It’s the first review of

Aug 22, 2002

Posted by: Melissa Anelli

News

It’s the first review of COS, from the fine folk at Aint It Cool News. Quotage!:

SECRETS is rough around the edges, especially in the final act. I think they’ve also tried to condense everything, making it move faster and faster, while skipping over some nice details. In the movie’s defense, purists might say the very same thing about the books.

If there’s one significant difference between the films, however, it concerns the actors. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all back…a little older, probably not much wiser…but very different from before.

In the first film, Harry was an outsider, a symbol of wide-eyed innocence coupled with soulful restraint. Here, Daniel Radcliffe is MUCH more…shall we say…playful. There’s a devlish twinkle in his eyes that wasn’t there before…he’s a little on edge and a LOT more mischievious. Mind you, he’s still good old Harry…a nice kid, but now he’s not always quite so nice.

And if he had more screen time in CHAMBER OF SECRETS, I think Ken Branagh could get another Oscar nomination.

Hermione is as prissy as ever, but I found Emma Watson quite sincere and adorable this time ’round, especially in her swooning reactions to the new dark arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart.

And this TLC editors’ favorite part: Rupert Grint’s performance delivers more comic relief than before.

I love me some Ron Weasley! Go read the review – there’s so much to cheer over I’m tempted to quote the whole freaking thing – as usual with those funny film-oids at AICN, the thoughts are insightful, balanced and well-said. He makes a point to say that Dobby is not as bad as Jar Jar – thank the dear celluloid gods. And for those who were wondering, Ginny’s crush is still in the movie: “(there’s a cute subplot of Harry grumpily shrugging off the affections of Ron’s little sister, a new student at Hogwart’s)”





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