Youngsters who worship the bestselling work of fantasy author JK Rowling will find this sequel to The Philosopher's Stone even more to their taste. The mood is darker and more scary, but adventure tinged with danger has always been attractive to children. Here, predatory spiders lurk in the Forbidden Forest, there's a mandrake root with an ear-splitting scream and Harry (an audibly older Daniel Radcliffe) even exchanges a kiss with Hermione (Emma Watson). Director Chris Columbus (again working from a screenplay by Steve Kloves) has allowed some mechanical repetition to creep in, but overall this manages to be ingenious as well as faithful to its source. Of the adult performers, Kenneth Branagh stands out as the egotistical new teacher Gilderoy Lockhart, managing to upstage even the special effects, but, sadly, the character of Dumbledore (Richard Harris) is mostly lost within the convolutions of the plot. |
Director: Chris Columbus
Cast List: Harry Potter : Daniel Radcliffe Ron Weasley : Rupert Grint Hermione Granger : Emma Watson Prof Albus Dumbledore : Richard Harris Prof Minerva McGonagall : Maggie Smith Gilderoy Lockhart : Kenneth Branagh Rubeus Hagrid : Robbie Coltrane Prof Severus Snape : Alan Rickman Mrs Molly Weasley : Julie Walters Mr Arthur Weasley : Mark Williams Moaning Myrtle : Shirley Henderson Lucius Malfoy : Jason Isaacs Uncle Vernon Dursley : Richard Griffiths Aunt Petunia Dursley : Fiona Shaw Professor Sprout : Miriam Margolyes Nearly Headless Nick : John Cleese Draco Malfoy : Tom Felton Professor Flitwick : Warwick Davis Ginny Weasley : Bonnie Wright Mr Argus Filch : David Bradley (2) Dobby, the house elf : Toby Jones Aragog, the giant spider : Julian Glover Tom Marvolo Riddle / Lord Voldemort : Christian Coulson Dudley Dursley : Harry Melling Cornelius Fudge : Robert Hardy Madam Pomfrey : Gemma Jones Madam Pince : Sally Mortemore The Sorting Hat : Leslie Phillips |