Feature: Harry Potter Marathon, Part 2

YEAR TWO
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Onto round two, the film that I know by reputation is supposedly one of the weakest in the series, which doesn't exactly bode well as I wasn't blown away last time. Straight from the off we're back with the dull Dursleys. I've decided I don't like them because they seem to belong in a pantomime, and thus far have little relevance to the plot. Both films so far start with fifteen minutes or so in Privet Drive before getting to the more interesting stuff - I wonder how long this will continue in the series.

Anyway, straight away things are a little more exciting, as Dobby the House Elf shows up in Harry's bedroom to warn him of impending danger. The CGI is immediately far more impressive this time. Dobby himself is an amusing chap, repeatedly hitting himself on the head for saying the wrong things, and the injection of a sense of threat is immediately a step up from the drama-free first film. Before long Ron turns up in a flying Ford Anglia, and we visit the Weasley household. Again, creative production design abounds, as does hammy overacting from Julie Walters. I like the idea of the car a lot - it immediately comes across like an iconic creation, and allows for an exciting sequence when Harry and Ron miss the train to Hogwarts and fly after it. With a good sense of fun and lively pacing, I'm liking this a lot more already.

Prior to this, we take another detour to the Dickensian world of Diagon Alley, where we meet some of the returning cast and a new face, Kenneth Branagh's Gilderoy Lockhart. Branagh turns out to be a real joy throughout, Lockhart's smarmy arrogance and self-importance making him a welcome addition to the roster of Hogwarts professors.

Once we reach Hogwarts, this film's new confidence continues. There's a fun scene with screaming Mandrakes, a manic class with Lockhart, and another Quidditch match, this one a good deal more dynamic and exciting than the first, helped again by markedly improved effects. It doesn't take too long to introduce a plot, either, with reference to the mysterious Chamber of Secrets written in blood on a wall, giving the story a sense of purpose. It's still a bit distended, but despite this being the longest film in the series (a whopping 160 minutes) it feels shorter than the first, and the time passes quite effectively. The Quidditch match is not the only example of improved set-pieces: a spider encounter in the forest and a finale in the titular chamber are both well handled.

The acting of the lead trio has definitely improved too. There's still a sense of reading out the lines occasionally, but the emotions seem more genuine. (Emma Watson remains a little awkward.) The adaptation remains somewhat clunky, though, the script making little attempt to shape the book's events into a more filmic structure. Still, it's a big improvement for me: more intrigue, more plot, and more humour. It has got me looking forward to the next film, Azkaban, apparently the best one.