A Reel Review: FANTASTIC BEASTS - THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD

When famed author J.K. Rowling wrapped up the cinematic version of her beloved HARRY POTTER series, she left us with a fantastic, and fascinating world of wizards, witches, wands, and spells to explore. The mythology she created was thick and full of mystery, and the first spinoff series, FANTASTIC BEASTS, seeks to explore it all and expand it. The first film set the stage and opened the door just a crack, and the second film, THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD, opens it just a bit more…

The evil wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), has escaped custody and is on a mission to build an army, and Professor Dumbledore (Jude Law), recruits magical creature caretaker Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), to stop him.

THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD, written by series creator Rowling and directed by David Yates, is a plot-heavy film that adds layer upon layer onto the wizarding world that we thought we knew so well. New territories are explored (like the overseeing Ministries of Magic in France), new spells are spun (including a CSI-like, crime-scene rebuilder), and yes, many new fantastic beasts are introduced (including a reprisal of the mischievous, shiny-thing seeking Nifflers). While all this is going on in an attempt to find and stop Grindelwald (a task Newt wants no parts of), character after character gets piled onto the growing heap. Newt is having issues with his brother Callum (Theseus Scamander), who is about to marry Newt’s old crush Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz). Meanwhile, Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), is on hand to find Grindelwald, but is mad at Newt because of a misunderstood love triangle. Credence (Ezra Miller), is back and on a quest to understand his power and to discover his background, while Tina’s sister Queenie (Alison Sudoi), is having a romantic crisis with her love Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler).

If it sounds complicated, it is. Throughout the movie a magical map would come in handy. With so much of that going on, Grindelwald seems to fade into the background, and it’s almost a relief when we check back in on him. Oddly enough we don’t see Grindelwald commit any crimes (despite what the title of the movie says), and Newt just seems ill-equipped to handle the task of stopping the world's most evil wizard. 

But if HARRY POTTER fans want magic, then this film delivers. The spells, creatures, and magical surroundings are fantastic to see, and there is a great comfort in being back in this beloved world. Hogwarts returns in all of its glory and does make the heart soar, and familiar characters from the old series pop in for good measure. Yates, who has now directed seven films in this series, still only seems to get it right half the time. Some of his action sequences rely on way too much shaky-cam and it’s impossible to see what’s going on, and pacing is an issue; there are many starts and stops and one too many times where everything stops dead for a character to give their life story. The score by James Newton Howard is excellent.

Acting is also excellent. Eddie Redmayne’s character of shyness and awkwardness is a joy to see. Jude Law seems a far cry from the long-white-bearded version of Dumbledore we knew and loved, but we can see the early steps. Johnny Depp as the Big Bad looks great, sounds great, but feels shortchanged by the script which only brings him in now and again. Katherine Waterston seems stuck in low gear, while Dan Fogler once again is a delight.

The finale, in which Newt doesn’t do very much of anything, doesn’t wrap up half of the many plot-points…which are punted down the road for the next film, making this installment an obvious, stage-setting middle chapter. There are a few good twists and reveals made, including one that will drive POTTER fans up a whomping tree in either rage or confusion. How we look at THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD in the future may depend on the payoff when the next movie arrives, but for now, it is a bumpy, overstuffed film with many bright lights and intrigue. If only that door was opened a little less. 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it