All the Annoying Characters Were Kept in Check!

As I mentioned in my last review (http://www.epinions.com/content_84112674436), I was ridiculously busy during November, and I had pretty much no time for writing. So even though I saw Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on November 16, the day after it came out, I just haven’t had a chance to write about it until now. And because it’s a British movie, I’ll be using British spellings.

And before you go and call me on it, you may notice that I have reused some passages from my review of the book. This is because many plot and character elements are unchanged, so the same descriptions apply.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second of at least three movies in the Harry Potter series. (The book series has seven instalments, and I think Warner Bros. has bought the rights to all of them, but the cast has only been contracted for the first three.) In it, young Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe [David Copperfield, The Tailor of Panama]), now aged twelve, is eagerly looking forward to returning to Hogwarts School of Wizardry, even though he hasn’t heard from any of his friends during the summer holiday. Then, the house-elf Dobby appears in his house and implores him not to return to Hogwarts. Dobby manages to create a very sticky situation for Harry, but also sheds some light on the apparent communications blackout. Events continue to conspire against Harry in his efforts to get back to Hogwarts, but he and Ron Weasly (Rupert Grint [Thunderpants]) manage to do so in particularly dramatic fashion. But all is not well at Hogwarts. As the year progresses, people are subject to terrifying attacks in the school corridors, people speak ominously of the Chamber of Secrets and of the monster that dwells within, and Harry finds himself in the thick of it. The two boys must work with their best friend Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) to solve the mystery.

The trio of core characters remains the same. That is to say, they are the same three characters; they themselves are not static, but rather continue their development. Harry begins to explore his abilities as a wizard, in particular the fact that he is a Parselmouth. When Harry spoke to a Burmese Python in the first movie, he did not realise that this was not a common wizarding ability. Daniel Radcliffe did a great job of conveying Harry’s frame of mind throughout the movie, which primarily was mild dismay at the fact that he’s not really in control of the situation as it spins somewhat out of control. Some of the early part of the movie takes place at the Weasly home, giving us greater insight into the family dynamics that shaped Ron’s childhood. I really enjoyed Rupert Grint’s performance. Ron is even less in control of things than Harry is, and Rupert Grint expresses this well through a variety of panicked and terrified facial expressions, coupled with the strategic cracking of his voice. And Hermione Granger continues her academic excellence while also honing her investigative skills. Unfortunately, her independent streak causes some trouble when she fails to clue in her male friends as to what she’s doing. Emma Watson remains my favourite of the three main performers. She’s incredibly energetic, cute as a button, and perfectly suited to Hermione’s strong sense of independence. She has yet to appear in anything outside of the Harry Potter, but I think she has true star quality.

Several new characters appear in this novel as well. Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh [The highly respected Shakespearean actor has also appeared in Alien Love Triangle and Rabbit-Proof Fence.]) is the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and also a best-selling author. His golden tresses and award-winning smile make him a favourite among the ladies, while his foppish manner and ineptitude with a wand are found quite noisome by anyone with a Y-chromosome. Kenneth Branagh was absolutely magnificent. He is, of course, very handsome and extremely charming. He was also quite believable as a melodramatic twit. And towards the end, he also did the silly bit very well. Draco Malfoy’s father Lucius (Jason Isaacs [The Tuxedo, Passionada]) also makes several key appearances. Lucius is as haughty, insular, and bigoted as his son, but is a great deal more powerful, both socially and magically. Jason Isaacs was superb in this role. His bearing projected a great depth of cruelty, contempt, and ambitions most sinister. A friend of mine told me that he actually studied and adopted the mannerisms of Tom Felton (Anna and the King, The Borrowers), who continued to do a great job as Draco. Moaning Myrtle (Shirley Henderson [Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, Villa des Roses]) is an inconsolable ghost who haunts the girls’ bathroom. Shirley Henderson did a really great job in this minor role, and she definitely stole her scenes. What surprised me was to learn that Shirley is 36 years old, when Myrtle is no more than 17 at the oldest. And Dobby the house-elf (voiced by Toby Jones) desperately wants to help Harry, but the powerful conditioning (or magic?) that binds him to the family he serves results in vigorous self-punishment every time he tries to do so.

There were also many familiar faces among the supporting cast. Although Severus Snape (Alan Rickman [Galaxy Quest, Dogma]) plays a much smaller role in this story, Alan Rickman was as contemptful and sneering as ever. Albus Dumbledore (Richard Harris [Gladiator, To Walk with Lions]) manages to very cleverly thwart those who plot against him, by seeming to acquiesce to their demands. Richard Harris’ recent death was quite unfortunate, though at least with that massive fake beard and the pointy hat, the change in actors for the next movie shouldn’t be too noticeable. Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith [Sister Act, Tea with Mussolini]) is another strong figure at Hogwarts, and she is very knowledgeable about the school’s past. Dame Maggie Smith is a delight to watch, with her perfectly calculated facial expressions and gestures. Sean Biggerstaff (The Winter Guest) returns as Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Oliver Wood. In addition to the comments I made last year, in regards to “wood” and “bigger staffs,” I would like to point out that in Chamber of Secrets, this young man can be heard to say the phrase, “longer and harder.” That is all.

As in the first movie, the sets and costumes are phenomenal. Lockhart’s outfits render him quite dashing, while Lucius’ is dark and severe. I loved his snake-handled cane, although it put me in mind of a certain episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Dumbledore’s office was a very cosy space, despite being large. The Chamber of Secrets itself was masterfully accomplished, with a dramatic vaulted ceiling and claustrophobic passageways along the perimeter. The final confrontation atop the statue of Salazar Slytherin was perfectly placed.

The special effects were top-notch. Going into the film, I had been worried that we would be subjected to three hours of Jar-Jar “Dobby” Binks. Fortunately, Dobby’s CGI appearances were neither excessive in number, nor overplayed in quality. The creature in the Chamber of Secrets was quite realistically rendered, as is Aragog the Acromantula (You really ought to read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). The various ghosts look suitably eerie in that pale blue light, and the transformation scenes (via Polyjuice Potion) were quite amusing. Not to give away any spoilers, but suffice it to say that Harry’s actions with the stabby-things, and their consequences, are quite well-depicted. And of course, all manner of things float, vanish, and explode in spectacular fashion.

Like the first Harry Potter film, Chamber of Secrets features a score by the highly respected John Williams. As always, there’s a lot of strings and horns and whatnot, always well-suited to the tone of the scene. Unfortunately, money is very-very-very tight for me at the moment, and I’m not sure if I’ll actually manage to pick up the soundtrack. But if I can, I will.

As for cinematography, well, here’s the part where I fabricate some stuff to make it look like I know beans about cinematography. Seriously, though, this movie features another well-filmed Quidditch match, livened up by the presence of a rogue Bludger. The various scenes with the car in motion make good use of different and changing camera angles. The drama is heightened during the confrontation between Harry and the beast in the Chamber of Secrets, through the combination of wide shots with close-ups.

Secret Subplot
Draco Malfoy wants Harry in the worst way. It's so obvious, with those arch looks the blond boy constantly throws at his "arch-nemesis." And it's so like a schoolboy to pick on the object of his desire. My friends at school and I agree: Draco Harry 4ever!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a great movie, appropriate for anyone. It is reasonably faithful to the book, with a dynamic cast and the highest production values. You shouldn’t see it if you haven’t already seen Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone, but otherwise there is no conceivable reason to not go see it right this second!

All right, it’s that time again. Time to go over the movie with a fine-tooth comb and list everything that differentiates it from the book upon which it was based. I did this last year for the first Harry Potter movie, and for Fellowship of the Ring. I used different methods, and in retrospect I prefer how I did it for LOTR. So I’ve appropriated some of the text from that review, with modifications, to best explain what’s happening here.

I have separated the differences into three sections. “Things Added” are things that appeared in the movie but did not happen in the book, so this section will contain only movie spoilers. “Things Removed” is a list of things that happen in the book but not in the movie, so this section contains only book spoilers. “Things Changed” are things that basically happen in both the film and the novel, but noticeably changed. That section contains spoilers for both the movie and the book.

I admit to being inconsistent here, as to if I am stating things the way they are in the book, or the way they are in the movie. For “Things Removed,” all of the mentioned items are in the book but not the movie. For “Things Added,” the opposite is true. All instances of negative modifiers such as “not” are actually redundant, but the writing would be too monotonous otherwise. I’ll be more careful for “Things Changed,” so that it will be more clear. I am also including my opinion on the quality of the change ( + or ++ for a good or very good change, - or -- for a bad or very bad change, and = for a lateral change).

Things Added
The whole bit where the Hogwarts Express comes barrelling up behind Ron and Harry, and then Harry almost falls out of the car, doesn’t happen in the novel; the car ride was quite uneventful [++ It was a great action scene.]. In the book, Harry did not touch the hand he saw in the shop on Knockturn Alley [- It was a cool scene, but it made Harry look dumb.]. Also, the movie adds a sequence where Harry runs from the basilisk as it chases him through the encircling canal network in the Chamber of Secrets [++ This was another great scene.]. In addition, there was a moment of romantic tension between Hermione and Ron (the almost-hug near the end) that wasn’t in the book. And, wow, those appear to be the only things that were added, as far as I can tell.

Things Removed
There’s a lot more of these, let me tell you. To make it more readable, I’ve separated them out chronologically. So, here are a whole ton of things that happen in the book but not in the movie.

Before Arriving at Hogwarts
It is mentioned that Dudley will be returning to Smeltings [=]. Harry freaks out the Dursleys by mentioning the “magic word,” when he just means, “please” [-]. Dudley confronts Harry in the garden in an effort to intimidate him [-]. An owl delivers a letter immediately afte the dinner party fiasco on Privet Drive [-]. As a result, the Dursleys in the movie never learn that Harry is not permitted to perform magic during the summer holidays [-- This was an important development.]. We don’t see a hungry Harry being given nothing but cold soup to eat by the Dursleys [-]. Harry has a dream in which he is an exhibit in a zoo [-]. When Ron and his brothers rescue Harry, they go down to the cupboard under the stairs to get some of his supplies [=]. Mrs. Weasly doesn’t mention her admiration for Gilderoy Lockhart while they are at her home [=]. Harry and Ron de-gnome the Weaslys’ garden [- It was a fun scene in the book.]. We don’t see Ron’s orange room with all of his Quidditch paraphernalia [-]. Percy isn’t sulking in his room shortly before the group heads off to Diagon Alley [=]. It is not mentioned that it is forbidden to enchant Muggle artefacts [- This explains why it is so risky for the boys to take the flying car.]. Draco and his father do not enter the store on Knockturn Alley [-- This was an early introduction to Lucius, and thoroughly demonstrated that he was an extremely dangerous and powerful man.]. There is no visit to Grigott’s Bank [=]. Percy was reading a book called Prefects Who Gained Power [- I’m convinced that this is foreshadowing for a major event in book 6 or 7.]. When Harry and the Weaslys meet Gilderoy Lockhart at the store in the book, Lockhart announced the fact that he is the newest faculty member at Hogwarts [=].

From the Arrival to Before the First Attack
Ron and Harry are at least given some leftovers from the feast after their unexpected arrival at the castle [-]. There’s a bit with Sprout bandaging the Whomping Willow and Lockhart professing to know better than she how to do it [-], after which Lockhart grabs Harry before his class to offer him some really asinine “advice” [- The movie doesn’t make Lockhart quite as annoying as he was in the book, but I feel that it was an important characteristic]. There was a plant in the greenhouse called the Venomous Tentacula [=]. Hermione had drawn little hearts on her timetable (or “schedule,” if you will) next to the listing for Lockhart’s class [= It took away from a plot element that I didn’t much care for to begin with.]. Lockhart gives a pop quiz on the reading; all of the questions pertain to him, personally, and Hermione gets a perfect score [- It was funny.]. Harry explains the game of Quidditch to Colin Creevy [- It was also nice for anyone who hadn’t read the first book or just needed a refresher.]. Lockhart also showed up, smarmy as ever, at Hagrid’s cottage when Ron is coughing up slugs [-]. Hagrid is growing giant pumpkins at his cottage [=]. Harry has a run-in with Filch after tracking mud into the castle [=], which leads to Harry learning that Filch is taking a Kwikspell course [- This played into the motives of whoever was opening the Chamber.]. Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn’t attend Nearly Headless Nick’s deathday party [+ I suppose it didn’t really serve much of a useful purpose in the book, and it really would have messed up the pacing in the movie.].

From the First Attack Through the Polyjuice Potion
There are no further references to Filch’s status as a Squib, nor an explanation thereof [-]. Ron and Ginny talk about Mrs. Norris’ prognosis [- It’s a clue, I tell you!]. Scorch marks are seen at the site of the first attack [+ Come to think of it, I don’t think those were ever brought up again in the book.] Percy doesn’t catch Ron and Harry coming out of Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom [=], and Harry doesn’t run into Percy on his way back to the dormitory after having his arm re-boned [= It’s not really a big deal, but they really seem dead set against giving Percy any screen time or so much as a crumb of a plot.]. Neville worries that he might be a target of the Heir of Slytherin, since he’s practically a Squib [- It helped to show how worried everyone is.]. In the book, Ron and Harry arrange a diversion in Potions class (involving a Swelling Solution) so that Hermione can sneak out and steal a few key ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape’s private stores [-- Hermione masterminded the entire operation, and the removal of it really cuts out a significant character development for Hermione.]. At the Dueling Club, there is first a paired duel that all of the assembled students participate in [=]. Hermione comes into the boys’ dormitory on Christmas [=]. The Polyjuice Potion changes colour when hairs of the target person are added [- It would’ve been cool to see.]. Malfoy shows the disguised Ron and Harry a clipping from the Daily Prophet about the Ministry of Magic and Mr. Weasly [-]. He also mentions the secret room in his house that contains Dark Arts artefacts [-].

After the Polyjuice Potion
Harry notices an early clue that Tom Riddle was probably Muggle-born [-- This is so key to the character’s origin and motivations.]. Lockhart arranged a Valentine’s Day celebration with decorations and delivered valentines [-] (one of which comes from Ginny to Harry [--]), during which Malfoy briefly gains control of Tom Riddle’s diary [-]. It is outright stated to Tom Riddle was a half-blood [-- Really, so important.] and lived in a Muggle orphanage [-- So, so important!]. The old Headmaster, Armando Dippet, actually appears in a scene with Tom Riddle [=]. Hermione leaps up and runs to the library [-- This made it obvious that she had figured something out.]. Aragog has a wife, Mosag [=]. Ginny tells Ron that she has something to tell him [-- Clues, everywhere!]. Ron and Harry run into Professor McGonagall, who is touched by their concern for Hermione’s plight [-- It was a tender moment, sort of thing.]. There is no mention of the rooster’s crow being fatal to the basilisk (Although you can spot it written out on the scrap of parchment they find in Hermione’s hand.) [=]. Dumbledore mentions that he believes Voldemort to be in the Albanian forest [=]. There is no mention of the Muggle Protection Act that Mr. Weasly is a proponent of [-- This shows what is at stake if Lucius’ faction should emerge victorious.]. There was no mention of the House Cup (Gryffindor won again.) [-]. Lucius is removed as a Governor [-- He had it coming.]. Percy has a girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater [- Percy has really been completely marginalised.].

Things Changed
These statements all reflect how things appear in the movie, rather than in the book.

Before the First Attack
Harry says that he will be “pretending [he] doesn’t exist,” instead of just “pretending [he] isn’t there [+], and Uncle Vernon’s schedule for the evening doesn’t run as long [+]. Dobby floats a cake over the dinner guest instead of a pudding [=]. Vernon puts the bars on Harry’s window himself, instead of hiring a workman [+]. Mrs. Weasly confronts her sons in the house instead of the yard after they return with Harry [=]. On Diagon Alley, Harry finds the Weaslys in a store instead of on a street [=], and they don’t seem nearly as worried about him [- They really seemed oddly unconcerned about the fact that he was missing.]. Hermione fixes Harry’s glasses instead of Mr. Weasly [+ Hermione did this in the last movie, too, so it established a cute motif.]. Messieurs Weasly and Malfoy do not engage in a physical altercation as they did in the book [+ It wasn’t very dignified.]. After Ron and Harry arrive at Hogwarts, McGonagall arrives on her own rather than Dumbledore having sent Snape to fetch her [=]. Errol lands on the table rather than in a milk jug when he brings Mrs. Weasly’s Howler [=]. The Gryffindors have Herbology with the Slytherins instead of the Hufflepuffs [+ It lets us have that great moment where the Mandrake bites Draco Malfoy’s finger.]. Mandrake root is said to cure only petrification, rather than reversing all transfigurations and curses [=]. Ron says “Eat slugs!” and flings a curse at Malfoy at the same time, instead of in two different scenes [=]. Hermione freezes the roomful of pixies all at once with her spell, rather than just two of them [+ Hermione is so cool!]. Hagrid explains what a Mudblood is, instead of Ron, and Hermione already knows what one is [=].

Between the First and Last Petrification Attack
McGonagall tells the children about the Chamber of Secrets, instead of Binns [+ I like McGonagall, and Binns hasn’t been seen in the movies, anyway.]. The book Moste Potente Potions is not in the Restricted section of the library, which required them to get a note signed by a professor (Lockhart, in this case.) [=]. Harry and Malfoy race for the Snitch, rather than Harry grabbing it from behind Malfoy’s head [+ Action scenes are good, ya?]. Hermione blasts the rogue Bludger with a spell rather than other players wrestling it down [+ It was cool, except that the Bludger burst into leathery pieces like a Quaffle, when it’s supposed to be solid and dense.]. The snake rears up when Harry speaks to it, instead of slumping down [- It’s sort of not what Harry was telling it to do.]. The sedative cupcakes are floating in mid-air instead of sitting on the banister [+]. When Harry and Ron transform into Crabbe and Goyle, their voices don’t change [+ This makes it funnier.] and Harry doesn’t take his glasses off right away [=]. It’s not made clear that the “Governors” are of Hogwarts School, and not of the Ministry of Magic [- It’s a tiny bit confusing]. Hermione doesn’t stay in the hospital wing for nearly as long after her Polyjuice Potion incident [=]. Hagrid overhears Ron’s “mad and hairy” comment [+ It was a funny moment]. When Hermione was attacked, she was alone instead of with a girl named Penelope Clearwater (a Ravenclaw Prefect, I believe) [- This was part of a subplot of Percy’s that was taken out.].

Meeting Aragog and After
The car come to Ron and Harry in the Forbidden Forest later than in the book [+ It made it more surprising.]. They walk until they find Aragog, rather than being carried to him by other Acromantulae [=], and Aragog isn’t blind [=]. McGonagall informs the staff of Ginny’s abduction while they are still at the site of the first attack, rather than in the staff room [=]. Moaning Myrtle invites Harry to share her toilet before he goes into the Chamber instead of after he returns [++ The placement really works much better, and it was such a funny line.]. Riddle tells Harry that the basilisk can still hear him, rather than smell [-- Snakes are well known for their strong sense of smell, and it is by this that they navigate. It makes much more sense for Harry to be endangered by the giant serpent’s ability to smell him, so this really irked me.]. Harry stabs the diary repeatedly instead of just once [+ It was cool.]. Riddle has light shooting out of him as he falls apart, rather than just disappearing [+ Also cool.]. Harry accuses Lucius of giving Ginny the diary out in the hallway rather than in front of Dumbledore [- It was a bit foolhardy of Harry, if you ask me.]. Lucius intentionally gives the diary to Dobby, not knowing that it contains a sock, rather than carelessly flinging the sock aside after taking the diary out of it [+ It makes Lucius look less haphazard.]. When Lucius raises his wand to curse Harry, he is clearly heard to say, “Avada,” which indicates that Lucius was preparing to cast the fatal Avada Kedavra spell [+ Lucius now comes off as especially super-evil.].

Well, that finishes off this review. Wow, I’m really on a role this month! It comes of not having classes. Well, I’m done here. In the immortal words of Tracy Ullman, “Go home!”