Director: David Yates
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, Zöe Kravitz
Rating: 12A
Running time: 133 mins
Release Date: 16.11.18
It seems like many Harry Potter fans have been waiting a long time to see the next Fantastic Beasts movie in the series after FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM stormed onto the big screen and into our hearts. The latest movie doesn’t disappoint, despite featuring a lot of extra franchise detail which has been a clear, important element. THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD has once again proven there is no disputing that J.K. Rowling’s creative imagination is a beautiful and uplifting thing.
The major difference between this movie and its previous counterpart is that there are fewer beasts; more crimes. This may not necessarily be a bad thing as this is the evolvement of the story and should there be an onslaught of new beasts, the movie would be heavily critiqued for repetition and not moving forward.
Eddie Redmayne remains one of the best things about the movie (along with the continuation of the late 1920s era), as he continues his role as Newt Scamander, the magi-zoologist who the audience will happily continue to be swept along with on his second adventure. Redmayne is a phenomenal actor. His delivery of Newt shows vulnerability, shyness and delicacy, demonstrating why he really is the cream of the acting crop with his versatility.
His role in the first movie brought humour, joy and laughter as he tried to govern and restrain his reluctant beasts. However, THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD has seen the narrative take an atramentous turn.
We see familiar faces resurrected from the previous movie and the film also brings back the world of Harry Potter, as the new mysteries delve us into the formidable world of Hogwarts. The audience meets antecedent characters – with a twist – as they are younger versions of themselves. Purposively or not, this creates the feeling that this movie entwines as an origin story too.
Regardless of whether the film can be deemed as somewhat of a prequel or not, the movie is not short on its most important element: fantasy. The storyline beholds the classic take on the battle between hero and villain; right from wrong and truth versus lies, all of which are beautifully mixed with magic.
The latest installment has seen a few extra additions in the form of Jude Law and Johnny Depp (who we only saw briefly in the previous movie) who both enthuse in their roles. The former plays the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, the miscreant who Redmayne’s Scamander must duel against. His belief on magic is different to Scamander’s, who feels a sense of superiority over others due to the magnitude of his power. This of course applies to his preeminence over muggles and he firmly believes they should be subject to his authoritarian regimen.
This makes the link to the title and the crimes committed by said villain. We first discover his ruthless ideas when he enthusiastically implodes his horrific plans for the future to his minions whom follow him. Of course, Depp fully embodies the role and delivers an enigmatic performance as the tyrannical leader.
But what of Ezra Miller‘s Credence? He is vitally important in this instalment, where he is currently living in Paris. The boy still lives a tumultuous existence where he is troubled by his power and others fear whether he will use this for evil in the future.
Also in the city of love is Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) who we discover is rather displeased with young Newt after becoming confused about his relationship with Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz). The mistake is rather humorous however, as we learn that she will indeed be part of Newt’s life in a major way – she is engaged to Newt’s brother, Theseus (Callum Turner)!
Two favourite characters have also returned in the movie: the loveable Jacob (Dan Fogler) is back alongside Tina’s sister Queenie (Alison Sudol).
As previously mentioned, Jude Law is playing the young Albus Dumbledore and he does so brilliantly. His casting has proven to be a fruitful addition to the team and it would be hard to imagine anyone else portraying the role after his superfluous delivery. He is an important ally and advisor to Newt, advising him to go to Paris to find Credence and confront his own destiny.
Overall, this FANTASTIC BEASTS film is enchanting with all of the charm and magic of its predecessors. Despite the growing cast and the darker change in narrative, the magical element still sparkles luminously. The acting is splendid; the new casting additions shine and the creatures we meet are as spectacularly brilliant as one could imagine. One thing is for certain – there is still much to be told and we can’t wait to continue on this magical journey.
