Movie Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

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"Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them" had an easy and simple plot. Fantastic Beasts get released in New York, get them back in the case. Wow! An Obscurious. Wait. Colin Farrell is Johnny Depp?! End.

Perhaps J. K. Rowling should keep in mind that the landscape of a book is different from that of a movie. As a reader of the books, J. K. Rowling loves her details, the little clues she drops here and there for the big unravelling in the end. It's a satisfying reading experience because you can go through the details, the plot and subplots at your own pace and you can go back a few pages if you weren't sure. But the same can't be said about movies. For one thing, trying to process that much information and detail in a little more than two hours is exhausting. Plus the sub-plot within sub-plot and the number of new characters, each trying to steal the spotlight makes the story all the more confusing.

© 2018 WBEI | Publishing Rights © J.K.R. | TM WBEI

There were times when I just wanted to grab a pen and paper and start drawing charts and tables just to be able to follow the story.

The film, "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" is the second in a planned series of five movies and was written more of a chapter in a book rather than a story in itself and this may come off as "draggy" to non readers.

© 2018 WBEI | Publishing Rights © J.K.R. | TM WBEI

Sit comfortably in your seat, it will be some time before the plot picks up.

Months after the events of "Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them" Credence (Ezra Miller) survived and is on the run, looking for his mother.

He is now accompanied by Nagini (Claudia Kim). How he survived I don't know and what is his relationship to Nagini is also a question to me. I don't know how they met or if they're in a romantic relationship or what. I was honestly disappointed that there was not much on Nagini, I was hoping for more of her story, maybe in the next films.

Hold on to your seats, this movie has a lot of questions.

© 2018 WBEI | Publishing Rights © J.K.R. | TM WBEI

The Ministry of Magic wants Credence captured. Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) wants Credence. 

Dumbledore (Jude Law) wants Newt to save Credence.

So our reluctant and unlikely hero. The ever so cute Eddie Redmayne is back at it with his magical case and no-Maj sidekick of sorts Jacob (Dan Folger) as he tries to reach Credence before his brother Thesesus (Callum Turner) and the rest of the Ministry's Aurors or worse Grindelwald's growing network gets to Credence.

Simple enough? Errr... Not quite. You see, there's this business surrounding Credence's parentage and I guess this is where much of the confusion comes in. This is where you'd want to make that diagram I was telling you about. Anyways, I'll just leave it at that so as not to spoil everything.

© 2018 WBEI | Publishing Rights © J.K.R. | TM WBEI

The big reveal in the end is worth the wait, even if you feel as though J. K. Rowling has been holding on to some secrets. You'll either be totally surprised and blown away or you'd feel betrayed by Rowling.

Potterheads will be debating and discussing right after the movie for sure.

There are a couple of sequences that make it worth seeing on the big screen (IMAX 3D if you can) I felt like I was holding a wand myself and casting spells as well. The Beasts for one were more fantastic. That Chinese Taowu is a new favorite. The Niffler is not just cute in this one but proves itself very useful. 

6.5/10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is now showing.

Movies: “Fantastic Beasts” Sequel Trailer Asks Your To Stand Against Darkness

Get your wands ready and take your first look at the official teaser trailer of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald which has just been revealed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The trailer may be viewed at the links below.

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/warnerbrosphils/videos/vl.508193106242274/2003829499646581/?type=1

Warner Bros. Pictures presents “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” the second of five all-new adventures in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World™. Opening November 16 in the Philippines, the film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp.

Movies: Jude Law Cast As The Iconic Wizard Albus Dumbledore In The Next “Fantastic Beasts” Film

BURBANK, CA –April 12, 2017 – As fans across the globe eagerly await the next adventure in the “Fantastic Beasts” feature film series, Warner Bros. Pictures has announced the actor who will take on the role of one of J.K. Rowling’s most beloved characters.  Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law has been set to star as Albus Dumbledore in the “Fantastic Beasts” sequel, it was announced today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Content Officer, Warner Bros. Pictures.

In the much-anticipated new Wizarding World film, Law will portray Dumbledore long before the iconic wizard became the Headmaster at Hogwarts, as he has been known in the Harry Potter books and movies.  We meet him decades earlier, when Dumbledore is still serving as the wizarding school’s Transfiguration professor.  He is also a contemporary of Gellert Grindelwald, the charismatic dark wizard who believes wizards are superior to Muggles and No-Majs.

J.K. Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on the global hit “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” has also written the screenplay for the second movie.  The story moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world, where Newt Scamander and our other heroes have to decide on their allegiances.

In making the announcement, Emmerich stated, “As fans ourselves, we are thrilled to have Jude Law joining the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ cast, playing a character so universally adored.  Jude has been a member of the Warner Bros. family for years and we’re excited to embark on this new adventure with him.”

Director David Yates added, “Jude Law is a phenomenally talented actor whose work I have long admired, and I’m looking forward to finally having the opportunity to work with him.  I know he will brilliantly capture all the unexpected facets of Albus Dumbledore as J.K. Rowling reveals this very different time in his life.”

Jude Law earned Oscar nominations for his work in “Cold Mountain” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” winning a BAFTA Award for the latter.  He will next be seen in “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” and currently stars in the HBO series “The Young Pope.”  His many other film credits include the “Sherlock Holmes” movies, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Hugo,” “Contagion,” “The Aviator,” “Alfie,” “Road to Perdition” and “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” to name only a portion.

The first film in the “Fantastic Beasts” series, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” began a new era in the wizarding world, decades before the Harry Potter movies, which still reign as the top-grossing film franchise of all time.  Acclaimed by both critics and audiences, the 2016 release became a global blockbuster, earning more than $813 million at the box office.

Principal photography begins this summer on the new “Fantastic Beasts” adventure, which will be directed by David Yates, who previously helmed the final four “Harry Potter” features, as well as “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”  The film also reunites producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen are serving as executive producers.

Slated for release on November 16, 2018, the film, which is the second of five planned “Fantastic Beasts” movies, will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.