Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writers (WGA):

J.K. Rowling (novel)
Steve Kloves (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 November 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy | Mystery

Tagline:

"Dobby Has Come To Warn You Sir."

Plot:

Harry ignores warnings not to return to Hogwarts, only to find the school plagued by a series of mysterious attacks and a strange voice haunting him.

Plot Keywords:

Wizardry | Blood | Snake | Train | Witchcraft

Awards:

Nominated for 3 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 9 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

Daniel Radcliffe	...	Harry Potter
Rupert Grint	...	Ron Weasley
Emma Watson	...	Hermione Granger
Richard Griffiths	...	Uncle Vernon Dursley
Fiona Shaw	...	Aunt Petunia Dursley
Harry Melling	...	Dudley Dursley
Toby Jones	...	Dobby the House Elf (voice)
Jim Norton	...	Mr. Mason
Veronica Clifford	...	Mrs. Mason
James Phelps	...	Fred Weasley
Oliver Phelps	...	George Weasley
Julie Walters	...	Molly Weasley
Bonnie Wright	...	Ginny Weasley
Mark Williams	...	Arthur Weasley
Chris Rankin	...	Percy Weasley

Also Known As:

Harry Potter und die Kammer des Schreckens (Germany)
Incident on 57th Street (UK) (fake working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for scary moments, some creature violence and mild language. (also extended version)

Runtime:

161 min | 174 min (extended version)

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES | Dolby Digital EX | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Japan:U | Iceland:L | India:U | Malaysia:U | USA:TV-G (Disney Channel) | USA:TV-PG (ABC Family) | Hungary:14 | New Zealand:PG | Germany:12 (uncut) | USA:PG (certificate #45628) (extended version) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Austria:10 | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Germany:6 (cut) | Ireland:PG | Italy:T | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | South Korea:All | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:6 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #39363) | Greece:K | Netherlands:MG6

Filming Locations:

Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK

Company:

1492 Pictures

Trivia:

Kate Duchêne, who plays Miss Hardbroom on the TV series "The Worst Witch" (1998) was reportedly offered a role in the movie but supposedly declined. But if you watch closely during the final scenes in the Banquet Hall, at the head table on the left side you will catch a glimpse of her in her Miss Hardbroom costume.

Goofs:

Continuity: Lockhart's cloak goes from flayed out to straight down between shots when he is sprawled between two stone basins at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Hedwig wants to be let out of her cage]
Harry: I can't let you out, Hedwig! I'm not allowed to use magic outside of school. Besides, if Uncle Vernon...
Uncle Vernon: [yells] Harry Potter!
Harry: Now you've done it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Brittany Murphy/Nelly (#28.6)" (2002)

I want more!!!

Chris Columbus said he wanted to make a 2,5 hour movie that feels like 30 Minutes. Well, in my case he surely succeeded! I saw the movie as a member of the press and couldn't get enough of it. I would have gladly sat in the cinema for another two or three hours with a biiiig smile on my face.

Like part one, "chamber of secrets" stays true to the book. I don't know about you - but I HATE it when movie makers change the storylines, add or remove characters and do it for the "sake of the art". I think they do it because they are too lazy to create their own storys, so they rip off other peoples ideas and crush them to make it more comfortable... If a book is loved by millions of readers there must be a good reason for that. Chris Columbus has captured the essence of the book on screen. So, after "philosophers stone" he delivered again!

When reading the book I always envisioned Michael Crawford playing Gilderoy Lockhart. His broad smile and clumsiness à la Frank Spencer would have been perfect for the role. But instead we get to see Kenneth Branagh, so of course you won't see ME complain. The great find of the movie is Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy. In his short scenes onscreen he makes your blood freeze. And again: all the casting is brilliant. Every character just feels right - even if you imagined something different when you read the book. There also has been talk about the young actors getting older. Well, let me remind you that this also happens in the books. In every book Harry Potter and his friends are one year older. So there's no excuse to take the roles away from Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. I couldn't imagine someone else playing their parts.

Go see "the chamber of secrets". It's pure fun and excitement! And it will wet your appetite for more to come. Richard Harris couldn't have asked for a better movie and legacy to be remembered by.