"Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"
opens Friday, Nov. 15
Young Saint
Louis.com asked Eddie Szewczyk of Belleville, Ill., to
review the new Harry Potter movie. You'll remember that last
November he did an exclusive review for the first movie, "Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."
By
Eddie Szewczyk
(Special to Young Saint Louis.com)
Calling all Harry
Potter fans! The youthful wizard's return to the silver screen
in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" is
another "can't miss" cinematic experience.
Last year, you'll
remember I said you'd absolutely love the "Harry Potter
and the Sorcerer's Stone" movie.
The second movie
is absolutely awesome.
This newest installment
in the Harry Potter series had a pretty tall order to follow
after last year's film. But, the film adaptation of author
J.K. Rowling's famous series doesn't disappoint Muggle fans.
In the new movie,
Harry returns for his second year of training at that esteemed
institute of higher learning, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardy.
After a dreary
summer at the home of his muggle relatives, the Dursleys,
Harry is looking forward to escaping to familiar school surroundings.
But, he has plenty of trouble getting back to school.
The Dursleys are
determined to keep Harry away from all magic and wizardry.
They forbid him to even mention the word "magic."
Also, they keep Harry's owl, Hedwig, in a cage all summer
and put iron bars on Harry's bedroom window.
To make matters
worse, the Dursleys aren't the only ones trying to keep Harry
from Hogwarts.
Enter one house-elf
named Dobby. He's an ugly but somehow cute little creature.
And wild, mischievious antics are part of his nature.
Dobby actually
thinks that keeping Harry from Hogwarts will protect the wizard-to-be.
Dobby has overheard plots and threats of the most vile nature
against Harry.
Of course, these
challenges only make Harry more determined to get back to
school.
But, the burning
question for Harry is how to escape.
His buddy, Ron
Weasley, comes to the rescue. Driving his Dad's flying automobile,
Ron and his brothers break Harry out of his bedroom jail.
And, in short
order, Harry is deep into his next adventure.
Surprises are
in store down every hallowed Hogwartz hallway. Our young wizard
has to face down new as well as old foes.
The plot gets
serious when whispered rumors give way to petrified cats and
wizards.
Harry realizes
someone or something is doing its best to strike fear into
the deepest chambers of Hogwarts.
The plot gets
more sinister by the minute. And, Harry and Ron end up facing
many of them alone. Their friends Hermoine, the half-giant
Hagrid and Professor Dumbledore all are knocked out of action.
Hermoine ends up petrified. (She gets unpetrified later with
the help of a new magic potion.)
Harry and Ron
get some help from a new faculty member.That's celebrity-in-waiting
wizard, Gilderoy Lockhart. They find the entrance to the entrance
to the Chamber of Secrets.
They are surprised
to find a fellow student, Tom Marvolo Riddle, waiting deep
in the chamber. That's when Riddle reveals his real identity.
The letters of his Muggle name are rearranged in fire to read,
"I am Lord Voldermort."
The evil Lord
has reared his ugly head in yet another deviously attempt
to kill Harry.
Voldermort releases
the most horrifying secret of all. That's a giant serpent
that is so evil and terrifying the mention of his name is
forbidden in the deepest depths of the forbidden forest.
The chase begins.
First, there are rivers of spiders that Harry and Ron escape
with help of Ron's flying car. Then, the serpent chases Harry
through the sewers of Hogwarts.
Harry gets help
when Dumbledore's pet bird, the Phoenix, who blinds the serpent.
Harry is able to finally kill the serpent with a magic sword.
There's one more
showdown with Voldermort. With help of his wand, Harry's good
magic wins. Voldermort vanishes in a blaze of light.
After his experiences,
a more mature Harry Potter questions Professor Dumbledore.
Harry asks about the meaning of his destiny and the paths
he's chosen.
Dumbledore replies,
"It's not our abilities that show who we are. It's our
choices."
That marks the
end of Harry's second year at Hogwarts. Then, it's back to
the Muggle world until the next adventure. That's due to come
in movie form in the fall of 2003.
Many of the same
characters and actors from the "Sorcere's Stone"
return for this movie.
But, in the third
movie, there'll have to be a new Professor Dumbledore. Actor
Richard Harris died his fall so he won't be around to play
the enchanting headmaster of Hogwarts.
Lots of new creatures
and fantastic beasts were introduced in this "Chamber
of Secrets" movie.
But, some of our
favorite scenes from the first movie return, including a Quidditch
match. This match had even more spine tingling, hair-raising
rides.
You'll love this
movie as much as the first. Harry Potter again grabs our fascination
as surely as he grabs the game-winning snitch in the game
of Quidditch.
(Editor's note:
Eddie Szewczyk (pronounced, Sev-chek) is now 14 years old.
He's a freshman at Saint Louis University High in St. Louis.
He is a paid reporter for the Radio Disney station in St.
Louis. He's also starred in a movie that won first prize in
a recent San Diego, Calif., movie festival.)