Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Widescreen)

First sequels are the true test of an enduring movie franchise, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets passes with flying colors. Expanding upon the lavish sets, special effects, and grand adventure of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry involves a darker, more malevolent tale (parents with younger children beware), beginning with the petrified bodies of several Hogwarts students and magical clues leading Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) to a 50-year-old mystery in the monster-laden Chamber of Secrets. House elves, squealing mandrakes, giant spiders, and venomous serpents populate this loyal adaptation (by Sorcerer's Stone director Chris Columbus and screenwriter Steve Kloves), and Kenneth Branagh delightfully tops the supreme supporting cast as the vainglorious charlatan Gilderoy Lockhart (be sure to view past the credits for a visual punchline at Lockhart's expense). At 161 minutes, the film suffers from lack of depth and uneven pacing, and John Williams' score mostly reprises established themes. The young, fast-growing cast offers ample compensation, however, as does the late Richard Harris in his final screen appearance as Professor Albus Dumbledore. Brimming with cleverness, wonderment, and big-budget splendor, Chamber honors the legacy of J.K. Rowling's novels. --Jeff Shannon

The Chamber of Secrets extras are a vast improvement from the first Harry Potter DVD in both substance and navigation. There are no tricks to uncovering all the materials, which include 19 extended or deleted scenes (none of which is a whopper). J.K. Rowling participates in a short interview along with screenwriter Steve Kloves. Other interviews are the standard fare, but highly edited; nearly all the extras focus on kids' interests and attention spans. There are a few areas of Harry's world one can navigate through, with Diagon Alley the highlight. A few simple games are fun, highlighted by the creepy Forbidden Forest game and a reappearance of those scary spiders. Games similar to those on the initial DVD can be found in the vast DVD-ROM section, although the touted navigation by voice commands wears thin fast. The disc feels like a trip to an amusement park more than an examination of the film--just what the kids probably want. --Doug Thomas

L'heure de la rentrée en deuxième année a sonné pour le plus prometteur des élèves du collège de sorcellerie de Poudlard. Malgré les terrifiantes mises en garde de Dolby, un mystérieux elfe pouilleux, adepte de la flagellation et de l'autopunition, Harry Potter semble déterminé à rejoindre ses petits camarades, parmi lesquels les fidèles Ron et Hermione. Mais, conformément aux prédictions de l'elfe, la sérénité du collègue est rapidement troublée par une force mystérieuse qui pétrifie ses victimes et sème le chaos. La terrible chambre des secrets vient d'être ouverte et le sort du collège du Poudlard ne dépend bientôt plus que de la ténacité et du courage du jeune apprenti sorcier, qui tente de mener l'enquête malgré les pièges que lui tend Dolby et les soupçons qui pèsent sur sa possible culpabilité. Fort du succès du premier opus, Chris Columbus reprend les commandes pour cette nouvelle adaptation des aventures du héros de J. K. Rowlings, s'autorisant cette fois plus de libertés sans pour autant décevoir les fervents partisans de l'œuvre écrite originale. Nettement plus rythmé, plus angoissant et plus sombre que le premier volet auquel il n'a définitivement rien à envier, Harry Potter et la Chambre des secrets est également plus spectaculaire – comme le prouve l'impressionnant match de Quidditch – et plus drôle – à l'image du trublion incarné par Kenneth Branagh, sorcier véreux plein de suffisance, maladivement lâche et peureux. Que les enfants et les adultes (ils sont nombreux à se passionner pour l'apprenti sorcier) se rassurent, la magie et l'émerveillement sont au rendez-vous. --Frédéric Thorens

The next installment in the Harry Potter series finds young wizard Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) and his friends Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON) facing new challenges during their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they try to uncover a dark force that is terrorizing the school.