Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: David Yates, Warner Bros, M 134 Minutes.
Following his success with the first (of five movies) in the ’Fantastic Beasts’ franchise, filmmaker David Yates returns to direct the second instalment reteaming with Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), Johnny Depp (as Grindelwald) and Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein).
Besides being behind the Harry Potter films through her popular novels, J K Rowling also created the characters in ‘Fantastic Beasts’ setting the story in the 1920’s as the film’s singular scriptwriter prior to Harry’s appearance.
In this drama-filled sequel the action takes off right after the capture of Grindelwald (Depp) at the end of the first movie resulting in his imprisonment and his high-flying escape using his wizardry skills.
Responding to a summons from Hogwarts wizard Dumbledore (Jude Law –‘Spy’) Newt reluctantly consents to stopping Grindelwald from committing any more crimes after reuniting with his love interest Tina, her semi-witch sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) and her lover Jacob (Dan Fogler).
By now Grindelwald has gone to Paris where he intends making wizards the dominant ruler over non-magical beings, even enticing his problematic protégé Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) to join him in view of his destructive abilities.
When the time comes for the grand showdown between the appealing anti-hero Newt and the power-mad Grindelwald it turns out to be somewhat of an anticlimax that is both magical as is its spell-binding conclusion.
Yates’ sequel to the original Fantastic Beasts is in fact a prequel to the Potter films and is set to be much darker and more contentious encompassing greater conflict as Rowling’s script is further developed.
Although not as enjoyable as the original with its assortment of fascinating beasts and Redmayne playing a prominent role, ‘Fantastic Beasts-The Crimes of Grindelwald’ is still an entertaining movie due mainly to Depp’s showy performance.
In spite of the infusion of special effects it has regrettably relegated the popular Redmayne to more of a secondary role intertwining the intrigue within a scrambled storyline.
The franchise’s next unpredictable instalment is to be released in 2020.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 Stars
