Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is a 2002 fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Steve Kloves, based on the 1998 novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. Produced by David Heyman, it is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and the second instalment in the Harry Potter film series. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger respectively. The story follows Harry's second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the Heir of Salazar Slytherin opens the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing a monster that petrifies the school's students. This is the only film on DVD and VHS to use the Warner Home Video logo with AOL Time Warner byline. The US version has the logo's music in low tone, while the UK and other international versions have the music of the logo in it's regular tone.

When Hermione and Harry first arrive at Flourish and Blotts, Ginny is facing them, but in the very next shot Ginny is facing the other way. Karger, Dave (13 June 2003). " Finding Nemo scales to the top at the box office". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022 . Retrieved 7 February 2022. Schmitz, Greg Dean. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 21 June 2007 . Retrieved 16 May 2020. a b Godfrey, Leigh (22 January 2003). "Gollum and Spirited Away Are The Critics Choice". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020 . Retrieved 19 May 2020.In the book, Harry Potter only destroyed the diary with the basilisk fang after he was healed by Fawkes. In the film adaptation, Harry destroyed the diary with the fang before he was healed, as such Ginny wakes up and sees the dying Harry. Strowbridge, C.S. (28 January 2003). "Chamber of Secrets sneaks pasts Jurassic Park". The Numbers. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018 . Retrieved 22 September 2007. In the film, while Malfoy was dodging the Bludger, he tilted his broom too low, the tip of his broom hits a beam, causing him to catapult off his broom, and land on the grass, doing a full split. He was still moaning in agonising pain at the Hospital Wing when Madam Pomfrey tells him not to make such a fuss. A scene is cut where the Ministry sends a letter to reprimand Harry for violating the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, which informed the Dursleys of this rule. This explains in the following film how Vernon Dursley already knew that Harry is not allowed to perform magic outside of school. Since this scene was not included in this film, it caused a continuity error with the future films.

On Christmas, the trio use Polyjuice Potion brewed by Hermione to disguise themselves as Slytherin students, Vincent Crabbe (Jamie Waylett), Gregory Goyle (Josh Herman) and Millicent Bulstrode (Helen Stuart), hoping to learn from Malfoy the identity of the Heir. Unfortunately, the hair that Hermione took from Millicent Bulstrode's uniform was from a cat, and as the Polyjuice Potion is only intended for human transformations, she assumes a feline appearance, leaving Harry and Ron to ask information by themselves. At the Slytherin common room, they they learn that Malfoy does not know who the Heir of Slytherin is, but he inadvertently provides Harry and Ron with an important clue about the Chamber of Secrets that his father told him; a girl died when the Chamber was last opened fifty years ago. As the potion begins to wear off, the duo discover Hermione's feline appearance and that it would take a little more than a month to restore her to normal human form. In the scene where Harry, while disguised as Goyle, had to cover his wearing glasses by claiming he was reading, Tom Felton ad-libbed the line "I didn't know you could read", as originally, he was supposed to stare at Harry suspiciously. Matrix breaks Japanese record". BBC. 9 June 2003. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022 . Retrieved 17 April 2022.

In the book, when Harry is in the hospital wing following the Quidditch match, Ron, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey are the only people there when he takes the Skele-Gro, the rest of the team come in later and Madam Pomfrey shouts at them to leave. In the film however, the entire team plus Ron and Hermione come with him, and Madam Pomfrey tells them to clear her way.

During the dinner scene, the scene where Gryffindor wins the House cup again is cut, though it is nonetheless implied.Chamber of Secrets is Richard Harris' last live-action film; he died before its premiere and the film is dedicated to his memory.