Score: 4 / 5
Besides this truly amazing cast, we are presented with total unknowns in an ensemble of fresh Hogwarts students who immediately steal our hearts. Daniel Radcliffe dominates as the titular protagonist with intelligence and heart. Emma Watson matches his every moment with perfect delivery and strength. Rupert Grint follows their lead -- but only slightly -- with incredible facials and impeccable timing. This triumvirate of adolescent power carries the film as if they were the world's best actors in another life. Also noteworthy are the delightful Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Devon Murray (Seamus Finnigan), as well as the charmingly sneering Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). We can only imagine what working with these children (and introducing them to the world of blockbuster cinema) was like for the cast and crew.
Beautiful costumes adorn our lovely cast, and they inhabit a stunningly realized castle. Vibrant colors, intriguing shapes, and fresh designs make the sets and costumes palpably tactile. Lighting in the film highlights these elements, and adds to the colorful visuals in stunning and iconic fashion; pause the movie and at any given moment, the lights (and how they play off the set and costumes) will tell you all you need to know. The camera, however, does not serve the film as well as these other elements: its straightforward, simplistic approach seems out of place in context. The score, sets, acting, dialogue, costumes, and lights have opinions on the subject matter, so the camera should too. Especially during the first forty minutes, ineffective editing adds to the two-and-a-half-hours running time with redundancy, sometimes using two or three shots for a single image.
A brief note on the score. Legendary musician John Williams hits it out of the park in a breathtaking musical experience that feels especially inspired when contrasted with Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Indiana Jones. But, like those films, the score here feels dangerously powerful. Whereas a rousing theme piece in an action film often works well, here it can be distracting. That's not to say I don't listen to the soundtrack independently all the time; it's to say that a strong score can threaten a film's cohesive effect if mishandled.
The Quidditch match is the movie's best sequence. Its brilliant pacing and editing, tense humor and action, and self-sustaining energy make it endlessly entertaining. Excerpted from the film, it stands alone as a blueprint for how to film a sports scene, complete with melodrama and fast but focused camerawork. Exciting and inventive, it serves as a masterful centerpiece to the film. Though it arguably serves a symbolic purpose in Harry's coming-of-age narrative, I find Columbus's emphasis of this particular sequence concerning. Its prominence in the film overshadows the real heart of Harry's story, and highlights the director's ambiguous estimate of who he wants his audience to be.
Sorcerer's Stone is a cautious (if creative) adaptation of Rowling's novel, and underneath its colorful spectacle lies a rigidly traditional frame. Seemingly in his effort to accommodate cinephiles as well as Rowling fans, Columbus sacrifices courageous artistry in favor of simpler, gentler filmmaking. In doing so, he barely masks his own uncertainty about the thematic core of his story. Most of the film feels like an attempt at direct translation, with little or no artistic identity of its own (even the creativity in bringing Rowling's descriptions to life fears straying from her tale). My only thought that tempers this criticism is that, at the time of filming, Rowling had only published four books in the series; Columbus exhibited laudable (if somewhat exploitative) initiative in crafting this popular project when its creator had yet to complete her vision.
IMDb: The Sorcerer's Stone
* * * * * * *
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Score: 4.5 / 5
Chris Columbus and his team rectify almost all their previous mistakes with this second venture into the wizarding world. In fact, Chamber of Secrets surpasses the first installment in almost every way, including its hefty running time (it is the longest film of all eight, though the second shortest book). Columbus bravely presents the film in slightly darker tones, gently introducing shadows where previously we saw sparkles; though he may not have known it, this inspired each subsequent director to similarly darken the images and filter out bright colors. Fitting, because Harry's world is not always one of warm, vivid lights, even in Rowling's description.
As the cast is largely the same, I won't repeat the praises. Richard Harris's performance is stronger, while the children are slightly weaker in more recycled behaviors; perhaps Columbus gave them freer reign or less direct attention, thinking that their raving audiences would take whatever was given them. The new additions to the cast are heavenly. A spirited Julie Walters reappears as Molly Weasley, but this time is accompanied by the very funny Mark Williams as her husband Arthur. Jason Isaacs commands his presence as Lucius Malfoy with wicked glee, and Shirley Henderson hilariously brings Moaning Myrtle to life (or something like that). Toby Jones memorably voices Dobby the House-elf; keeping in mind that 2002 also saw Gollum brought to glorious life in The Two Towers, Dobby is happily an independent creation that charms his way onto the screen. Of course, the gold prize must be given to Kenneth Branagh, who oozes fabulous ferocity as the charmingly nauseating Gilderoy Lockhart.
In a somewhat surprising and immensely effective move, Columbus injects a lot of (mostly queer) sexual imagery and symbols into the film; their presence is undeniable, though attributing them all to Columbus is perhaps undue. He obviously worked with actor Christian Coulson to craft a memorable, imposing, and not a little homoerotic character in Tom Marvolo Riddle. His sly interest in Harry culminates in a suggestive and highly symbolic climax in the titular cavern under the school, and their wildly complicated interaction makes for one of the most intriguing and intelligent character choices in the franchise. And the Quidditch match, though not quite as masterful as in the previous film, heightens the ambiguous tension between Harry and Draco, which culminates in their subversive encounter while Harry is under the influence of Polyjuice Potion.
Besides the remarkable character creativity, Columbus continues to excel in building sets. The Burrow is an endearing addition to the beginning of the movie, as is the wonderful and brief gaze into Knockturn Alley. Dumbledore's magnificent office stands out as stunningly realized in its intricate detail. Unfortunately, though, the score is not as successful. While it isn't as overbearing as in the first film, it also feels generally repeated (with a few lovely exceptions). Familiar themes are important, but even some moments in the film induce déjà vu solely because of the music.
The spider sequence is arguably the best in the film. The excellent, atmospheric background music and excellent special effects bring the monsters to haunting animation. Quite different from the novel, the whole scene is inventive and fresh. Harry and Ron step through a spider-infested tunnel, large hairy legs follow them through the forest, and Aragog is one impressive animatronic. Radcliffe and Grint impressively lead the action, and though computer-generated creatures dominate the visuals, the camera maintains its control and focus. The chase, from spiders descending upon our heroes to the flying Ford Anglia bowling them over, is taut and riveting. It remains one of the best giant spider sequences in any film, and gives me shivers every time I think on it.
IMDb: The Chamber of Secrets
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