Review of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) by Job L — 20 Nov 2018

Before watching the movie, I read several critical remarks about it. Now having seen it, I am overwhelmed by the quality of the actors`performances. Of course the beasts are charming and the imagination is fantastic.

I also love the way 3D is applied. But what struck me most is the art of embodiment of such complex characters, like J. Depp's clearly being guided by Dr. Josef Mengele, the "white angel" of Auschwitz.

Mengele had a special interest in heterochrome-eyes, even his victims could not really divide the monster and his temporary strange patriarch-like kindness. He could do the most hrrible things to living beings and humans like it was nothing and on the other hand be seemingly interested in their certain kind of well-being.

So besides his obvious monstrous crimes, even his victims were deceived by his appearance. He had set up a certain frame victims had to walk through and he stood there deciding who will live a little longer being of use to him and who will die right away.

And he enjoyed the power of the selection.... This seems to be the image of the blue selecting fire ring Grindlewald is setting up. There are many relations. The political message of the movie may not be too subtle and yet from a German point of view, Nazism and the narcism it comprises of have gain started poisoning people's minds all over the world again.

In the movie it was tried to deal with the mental prerequisites of the leaders and why people feel seduced by such personalities and ideas. The setting may be a phantasy world in costumes, and the mindsets are shown in simplified ways, yet not lacking reality.

The music and sounds are terrific, many charming visual ideas. I liked the first part of the magical beasts quite well, but this second part really is a piece of art to me.