Harry Potter enters the Chamber

HARRY POTTER ENTERS THE CHAMBER

So, it's a year on and we're all twelve months older and a lot has changed in the world, but one thing that hasn't changed is the planet's fervour for young wizard-in-training, Harry Potter. After the popularity of the books and the success of the first movie, Warner Brothers invites us all back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a second year in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Now, what's changed? Well, our heroes are a year older and school is just as exciting for them as before, with a whole new mystery to solve and new people to meet. We get to see more of the Weasley clan and discover new things about the school itself. We're introduced to new teachers, some of whom are better than others, but we still have familiar faces, in the likes of Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore and Hagrid, the Hogwarts Groundskeeper.

We find out why the Dark Forest is so named and why the pupils are banned from entering. We also meet some interesting shrubbery along the way, not to mention a bizarre form of transport. We also get to see some more magnificent monsters and magical spells.

Old fans of Harry and his cohorts won't be surprised by the story…after all, it's been available in book form for several years now and we've already had the third and fourth parts as well, but the want for anything new in the Potter Universe (When, oh when will we see book five? Rumours are now saying May, but we've all heard that before!) means the fans are eagerly awaiting the new film with great anticipation.

Luckily the same cast are being used for all the arts, with the same three kids playing Harry, Ron and Hermione and the big names like Alan Rickman and Richard Harris reprising their roles as well. Sadly, this was Harris's last role and it was great to see him go out in style and making his granddaughter happy. (It was her who made him take the role, after all.)

Joining in on the fun are several new names as well, including Kenneth Branagh as the wonderful Professor Gilderoy Lockhart (well, he thinks he is, anyway) and Fast Show veteran Mark Williams as Arthur Weasley, the head of the Weasley family.

So is it any good? Well, if you've already read the review, I can add weight to that after managing to go to the first preview showing and can confirm that it's just as good, if not better, than the first one. With more money to throw at it, the effects look stunning and the darker, more hard-edged storyline carries on the excellent plot from the books. JK Rowling will definitely be pleased to see her baby being treated so well.

Which just leaves us with one question? How long until the next one?

Well, sadly we have a little bit longer to wait for the third instalment, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban, with the projected date at the moment being set for May 2004 and with a new director as well, things could certainly be interesting to see when it finally surfaces. No doubt the fans will keep their ears to the ground for any tasty titbits of information again, after all, there are several more new characters to be introduced and we want to make sure they have the right actors for the roles, not least of which is the mysterious Sirius Black.

Mind you, we can rest assured that Warner Brothers won't want to mess up what is for them a major franchise so perhaps we shouldn't worry and start thinking about the next book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix…..whenever it turns up.

In the meantime, at least we've got another excellent movie to enjoy and another fabulous DVD to look forward in the spring.

Now, where can I get myself one of those excellent Nimbus 2001 broomsticks?

STEVE DUCKER

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