Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Posted on 20. Mar, 2008 by Gino Sassani in 1080p, 2.40:1, Dolby Digital 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French), Dolby Digital 5.1 (German), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Italian), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Japanese), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish), Family, PCM 5.1 (English), Reviews, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, VC-1, Warner Bros.

It’s year two at Hogwarts, and now we know who everyone is, so there isn’t going to be any time wasted setting up characters and relationships. I must say that the three actors playing Harry, Hermione, and Ron (Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint) pull off the chemistry in a pleasantly convincing manner. You believe these kids now have some history together, so we’re off to Hogwarts and a new adventure before you can blink your eye. Because of the great setup provided in the first film, the sequel has every potential to be better than the original, and Chamber Of Secrets lives up to that potential.

Something doesn’t want Harry to make it to Hogwarts this year. A house elf named Dobby arrives at Harry’s home in the Muggle world to try and keep him from going to school. Even the train station appears unwilling to let Harry get to Hogwarts. Once he is there, strange events occur that spell disaster for several students at the school, and Harry Potter finds himself at each grisly scene, making him somewhat suspect. It doesn’t help that Harry appears to be able to speak in parseltongue, which is to say he can speak to snakes. Unfortunately for Harry, that’s often the sign of an evil wizard, in the likes of Voldemort himself. It’s up to the trio to prove Harry’s innocence and divine the evil behind this attack on Hogwarts before the school is closed for good. Of course, Hagrid (Coltrane) risks his own freedom to help uncover the truth. Of the new characters introduced, the most important are Malfoy’s father, Lucius (Isaacs) and defender against the dark arts teacher Gilderoy Lockhart, played brilliantly by Kenneth Branagh. The saddest news of the film, however, is that Richard Harris would pass away before he could return in the role of Dumbledore. His enchanting wisdom will be missed for the franchise’s remaining films. The final battle against the basilisk is perhaps the best creature encounter in the first five films. The creature’s CG presence is blended seamlessly with the live action, and credit must go out to young Radcliffe for turning in such a good performance to essentially green screen and nothing. The finale is a little bit of a cheat for me, as I would have rather Harry defeat the creature with his own wits rather than being saved at the final moment. The giant spiders were the best I’ve seen with the possible exception of WETA’s work on the Rings trilogy.

This would also be the final Potter film directed by Christopher Columbus, who brought a sense of atmosphere and style to the Potter world that for many of us has defined that universe in our minds forever. The overall feel is darker than the first film, yet manages to carry off quite a lighthearted undercurrent that surrounds the children. I’m amazed at how well the characters have been able to move in a world of sinister consequences and yet retain their childlike natures, complete with the friendly banter and drama over their own social lives as most typical teenagers are apt to do. Columbus has safely given birth to this epic portrayal of Rowlings characters and world, and he has nurtured it to the point where it has been able to flourish under other directors’ care. This second film, more than the first, sets up the adventure that carries over effortlessly into the next series of films.

Video

If it is at all possible, this second Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets is better than the first, presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.40:1. The VC-1 encoded image is quite sharp and full of detail. The dark tone of the film requires an extremely solid black level, which is delivered here. Colors are intentionally soft, but what they lack in brilliance they more than make up for in richness. Dark reds in particular jump out at you with their realistic tone and definition. Details are magnificent, allowing the viewer to see the subtle set dressings and designs in a format truly worthy of the craftsmanship that created them. The CG f/x blend into the action flawlessly with no edge distortion or noticeable difference in lighting. That isn’t to say the film can’t be bright and shiny when it wants to be. There isn’t as much Quiddich here, which suits me just fine, but it again serves to demonstrate a fuller more visually exciting array of color and brightness that most of the film simply can’t deliver.

Audio

The PCM lossless 5.1 track is nothing short of brilliant. The uncharacteristic John Williams score alone is worthy of more than a little praise. Did you notice that he stole the main theme from Universal’s Dracula? The music goes a long way to give us an enormous sense of size at Hogwarts. Williams does his usual best to distinguish the mundane world from that of Hogwarts. Ambient sounds abound and are integrated nearly perfectly into a solid mix that allows you to truly experience the film rather than be a uninterested witness to it all. Dialog is quite impressive when you consider how low many of the voices are throughout the film. The final battle in the Hogwarts sewers is as grandiose in its audio form as it is visually. Score and aggressive surrounds make this a full on immersive experience. The whispers come from nowhere and everywhere at once. If your system is calibrated well, you will find this to be very enjoyable indeed.

Special Features

<><>Additional Scenes: Another 17 minutes of footage that doesn’t really add a whole lot. The film was edited well, and often looking at this footage gives me even more appreciation for a good film editor. <>

Year One At Hogwarts: This nearly 2 minute piece serves as a recap of the first film.

Conversations With J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves: The writer seems pleased with the direction the films have taken and appears to have a good working relationship with Kloves, who has adapted her work for the films. They appear to have had a somewhat rocky start but are quite comfortable by now.

Lockhart’s Classroom: A very short two part feature that looks at creating some of the books for the Lockhart character’s office.

Behind Hogwarts – Building A Scene: This is a nice behind the scenes feature that concentrates on Dumbledore’s office. There is a great amount of detail in the standing set that not only accentuates the film’s visual look but helps to round out the pivotal character as well.

Interviews With Students, Professors, And More: Questions are posed to the actors/characters and are answered utilizing clips and some promo material

Trailers: You get a couple of the film’s trailers, but not in HD.

Final Thoughts

I know Harry Potter is written primarily for children, but I’ve grown rather fond of this universe and eagerly await each upcoming chapter. So far I must admit to not being disappointed and finding each film even better than the one before with the possible exception of The Order Of The Phoenix. Getting them in HD was quite a joy as these films are just loaded with subtle details and cinematic choices that are far easier to appreciate in Hi-Def. Eventually I’ll actually get around to reading the stories, but for now I’m having the time of my life watching the films. Even if you already own the films on DVD, you can’t go wrong to try them in HD. They certainly look pretty darn good in Blu. Future movies are just around the corner. “Let us hope Harry Potter will always be around to save the day.”