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Two thumbs up for Harry
The Chamber of Secrets is scary, creepy, funny
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Pranay Bose
The film begins almost the same way the previous Harry Potter film does: in Uncle Vernon's house. But this time cousin Dudley is less of a menace, and Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia are less mean.
Harry's exit from the Dursley house is dramatic in a battered, old flying car driven by Fred and George Weasley, Ron's older brothers.
The boys miss getting on to Hogwarts Express, and so have to get to their school in the car, and the film begins with a very nice race between the car and the train rushing to Hogwarts. After a run-in with a large weeping willows which almost wrecks the car, they finally arrive at Hogwarts.
All is not well at the school. Strange events begin with the teachers finding a petrified Miss Norris, the caretaker's cat, and writings on the wall in blood that the chamber of secret has been opened. Harry is blamed. Though because of Professor Dumbledore's faith in Harry he is let off the hook this time.
Interesting things happen to Harry. He finds out that he can speak parcel tongue, the language of snakes. And with the help of a friendly ghost named Moaning Myrtle who floats about in the girl's restroom, he goes after the scary snake.
There are a lot of good special effects in the film. The best was the old flying car, which has a personality. The old phoenix dying to ashes and rising from it, and coming to save Harry with his tears was brilliant. The sight of crawling spiders, and of attacking giant spiders was creepy. The overflowing toilet was gross. But the grossest part of the movie was when Ron Weasly pukes slimy, icky, slugs. The giant snake was scary but it wasn't creepy.
There were a lot of scary-looking people, who were actually nice. Dobby the house elf was very good, and you kept wondering how did they do that effect. When Harry mistakenly lands up in the wrong alley, the people looked really scary. If it wasn't for Hagrid, I don't know what would have happened to him.
There were a lot of funny scenes, too. When Hagrid tips off Harry and Ron to follow the spiders, Ron wonders why it can never be something nice, like butterflies, which they must follow for a change. In another scene Ron asks himself why is it always him that must suffer so through much gross stuff.
I think Ron again stole the show. Hermione almost did, though her role was cut back some in this movie. Daniel Radcliffe is a good actor, this is another fine performance.
I think the movie is a little scary for children under seven. I wasn't scared but that is because I had read the book. There were a few times when the music made me jump. I think the book is much better. Though I think this movie is better than the first.
This Harry Potter gets two thumbs up.
Pranay Bose is a third grader at Fessenden near Boston
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