Ian Savage joined the packed audiences at the previews of the new Harry Potter movie . . . here is his verdict:

THAT young boy with the round glasses, Z-shaped scar on his forehead and the ability to cast a spell on children -- and their parents -- worldwide is back.

Just 12 months after Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone performed magic at box offices across the globe, the second novel charting the young wizard's adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry makes it to the big screen.

And it's a safe bet that if you enjoyed the first one, you'll love this follow-up.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PG) is an altogether more action-packed and cinematic offering than the first film.

Having got all the explanatory stuff out of the way in Part One, director Chris Columbus has focused on all the excitement of J K Rowling's story.

So, we get the Weasley family's flying car, the mysterious doom-laden Dobby the house Elf, giant spiders and snakes, petrified pupils and warnings written in blood on school walls.

This time round we are pitched straight into the story: on Harry's return to Hogwarts he discovers that the mysterious Chamber of Secrets has been opened, releasing a deadly force, and putting the pupils in terrible danger.

Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals Ron (the excellent Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) try to solve the mystery.

All the cast from the first are present. The children are fine and seem more relaxed as their characters.

But it is the adults -- Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Jason Isaacs (the obnoxoious Draco Malfoy's equally odious father Lucius), Kenneth Branagh (Gilderoy Lockhart, Hogwarts' new, and incredibly vain, Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher) -- who lend the film some acting credibility.

And Richard Harris, who died last month aged 72, is superb as the wise and kindly headteacher Prof Albus Dumbledore.

Much has been made of how much more frightening this film is than the last. Director Columbus has even apparently announced that it may be too intense for the under-sevens.

True, there are some pretty scary scenes, but my five year old -- unfazed by Godzilla, flesh eating dinosaurs and Darth Maul -- took it all in his stride, as did the other younger members of the audience. I wouldn't recommend taking very sensitive youngsters, but please ignore the scaremongers and go with your gut feeling -- you know what your son or daughter can handle.

Having said that, Chamber of Secrets has a similar running time to Philosopher's Stone -- two hours,45mins -- and that is more likely to be a factor as to whether your child should attend. Will he or she be able to sit still for that long?

One facet of the production has definitely improved in the space of 12 months -- the special effects technology.

The animation of Dobby, the hilarious house elf who tries in vain to warn Harry about the dangers awaiting him at Hogwarts, is a triumph. He makes Jar Jar Binks's computer-animated character from Star Wars look about as realistic as Sooty.

And the flying Ford Anglia and high-speed Quidditch match are as thrilling as anything you'll see on screen this year.

The first movie became the second highest grossing film of all time -- 970 million dollars worldwide, behind Titanic's 1.5 billion.

And from the reaction of young and old alike, who packed out the UGC Cinema at The Valley in Astley Bridge yesterday --they applauded as the end titles began! -- I see no reason why Harry and his pals won't be breaking new records in the next few months.