Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is J.K. Rowling’s newest addition to the popular Harry Potter Universe. With David Yates once again directing, this sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an ambitious but down-to-earth transition piece for future sequels. With a large cast and an overbearing plot, the film doesn’t quite measure up to the magic of its predecessor, but it’s the perfect film for your average Harry Potter fan. Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, and Johnny Depp reprise their roles from the first film. Controversy surrounded Rowling’s decision to keep Depp on the cast after domestic abuse allegations came to light regarding Amber Heard, Depp’s ex-wife. However, Rowling stood by her decision, citing both Depp and Heard’s mutual requests that they both be able to continue with their careers and move on from the scandal.
The film begins with the escape of Grindelwald (Depp), the franchise’s main villain, as he is being transported from the U.S. to Europe. This sets the stage for the rest of the film, where we follow Newt Scamander (Redmayne), the film’s main protagonist, through Paris as he follows orders from Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to track down Credence Barebone (Miller) with the help of Jacob (Fogler), Tina (Waterston), and Yusuf (William Nadylam). At the same time, the film deals with romantic subplots involving Jacob, Queenie (Sudol), and even Dumbledore, as well as Newt’s tense relationship with his brother, Theseus (Callum Turner), and his feelings for Tina and Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz), Theseus’ fiancée. The drama doesn’t stop there either, and with the revival of a character from the original Harry Potter series, Nagini (Claudia Kim), the characters and plot lines just keep on piling up.
One of the first things in this film that really bothered me was the lack of solid reasoning for several of the plot events. It seems at times that in an effort to cater to the audience, all logic was abandoned in order to bring about popular characters, tropes, and twists from the first film. Most of it could have been believable, but it was executed too sloppily for the audience to properly process and follow. In addition to that, the plot of this film became thicker and thicker as time went on, turning into a complex set-up for a climax that we won’t see until the next sequel.
That being said, there was also plenty to love about this film. Once again, Redmayne delivers a lovable portrayal of Newt Scamander’s well-meaning social ineptitude. Whether it’s his banter with Tina or his attitude towards magical authority, I loved every bit of it. Meanwhile, Depp’s performance as the equivalent of Wizard Hitler is enough to send chills down your spine due to his striking resemblance to political figures we see today. Law reveals a calming yet emotional side of Dumbledore that we don’t get to see in the original Harry Potter films. In sync with some stellar performances, the film is also laced with small, humorous moments that allow you to catch your breath and remember how much you love the characters.
From a technical aspect, this film hits its mark. The fantastic beasts in this film are just as impressive and creative as the last film, and baby Nifflers (treasure seeking platypus-like creatures) even make an appearance, much to my own delight. On another note, unlike the first film, we also get to revisit the iconic Hogwarts castle (a win for any Harry Potter fan) in a series of flashbacks following Newt and Leta as students. James Newton Howard returns to score this film, and his thunderous soundtrack appropriately matches both the intense and light moments of the story.
To sum it up, this film is more of a transitional piece than a stand-alone story. As an avid Harry Potter fan myself, I really enjoyed it. However, it might be too much for your average movie-goer who is just looking for some excitement with a smashing ending. I trust that Rowling and Yates both know what they’re doing, but if this film is their launch pad, they have no choice but to stick the landing with their next film.
Rating: 3.5/5