so this may have an impact on what appears on screen as well. That said, I hold high hopes for PoA, given that it's a far better book (I rank them as 4 best, then 3, 2, and 1), and the new director (whose name escapes me) looks like a winner as well.

And yes, this is a purchase for me.

 

[Howard S]

You're joking about them replacing the actors right???

Sadly not, although I read that it was the actors themselves who didn't want to get typecast. Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) is also quoted as saying he would have concerns about playing the role over and over again, for the same reason.

I also preferred the first film, which I thought was just magical. I would agree with Ron and several previous posts that COS was too heavily effects laden and lacked depth of characterisation. I thought the relationship between Harry and Dobby, for instance, was very superficial and much colder than the one I remember reading in the book. I also found Draco's father, Lucius, less than convincing. I can't decide whether or not to purchase.

 

[Bill Buklis]

Are there differences in the movie between the Canadian/U.K. and the U.S. versions like with the first movie? Obviously the title is the same thistime around, but were there any scenes that had to be "Americanized" for the U.S. theatrical release?

 

[Ricardo C]

I actually liked CoS more than the first film. I had the pleasure of watching them both for the first time last week, and I'm absolutely hooked. I'm picking up the books this weekend Bring on the DVD, I say!

I certainly hope some deal will be struck to keep the lead actors in the series. It'd blow to have them replaced halfway through.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Are there differences in the movie between the Canadian/U.K. and the U.S. versions like with the first movie? Obviously the title is the same thistime around, but were there any scenes that had to be "Americanized" for the U.S. theatrical release?

No. And the only thing in movie to be changed for the first film was the title. All other dialog is exactly the same.

 

[FredK]

You're joking about them replacing the actors right??? Please please tell me thats some kind of sarcastic remark, it would ruin the entire franchise if they went in and changed the actors, I can't picture Harry, Ron, and Hermione being played by anyone else.

You know, I've never seen actual studio evidence that states they're considering changing the actors. I actually think the performances have been strong enough that the franchise would fail if it changed them. Sure they're aging fast now in youth, but it'll slow down by the time they get to the later movies. I don't read the books but found the movies surprisingly enjoyable, it'd be a shame to lose what has been built up with the 1st 2.

BTW thanks for the review, I like the packaging. Hopefully next years Matrix releases will get something similar (I'm fearing something like the latest Ghost Ship cover with all code).

 

[Christian Preischl]

And the only thing in movie to be changed for the first film was the title. All other dialog is exactly the same.

Not true. All shots (mainly in the library scene) where the Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone is mentioned have been shot twice. Too bad they didn't include a seamless branching option to include both, that would have been kinda cool.

I think you're right about part 2 though. AFAIR there was no mention of the stone in the second film.

Chris

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Too bad they didn't include a seamless branching option to include both, that would have been kinda cool.

I agree with you there... would have saved me from having to order it from Canada, though it was probably cheaper in the end, anyway.

 

[Christian Preischl]

I never said otherwise.

Sorry, then I read you wrong. I thought you meant that the title of the film is the only thing that was changed.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Sorry, then I read you wrong.

No problems, happens to the best of us.

 

[Steve_Tk]

Hopefully next years Matrix releases

Off topic, but the Matrix people have already set it up so Matrix 2 DVD comes out right before the release of Matrix 3 in November. I love that idea.

 

[Bill Buklis]

As it turned out, getting it from Canada did turn out to be cheaper for me last time, so it's possible I may do that do again anyway. I didn't think there was anything different this time around. Nevertheless, I just wanted to make sure.

 

[Nate Anderson]

Can't...wait...for...April...11th...

Loved both the first and second movie, and I will be buying the second on DVD the day it comes out!

 

[LaMarcus]

I'm sorry, I just didn't like the second. The first was nicely done. The second seemed too corny to me, I didn't like the spider part or the snake part just seemed to unbelievable and too fake. I can use my imagination, and I understand this is fiction. But you like to able to pretend it's possible, and I just couldn't get with this one.

But I still have no choice but to buy it, my daughter wouldn't have it any other way. When I took her to see this she sung the itsy bitsy spider song quietly to herself when the spiders showed on certain scenes, I thought that was too cute, she's only 3.