Review of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) by Grace B — 17 Nov 2018

This movie is a mixed bag, but overall very enjoyable for fans of the franchise. I've been a Harry Potter fan since I could read, and I love seeing the world return. This movie definitely was not made for critical appeal, but it does feel like a sequel with many ideas.

There are some brilliantly executed ideas, with dazzling visuals. There are twists, but I did feel there was enough setup and enough not told for it to be effective for those already invested in this world.

The last act is a rather big mess, mostly because it relies heavily on telling. The characters who have returned are great, and Dumbledore and Grindelwald are both excellent. I appreciate the expansive use of magic and the expansive world JK Rowling is creating, though she definitely needs to cram it down more.

As an invested reader and a longtime fan, the story is still reminiscent of the webs Rowling weaved together in her earlier stories and the ending begs hundreds more questions. It isn't quite as strong as the Harry Potter installments, mostly because they stand on their own.

This movie relies heavily on the previous one and uses a lot to build on the next one, so I suppose it really depends on if that bothers you. It reminded me of Avengers Age of Ultron, a bit, and I think Fantastic Beasts is headed in a more serialized story, one after the other, each a strong continuation, rather than an episodic series where each can stand on their own while following an overarching story, which Harry Potter essentially was.