Review of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) by James S — 21 Nov 2018

I love Harry Potter. I love lore. This film really doesnâ(TM)t capture either for me.

The film hits you hard with action right from the get-go. Grindelwald does a great job establishing himself as a legitmate threat very early on. The rest of the cast, however, takes their time, plodding along without much apparent purpose until the true plot establishes itself very late in the first act. There are some fun, light moments, and there is some attempt to contextualize the plot, but there are also a lot of characters that are either misused or wasted (Nagini, Iâ(TM)m looking at you).

The main issue is a lack of focus. There are so many groups that all want different things, and yet, there is insufficient time given to understanding why these characters are making these choices. There are some good moments, though the lionâ(TM)s share are given to Jude Lawâ(TM)s solid portrayal of young Albus Dumbledore.

There is some straying from established Potter lore, but the greatest sin in the unfocused narrative and improperly fleshed out characters. Sorry, Rowling, but this may not have been your best work.