Grindelwald is loose in the latest installment of the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald as Johnny Depp officially joins the Harry Potter franchise. In the next wave of the Wizarding World, Grindewald is forging his army of purebloods, determined to purify the world of the muggles/nomaj. But Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) along with his nomaj, sidekick, Jacob Kowalski are caught up in the rebel while trying to rekindle their loves with sisters, Tina and Queenie who are caught between the two worlds.
Ultimately, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is packed with action, special effects, and of course the magic of JK Rowling’s which she is known for in her previous Harry Potter Franchise. Fans of the genre will find various hidden gems and questions will be answered including one from the very first Harry Potter: “Who is Nicolas Flemel?” and “What is the meaning behind the Pheonix to the Dumbledore family?”. That with the CGI made the film visually stunning to watch. It is especially stunning if one adds the 3D element as objects appear to be flying off the movie screen and right to your face with just one wave of the magic wand. Even those who are not diehard Harry Potter fans and perhaps may not know the full story of the Wizarding World will be captivated by the realism and artistry of the film.
However, looking at the story, there’s not a lot of depth, though Rowling’s does explore many different plots, overall the story of Grindelwald is still a mystery. The audience ultimately never fully saw the crimes that Grindelwald supposedly committed that led to him being arrested and by the end of the movie, there are even more questions then before going into the film. That being said there are a lot of different stories that all weave together to ultimately make the viewer wonder what will happen next and that for one goes to the acting which must be taken into consideration.
Of course the acting is spot on exceptional and one can definitely feel the power of Depp as he fully embraces his wizarding roots especially as he seeks out orphan, Credence (Ezra Miller) as a mean for his plan, of which we the audience never fully understand. Furthermore, Miller embraces as the character of Credence in order to fully understand who he is and how he too is connected with the revelation of his sister Leta Lestrange (Zoe Cravitz) who has a deeper twisted history herself. Like before, the cast of Fantastic Beasts from Redmayne and Fogler, to Kravitz and Depp all seem to mesh well. The dialogue though some might find it rushed does contain a certain element of interest and appeal that will have audiences on the edge of their seats to see what the characters will do next and what creatures will come out of Scamander’s briefcase.
While Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is exceptionally stunning to the eye. It captures the the magic of the Wizarding World so that from an imagery view, one will be pleased. Just don’t go looking for a clear story, because that might cause audiences to get tangled in an out of control web. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second installment in the Fantastic Beasts series and marks the tenth film of the Wizarding World Franchise.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald came out in theaters November 16 and did exceptionally well at the opening box office as it brought in just over 62 million domestically. It is currently playing at a theater near you.