“There is no evidence to suggest that Slytherin built so much as a secret broom cupboard!”
-Professor Binns (not in movies)
This is based on the only book in the series that reused its predessesdor's plot, and is therefore the weakest link in the book series, but it ultimately redeemed itself through J.K. Rowling's wonderful writing and the fact that many will find the identity of the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets a complete surprise, as I'm sure those of you watching along with me were as well. I neglected to mention in my last post that although J.K. Rowling has the composure to not go for pure spectacle, the writers and directors of the movies do not. As a result, several of the scenes in the film are much more drawn out and elaborate than in the book, oftentimes unnecessarily so. Although this movie introduces the first successful addition to the movies that weren't in the book (that Hagrid was late to the end-of-year feast because old and feeble Errol had gotten lost and confused delivering his Azkeban release papers), mostly they don't work. For example, the line that Harry says to Ginny after their ordeal in the Chamber: “It's (the piece of Voldemort's soul) over, Ginny. It's just a memory.” Looking back, I now find that line completely hammy and overly dramatic. And even though the last line of the movie (Harry telling Hagrid “There's no Hogwarts without you) rings with authenticity (not an easy thing, considering the actors were 13 at that time), it's simultaneously incredibly cheesy and sappy and non-J.K. Rowling-like as possible. Overall, though, the darkening of the tone and that, before Deathly Hallows: Part 1, this was the most faithful adaptation of its respective source material ultimately saves it, even if what's wrong with the first movie is still present and accounted for.
P.S. For those of you who don't like that the movies are too long, this is where the more faithful approach to the movies is done away with and the third movie starts a more character-driven approach. You may prefer those to these last two.
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