Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Review

Gellert Grindelwald has escaped imprisonment and has begun gathering followers to his cause – elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one capable of putting a stop to him is the wizard he once called his closest friend, Albus Dumbledore. However, Dumbledore will need to seek help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterson, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogel, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Johnny Depp, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim and Carmen Ejogo. The film is written by JK Rowling, produced by Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram with David Yates returning to direct.

If there is one immediate feeling that comes from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald it is that the battle is over but the war is just beginning. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a natural progression from the first film but heightens the stakes to higher than never before. One of the major issues with the original was the lack of stakes and in many respects it was its own self contained story. However, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald suffers from no such thing. The story is carefully plotted out by Rowling who clearly has grand arc for the 5 film series. The story in this film alone is incredibly exciting to experience. The #ProtectTheSecrets campaign that came alongside the release was for a reason. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has twists and turns and always leaves the viewer wanting more. As a hardcore fan of the material, I can probably guess certain plot points that are to come the experience of seeing it unfold is satisfying nonetheless.

The main thorough line of the film is Grindelwald and his goal of the greater good which is a theme which will be the focus through the series, leading down a darker path. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is not a film for children like Fantastic Beasts may have been.

                                                               

                                                                                 Depp stuns as Grindelwald

Heading into the release of the film much was made of the casting of Johnny Depp as Grindelwald so much as to Rowling and Depp were forced to come out to publicly defend the casting. Grindelwald is a different kind of villain to Voldemort and equally as satisfying and I can not wait to see more unfold from him in particular. Furthermore, across the field the performances are stellar and despite being on the second film in this spinoff franchise we have already gained a connection with the vast number of characters to such an extent there is a level of emotion that I found unexpected. One criticism that has been levelled at the film is that there is a number of characters that make the film overstuffed. As to that, I strongly disagree. The film and the series follow different strands of characters much like Game of Thrones does as it slowly reaches a conclusion. My major criticism of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is one moment of exposition is used to basically tell the audience a load of backstory and I would have preferred for the characters to find out this information themselves.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is perfectly paced slowly ramping towards a third act which is up there with amongst the best in the entire franchise. The satisfaction that is experienced in the first two acts is nothing compared to that final half hour which included several hands over mouth moments. This is a film that will impact people differently dependent on how deeply invested into the entire Wizarding World lore they are. Throughout the film many Easter eggs and references to the main Harry Potter series appear but they are subtle enough so as to not be a distraction to the average movie goer but will nonetheless be an appeaser to fans of the lore.

                                                    

                                                             Lines are drawn in the coming war

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a delight to behold. Whilst the predecessor was good it was far from perfect and the magic of the original Harry Potter series was not quite there however this fully returns in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. When we return to Hogwarts there is, to use a cliché, a feeling of returning home.

One final aspect that I would like to mention is James Newton Howard’s score is spine tingling. Like much of the predecessor Fantastic Beasts, his score was good but not excellent. However, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald brings a darkness that rivals the latter Harry Potter films with the tone accompanied and held up by the score.

Is Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald as good as the latter Harry Potter films? No. But it is like a jigsaw and delivers a satisfying conclusion as we look forward to the future instalments.