My review of this film should read like this: See review of first Harry Potter film than subtract 1/2 star for lack of inspiration. But for the sake of being superfluous here is my review. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second film in the J.K. Rowlings series, plays just like the first film delightful in this first part, than bogged down by special effects and extreme overlength. The great film critic Roger Ebert said that no great movie is too long and no bad movie is too short, but to make a film this long in the first place and not having it be great is just pompous. I also have a problem with the world that Rowlings has created. Many compare it to the worlds created in Star Wars or Lord of the Rings, but Tolkien she is not and her supposed creative imaginings also come off as bombastic. Furthermore, with the recognition that child actors are hard to cast, the casting of the Hogwarts students is horrible (with the exception of Emma Watson). And still, with these derisions out of the way, Harry Potter 2 isn't entirely without entertainment value. The films look great and some scenes were memorable (particularly a flying car sequence in the beginning). I look forward to future installments when the series changes directors and hopefully gears.
**1/2
