staff writer | Lauren Loveless
J.K Rowling once again displays her genius and ability to entrance an audience with her newest addition to the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ series. Not only is the cast golden and plot complex, but the directors also got back to the magical, feel good experience that the original ‘Harry Potter’ series gave us. And although the reviews are mixed and the critics were harsh, for a die hard Harry Potter fan, ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ couldn’t be more perfect.
Compared to the first Fantastic Beasts movie, the recent release is infinitely better. ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ was lackluster in various ways, mainly in the fact that it just didn’t put the audience under a spell; there simply wasn’t enough wand waving action. Sure the magical creatures are cute and an interesting concept, but it just wasn’t the same as good ol’ Harry Potter. However, in the Crimes of Grindelwald, a lot of these small issues were solved. The movie didn’t eliminate the creatures, because let’s be honest they are very adorable, but it did limit their appearance slightly to focus on the big picture. Moreover, the magic did come back! There was plenty of wand dueling and familiar spells that brought back feels from the series that started it all. And most importantly, Hogwarts is featured in this new film which brings us all back home.
Admittedly, the first part of the movie is bit distracted from the main plot and focused on the troubled relationships of Newt and Jacob. And although it’s funny and cute, it takes up a bit too much time of the whole movie. However, in no way am I protesting the sheer awkward adorableness between Newt and Tina the movie gave us.
Finally, Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Grindelwald was spot on. He was entertaining to watch and indeed, very charming, he was even able to persuade one of the main characters onto his side. If you have any doubts that Grindelwald won’t be as good of a villain as Voldemort, fear not! Because throughout the film, you’ll find yourself questioning which side you’re on: the supposed darkness or corrupted light.
With all things considered, I’d give ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ a solid four stars, because admittedly, the movie wasn’t completely unflawed. However, that doesn’t mean I didn’t thoroughly enjoy every bit of it and find myself craving more of this magical tale. Trust me when I say, you’re going to be dying to know what happens next, especially when the movie leaves you on a horrid cliff hanger.
