Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Movie Review

[@touchstonefan0348]

I actually like this one more than the first, IDK there's just something about this one I like more, maybe I like the darkness more than how it was handled in the first one, The run time never bothered me I watched it a lot as a kid and I watched it again as a teen a couple of years ago and I watched it without having to pause or bookmark it, Anyways I really enjoy this one and I like the final battle with the snake and young Voldemort, also Kenneth Branagh made me laugh

[@shadowleon659]

Yeah Matt I know that you aren't the biggest fan of these movies. But they were my childhood films.

[@MLK-KAEFENTERPRISES]

I love all these films although I haven't seen them again since the theater. I really enjoyed them all, some to lesser degrees thank others but overall its a great series of films. Thanks for the review.

[@grandesgraveyard]

I’m really shocked this was a rant. Honestly thought this would’ve been your favorite. With that said very entertaining rant as always man. The Freddy joke and the Moany Mertle rant had me cracking up. Did you like the look of the practical snake? I know in some shots it’s cgi but I thought the practical stuff looked really good. Rock on buddy 🤘🏻

[@ramboraph4life]

Some of that was nice but I can't say it saved it. Just WAY too long at almost 3 hours.

[@jackgarrison8497]

@@ramboraph4life This Movie is what started My Huge Fear of SPIDERS

[@jackgarrison8497]

@@ramboraph4life This Movie isn't Boring at all It's Great

[@jackgarrison8497]

@@ramboraph4life I liked Dobby He was Funny

[@jackgarrison8497]

@@ramboraph4life Gliddory LOCKHEART acts Gay No offense to GAY People

[@dylanmorris7357]

Damn I keep forgetting that this one is almost 3 hours long. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I don't remember the running time ever bothering me. I guess as a kid I never really noticed it.

[@projectpat8807]

Runtime never bothered me, but I also read the book. So that explains a lot. Only times the runtime feels long is if I want to go do something else or have to go somewhere, but I want to finish the movie. Or if I decide to start watching the movie late at night and I don't want to go to bed until I finish the movie. Stuff like that. But I haven't watched the second movie in like 10+ years. I think the last time I watched it was right before the third movie released in theaters, or maybe before the fifth movie released in theaters. It was something like that. Actually, I haven't watch ANY of the Harry Potter movies in years. Last time I might've watched one was 2013-2015 year range and I think the last one I watched was Harry Potter 7 Part 2.

[@RYMAN1321]

I always had a soft spot for this as a kid, probably because I watched it the most.

[@patthewizard345]

Great Review Matt! I personally have always enjoyed this one but if I was to look at it from a different perspective I'd say pacing wise it's quite overbloated and treds over too much similar ground from the first movie (I think most of the film score is literally just copy and pasted from the 1st one as well) but IDK probably because I saw it in the theater as a kid add watched it on DVD over and over that am willing to look past it's flaws. Either way I enjoyed the review and the Moaning Myrtle skit was hilarious!

[@ashonlewis9353]

Trivia this was actor Richard Harris's last film as Dumbledore when he died the same year.

[@KingRichard1013]

At least the ending is an anti-climatic like the first one was at least Harry kick some ass in the end he goes up against a giant fucking snake and when I first saw this movie when I was a kid I honestly thought at this point that Harry’s a bad ass.

[@projectpat8807]

I think the runtime would've been more tolerable if you read the book, although even hardcore fans still complained about the runtime and it was too long. Surprisingly, with a movie at like 2 hours 40 minutes (I think without end credits), there was still A LOT cut from the book. I never really felt bored during the 2 hours and 40 minutes, but I also read the book too and before seeing the movie (I think I had already read the first 4 books before the second movie released in theaters). Also, the reason Harry returns to the Dursley house after every school year instead of staying with Hagrid or going to stay with the Weasleys or even Hermione is because Dumbledore put a charm on Harry to keep him safe while at the Dursley house during the summer months. As long as Harry was in his aunt's care, Voldemort couldn't find him and stuff. I cheated by the way and Googled it. I knew it had to do with something between Dumbledore and Harry's aunt. And I believe it's revealed in one of the books that Harry's aunt actually does love Harry, but she has a hard time letting it out. So that's why she doesn't kick him out. She doesn't want Voldemort to find him. Plus I think it's revealed that Harry's aunt is a witch too, but she ripped up her Hogwarts letter and refused to go to Hogwarts and give in to her powers (minor spoilers, she never does become a witch either at any point in any of the books or movies, she's not going to come in and do anything amazing). She feels being a witch is stupid and makes her a freak. She does love Harry overall though, but has a hard time letting it out and stuff, and she agrees to Dumbledore's demands with the charm he put on Harry as a baby.

[@ryandt2623]

I'm a Harry Potter fan, but this is honestly my least favorite in the series. Granted, I was excited when I found out there was going to be a second one, because I really liked the first movie, and I loved it when it first came out, but now that I'm 23 years old, I don't think it's held up very well. It tries to do things a little bit too similar to the first film, I agree with you Matt, it is too long, I know a lot of people complained that the first movie was too long, but I actually the pacing in that movie was very well done. And there was always something interesting going in in the first film. But I agree with you Matt, there's a lot of things in this movie that could've been taken out. However, what really drags the film down for me, is honestly Daniel Radcliffe. I honestly think this is his worst performance in the entire Harry Potter series. He's so robotic in this movie. Which, granted, he was robotic in the first Harry Potter, but in the first Harry Potter, I was willing to let it slide, because he was just a kid when he did the first Harry Potter. And you can tell, because he had a higher pitched voice. Plus, it was the first film he had ever done. But in this movie, his voice is a little bit more deeper, so he has to develop in his acting abilities. But not once in the film does it ever seem like Harry's concerned about anything. Even at the end of the film, when he gets poisoned by the Basalik's venom, I don't buy that he's dying. But, on the flip side, the production design is really good, they continue with the great world building as we get to learn about Flo Powder, and The Whomping Willow, and I also like how the film is secretly symbolic of racism, with the whole: "Mudblood" stuff. At the end of the day, I think the film is alright. I'm a big Harry Potter fan, but this one just lacked the energy that the first Harry Potter had. But it is an important chapter in the Harry Potter story, which is why I would say watch the film at your own risk. It has its strengths, but I do think it's the weakest, of the Harry Potter films. Because it's pretty lifeless. I really liked the first film, but this one, not so much.

[@thx0430]

Good rant! I actually saw this and the sequels last year. I wasn't a big fan of this either, but I thought it was alright. I agree on the pacing, etc.

[@MovieEnforcer]

Jason Isaacs was the best part about this movie. He’s great at playing a bad guy that you hate. He’s the guy who played Lucius Malfoy.

[@josh72456]

When I read the title of video I missed rant I was surprised when I saw that word when I clicked on the link. I'd forgotten the film was nearly 3 hours. I can see why it would be a rant. this film franchise was certainly popular.

[@1977Eelco]

Hmmm...a rant concerning the second Harry Potter movie. I think it's an ok chapter in the Harry Potter saga (maybe a bit overlong indeed though!). I myself have more problems with the 6th and 7th part 1 movies. I've seen back in the day chapters 4 through 7 part 2 at the movies. Man...I was so bored while watching the 6th and 7th part 1 movies! I watched these movies together with my dad and he was bored too. I don't know how the 6th and 7th (first half of the book) books are, but if they feel anything like their movie counterparts...ugh :S

[@michaelgray6955]

I have to actually disagree with you on this 1 Matt. We can agree to disagree. I think this film is just as great as the 1st film. To me the first 2 films are the best.

[@robertmcghintheorca49]

It's okay. But personally, I am one of those who does like long films.

[@TotalMeltdown2]

7:56 Nice Firewalker reference

[@blakecausey908]

I got three of the Harry Potter movies

[@robertmcghintheorca49]

13 minutes had already been cut out.

[@ChattinBoxingWYB]

A Decent Sequel, Just Not as Rememberable It's Predecessor or It's Successor.

[@DJDonnelly]

This movie is a mix bag for me I like the spider stuff and the snake stuff but that's about it. I don't like Gilderoy Lockhart as the defence against the dark arts teacher he came across as an douche who wants to get rich by selling his book or something I don't like the the idea of him being back with his ahole aunt and uncle ( Why couldn't he not stay with Hagrid or something?) The movie does drag at times compared to the first film Dobby the elf was annoying I don't like that they repeat the quidditch stuff again (Could they not show us something new?)

[@projectpat8807]

Harry has to return to his aunt and uncle's house because Dumbledore put a protection charm on him until he turned 17. He put the charm on Harry when Harry was a baby. So as long as Harry was in his aunt's care during the summer months AKA not at Hogwarts, Voldemort wouldn't be able to find him. The charm pretty much scrambled Voldemort's detection/locator/scanner or whatever you want to call it. Harry's aunt agreed to it just because she does secretly love Harry. She just has issues showing it and stuff. Plus I think Dumbledore threatened her to take Harry. I don't think he would do anything serious to Harry's aunt though, especially something that could get him in trouble with the government for the witches and wizards, but it would probably be something that would humiliate Harry's aunt plus give the reader/viewer a good laugh. So it was some protection spell that Dumbledore put on Harry as to why he had to return to his aunt and uncle after every school year and not stay with Hagrid or the Weasleys.

[@jackgarrison8497]

@@projectpat8807 I HATE SPIDERS THE SCENE WITH THE SPIDERS IN THIS MOVIE SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME AS A KID I COULDN'T EAT FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS!