The latest episode of Screen Rant's own Pitch Meeting series targets Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and its numerous inconsistencies. The 2002 fantasy film marks the second installment in Warner Bros.' hit movie franchise based on J.K. Rowling's novel series. The story revolves around Harry in his second year at Hogwarts when the titular location hidden within the wizarding school is opened by the unknown heir of Salazar Slytherin that subsequently releases a monstrous basilisk petrifying numerous students.
Daniel Radcliffe returned to lead the cast of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets alongside Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman and Richard Harris in his final appearance as Dumbledore prior to his passing. Christopher Columbus would return to the helm for one final go for the film with a script from franchise writer Steve Kloves. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets would receive similarly high acclaim and box office success upon hitting theaters in 2002, hauling in over $879 million worldwide against its $100 million budget, becoming the second-highest-grossing movie of the year behind fellow fantasy adaptation, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
After taking a week off, Screen Rant's own Ryan George is back with a new episode of Pitch Meeting setting its sights on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The video hilariously points out the film's numerous plot holes and inconsistencies, namely keeping a murderous tree around a school, the Weasleys vaguely sentient flying car and Fawkes being the true hero of the film. Check out the funny new episode below:
Though Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' book and movie have largely remained one of fans' favorites in each franchise, many have taken to acknowledging the film's many plot problems. In addition to following in many of the narrative footsteps as its predecessor, the sequel is one of the biggest examples of plot armor and deus ex machina in the series, with Harry having been miraculously saved by Fawkes at just the right moment in his final battle against Tom Riddle and the basilisk. Additionally, the convenience of Harry and Ron being saved by the Weasleys somewhat sentient car and existence of the Whomping Willow proving concerning given its proximity to a school of kids, as pointed out in the new Pitch Meeting episode, the film is not without its issues.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets marked an interesting transition in its movie franchise from the lighter adventure of its predecessor into the darker storytelling of battling the dark lord Voldemort. This trend would continue with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which is considered by many critics and audiences alike to be one of the best installments in the series for its tonal change and development. Audiences can celebrate Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' 20th anniversary by revisiting it on HBO Max and Peacock now.