Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

This second instalment in the Harry Potter film franchise followed Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) and was based on J.K. Rowling’s 1998 fantasy novel.

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is visited at his Aunt and Uncle’s home at Privet Drive by Dobby the House-Elf (voiced by Toby Jones), who warns him not to return to Hogwarts due to an impending danger.

When Harry refuses to stay, Dobby ruins a dinner party held by Vernon Dursley (Richard Griffiths), and the Dursleys lock Harry in his room.

Ron (Rupert Grint), Fred (James Phelps), and George (Oliver Phelps) Weasley rescue him in a flying Ford Anglia and return to school.

With a noticeably darker plot than the first film, Hogwarts students are found petrified, and a sinister message written in blood declares that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened and that the monster within is attacking Muggle-born students.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) must piece together the mystery.

Their investigation forces them to brew Polyjuice Potion, encounter a giant talking spider named Aragog (voiced by Julian Glover), and discover an enchanted diary belonging to Moaning Myrtle (Shirley Henderson), the ghost of a girl who died 50 years prior.

As the attacks begin to strike closer and closer to home, Harry learns that he may have a connection to whatever or whoever is responsible when he discovers he can talk to snakes.

When Ron’s sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright) is taken by the monster, Harry uses his Parseltongue abilities to open the chamber himself to save her.

In the chamber, Harry discovers that the monster attacking the students is a giant serpent, known as the basilisk, and that it is Voldemort’s younger self – preserved in his diary – commanding the beast to attack the students.

Facing a giant snake that can kill just by looking at you is frightening enough, and even after the snake is blinded, the beast is still deadly.

In trying to escape, Harry reaches a dead end in the pipes and must remain completely still and silent as he comes face to face with the creature. It’s an undeniably tense moment, and there’s a great jump scare when the snake re-emerges unexpectedly from the water before Harry eventually kills it.

The film was a massive critical and commercial success, grossing $878 million worldwide during its initial run.

Harry Potter
Daniel Radcliffe
Ron Weasley
Rupert Grint
Hermione Granger
Emma Watson
Uncle Vernon
Richard Griffiths
Aunt Petunia
Fiona Shaw
Dudley Dursley
Harry Melling
Dobby (voice)
Toby Jones
Mr Mason
Jim Norton
Mrs Mason
Veronica Clifford
Fred Weasley
James Phelps
George Weasley
Oliver Phelps
Mrs Weasley
Julie Walters
Ginny Weasley
Bonnie Wright
Mr Weasley
Mark Williams
Percy Weasley
Chris Rankin
Draco Malfoy
Tom Felton
Lucius Malfoy
Jason Isaacs
Hagrid
Robbie Coltrane
Mr Granger
Tom Knight
Mrs Granger
Heather Bleasdale
Gilderoy Lockhart
Kenneth Branagh
Angus
Ben Borowiecki
Neville Longbottom
Matthew Lewis
Seamus Finnigan
Devon Murray
Argus Filch
David Bradley
Professor Snape
Alan Rickman
Albus Dumbledore
Richard Harris
Professor McGonagall
Maggie Smith
Crabbe
Jamie Waylett
Goyle
Josh Herdman
Professor Sprout
Miriam Margolyes
Penelope Clearwater
Gemma Padley
Nearly Headless Nick
John Cleese
Colin Creevey
Hugh Mitchell
Dean Thomas
Alfred Enoch
Susan Bones
Eleanor Columbus
Oliver Wood
Sean Biggerstaff
Alicia Spinnet
Rochelle Douglas
Katie Bell
Emily Dale
Angelina Johnson
Danielle Taylor
Marcus Flint
Jamie Yeates
Professor Flitwick
Warwick Davis
Lee Jordan
Luke Youngblood
Adrian Pucey
Scot Fearn
Madam Pomfrey
Gemma Jones
Moaning Myrtle
Shirley Henderson
Justin Finch-Fletchley
Edward Randell
Madam Irma Pince
Sally Mortemore
Ernie MacMillan
Louis Doyle
Hannah Hufflepuff
Charlotte Skeoch
Professor Dippet
Alfred Burke
The Sorting Hat (voice)
Leslie Phillips
Millicent Bulstrode
Helen Stuart
Tom Riddle
Christian Coulson
Young Hagrid
Martin Bayfield
Cornelius Fudge
Robert Hardy
Aragog (voice)
Julian Glover

Director
Chris Columbus

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