If “Philosopher’s Stone” was already charming and effective in introducing the characters and showcasing magic, with an interesting plot to boot, “Chamber of Secrets” manages to outshine it in every aspect. For Harry Potter’s second year, there’s a much more terrifying threat looming over Hogwarts, wrapped in a tense narrative that truly makes the audience fear for the characters and what’s coming next. On top of that, it manages to explore new magical avenues in the wizarding world, solidifying the franchise’s creativity (in just its second chapter) and a story that only keeps growing in a positive direction.

Steve Kloves’ script, aside from being faithful to the book, is effective in telling the new story, further developing the main characters and their conflicts – especially Harry – and exploring the mysteries of the plot, even in moments that, at first glance, seem like they should be lighter. A perfect example of this is the Dueling Club sequence, which starts off fun but ends on a tense note. Chris Columbus gets it: he gives the script room to breathe and never rushes it.

The visual effects are also much more polished. Dobby looks convincing in every scene. The biggest win in this area, of course, is the Quidditch match: the fact that the players don’t look like video game graphics this time REALLY helps bring the magic of the sport to the screen – plus, the game itself is way more exciting since the stakes are higher.

The young cast also steps up, appearing much more confident on screen and really owning their roles – again, I have to stress how Emma, Rupert, and Dan were born to play Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Along with veterans like Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, and Richard Harris, the film also introduces Kenneth Branagh, who is annoyingly perfect as the unbearable Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. And Jason Isaacs couldn’t have had a better debut, exuding coldness and evil as Lucius Malfoy.

As if all these positive points weren’t enough, “Chamber of Secrets” also delivers one of the most emotional film endings I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Not only does the final sequence brilliantly highlight friendship and loyalty, but it also gives us Richard Harris’ final performance as Dumbledore – and when you add John Williams’ flawless soundtrack to the mix, it’s impossible not to get emotional.

In short: with a gripping, tension-filled plot, this second installment of the Harry Potter franchise proves the incredible potential of the story, along with the dedication of the entire production team to bring it all to life. It’s quite the film!