The second installment of the Harry Potter movies finds our heroes--Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley--older and the obstacles scarier. The younger your children, the more you should know about their ability to distinguish reality from fantasy and how frightened they would be by messages written in blood, people standing in a cold fireplace and apparently going up in flames in order to travel, snakes, and spiders (including some really large varieties of both). A possible rule would be that if you can't read the book yourself, you can't see the movie. Meanwhile, those of us, children and adults, who can enjoy the movie even with the scary parts will have a whopping (or should that be whomping?) good time. The serious theme of the movie involves wizards who think that one must be of "pure blood" to study magic--a problem for Hermione because her parents are muggles (non-wizards). Added to that is the inhumane manner in which some wizards treat their servants. The counter themes are the virtue of loyalty, the values of being smart and working hard, and the need to depend on others for help when possible. Harry Potter and his friends must discern the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, from which some serpent-like monster is causing animals and people to become paralyzed and causing Professor Dumbledore (Richard Harris in his last performance) and the other professors at Hogwarts School to consider closing the place. Harry must draw on all his virtues and faith in himself and others if he is to save himself, Ron's sister, Ginny, and the school from the influence of the murderous Lord Voldemort. Comic relief is provided by Dobby, the House Elf, who is trying to keep Harry away from the danger at Hogwarts (and nearly kills him instead). Dobby has an unfortunate habit of punishing himself when he thinks he's erred (banging his head against the wall, ironing his hands--which we don't see, although we see the bandages), but his good intentions, exasperating to Harry as they are, make him lovable. Kenneth Branagh gives a great performance as Gilderoy Lockhart, the hapless "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher, who writes self-serving books such as Magical Me and has every witch enchanted by his good looks and smarmy manner. Another new enemy to Harry, Ron, and Hogwarts is Lucius Malfoy, father to Harry's nemesis, Draco, and a man of powerful ambition. Harry and Ron, especially, do some dangerous and stupid things, even for a couple of apprentice wizards. They steal Mr. Weasley's flying car and barely survive the experience, for example. For every dumb thing they do, they face the consequences; given the amount at stake, however, they're lucky not to be in irrevocably worse shape. Ron says "bloody hell" three times (much more offensive in Great Britain than the United States) and another character uses "Good Lord" as an epithet. Mild stuff, these days, but when it comes from children, it may have a more negative impact. Harry gets away with a lot because he is the famous Harry Potter (as a baby, he inexplicably survived when Voldemort killed his parents); on the other hand, he has a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This movie is intense, scary, and fun--and represents the literary concept of the Hero's Adventure quite well. If the viewer is ready to leave the roller-coaster ride, he or she should do so. But it's magical fun, and magic with a dangerous side. Reading the books oneself or out loud to children would allow the imagination to temper any unwanted visual aspects of the movie or warn the sensitive of what they may expect beforehand. Every school-age child I know (and all their parents) think the Harry Potter books and movies are wonderful treats.
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