★★★★ (Four stars for full marks)
The first movie was a foreshadowing, and this one is the payoff. The Chamber of Secrets leaves all explanations of magic behind, and quickly embarks on a darker, scarier adventure than the first. It's also richer: as the second of seven planned Potter films, the film is full of inventions and new ideas, while its Hogwarts school seems to widen and deepen before our eyes, becoming a place big enough to cover up A world of incredible secrets. Clearly what's going on here is one of the most important franchises in film history, combining all the advances made in computer-aided animation, connecting JK The extraordinary creativity of Rowling's work. Rowling has created a mythical world as great as Star Wars, but full of more wit and humanity. Although the young wizard Harry Potter is the titular protagonist, the film doesn't forget the golden age of filmmaking, when vivid supporting characters would fill the frame. The story is about personality, personal experiences, and eccentricity, not a superstar Superman who overwhelms the narrative with ego. In the new film, Harry returns with his friends Ron and Hermione. In the shocking mystery of Hogwarts, they sometimes seem to be alone, even the teachers, even the dignified Headmaster Dumbledore, even the erudite Professors Snape and McGonagall, even the sturdy giants Hagrid, too, seemed to be enchanted by the school's terrible secrets, and felt a little frightened. Is there really a secret room hidden somewhere in the sprawling Hogwarts? Can only the descendants of Salazar Slytherin open it? Are there monsters in it? Has the monster escaped? Did it petrify some students? The petrified students were found in the hallway and taken to the infirmary. Do the answers to these questions stem from events years ago, when even the elderly Dumbledore was (slightly) younger? Will a diary written by a former student named Tom Marvolo Riddle provide the clues they need? (The answer to all of the above is: probably) A bland movie might solve these mysteries by having characters wandering the ancient stone corridors. But one of the joys of Chris Columbus's "The Chamber of Secrets" is its vivid visuals. By convincingly blending the grand or eerie sight with the plot, the film answers any objections to computer animation. Hogwarts itself seems to have grown since the first film, going from a sort of large country house to something of spires and turrets, gigantic rooms and endless winding corridors, auditoriums and science labs . Even Quidditch matches are held in larger stadiums (perhaps because of a particularly generous alumni?). Indeed, at times the scope of Hogwarts seems to come close to the scope of the Gomund Ghost Town, the boundless grandeur of Mervyn Peake's trilogy, perhaps Rowling's One of the sources of inspiration. The art director was also Stuart Craig from the first film, and he created a world here, a completely realistic world with all the details, even the corners of the screen are fascinating. It's one of those rare movies in recent times that you can happily watch with the sound off, just to admire its sets, the costumes of Giudianna Markowski and Lindy Hemming, its visuals. This time there are 3 new characters, one likable, one egotistical, and one vicious. Professor Sprout (Miriam Margolis) teaches in the biology department on the properties of mandrakes, and John Dorn scholars will find it more interesting because they know the properties of mandrakes Additional symbolism (Note: John Donne is an English poet, and there is such a line in his poem "Song": Let Mandrakes conceive a child). The more you learn about Mandrakes, the more interesting Sprout's class will be. The pompous new teacher is Gildroy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh), author of the autobiography "I Can Magic," who thinks he's the perfect magician, but he treats Harry The spell on the arm had unfortunate consequences. And Lucius Malfoy (Jason Isaacs), the father of the arrogant Draco, who sneaks around as if he should be hated on general principles. These characters and plot elements come together in action sequences full of real power in the later stages, which may be too intense for younger audiences. The movie has one of its most terrifying confrontations with spiders, and a terrifying duel with snakes later in life, which isn't treated as a joyous family movie clip but with the thrill of a mainstream thriller. I usually feel hopeless when a movie abandons its plot in order to give its third act entirely to the action, but I have no problem with the ending of Chamber of Secrets because it keeps pointing to it, alluding to it, for It sets the stage. What a delightful movie. ), the father of the arrogant Draco, who sneaks around as if he should be hated on general principles. These characters and plot elements come together in action sequences full of real power in the later stages, which may be too intense for younger audiences. The movie has one of its most terrifying confrontations with spiders, and a terrifying duel with snakes later in life, which isn't treated as a joyous family movie clip but with the thrill of a mainstream thriller. I usually despair when a movie abandons its plot in order to give its third act entirely to the action, but I have no problem with the ending of Chamber of Secrets, because it keeps pointing to that ending, alluding to it, for It sets the stage. What a delightful movie. ), the father of the arrogant Draco, who sneaks around as if he should be hated on general principles. These characters and plot elements come together in action sequences full of real power in the later stages, which may be too intense for younger audiences. The movie has one of its most terrifying confrontations with spiders, and a terrifying duel with snakes later in life, which isn't treated as a joyous family movie clip but with the thrill of a mainstream thriller. I usually despair when a movie abandons its plot in order to give its third act entirely to the action, but I have no problem with the ending of Chamber of Secrets, because it keeps pointing to that ending, alluding to it, for It sets the stage. What a delightful movie.
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