Domestic Total Gross: $866,300,000
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: November 15, 2002
Genre: Fantasy
Running Time: 2 hrs. 41 min.
MPAA Rating: PG
Production Budget: $100 million

Cast:
Daniel Radcliffe - Harry Potter
Rupert Grint - Ron Weasley
Emma Watson - Hermione Granger
Richard Griffiths - Uncle Vernon Dursley
Fiona Shaw - Aunt Petunia Dursley

Chamber of Secrets is the sequel to the widely received Philospher's Stone and a marked improvement over it's prequel in terms of plot and character depth and acting skill by the film's young actors. Chamber of Secrets is about Harry Potter's (Daniel Radcliffe) second year in Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry and something is attacking the students. The fact that these students are of mixed parentage, one being a muggle(non-magical and the other being a witch or wizard) leads to a very unstable environment at Hogwarts.

Directed by Chris Columbus and written by Steve Kloves this movie packed with the details that Rowling weaves throughout her book. The score by John Williams is excellent and well suited to the movie. Roger Pratt's cinematography is amazing. There is flashback to an earlier time at Hogwarts by way of a magical Diary that is brilliantly lit and shot in a sepia tone that looks just like the color of old paper. The film introduces more special effects and action than the first film, but I thought it was a weaker story than the first book. The special effects have definitely improved, along with the script, direction, pacing, and acting. There isn't one hair out of place in this exciting film which is easily the best in the franchise. The film is also slightly darker in tone than the first film, but remains to keep the charm, magic, and suspense of the second novel.