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New Release Brib- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Starring Eddie Redmayne and Johnny Depp
Directed by David Yates
US Release Date: 16 November 2018
My First Viewing: 15 November 2018

 Eddie Redmayne returns in Newt Scamander and the Thirty Loose Threads

 David Yates returns to the Wizarding World for the sixth time in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, with a returning cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, and Ezra Miller, as well as newcomers Jude Law and Zoe Kravitz. While this film carries on the visual masterwork that many of the later Wizarding World films created, the overall story of the movie lacked any heft to the point where coming out of it, I could not wrap my head around all of the story arcs that were presented. At the end of the day, this ended up being nothing more than a set-up for the next film, and the next film, and so on and so on until either we come to a satisfying conclusion, or fans of the franchise just stop caring. Crimes could end up being that turning point. 

 What Works
Visual Set Pieces and Special Effects: There are many things that the films of the Wizarding World know how to do right, first and foremost being creating an immersive and visually captivating atmosphere without looking over-the-top and CGI heavy. Bringing the magic to France, we get to see more than what we already know without feeling like nothing seems unfamiliar. The creature were all fun, with returning favorites the Bowtruckle and Niffler, as well as my personal favorite the Zouwu, an extremely large cat-like creature. 

 Zoe Kravitz as Leta Lestrange: Out of all the story arcs that were going on in Crimes (more on that later), the one with the most weight behind it came from Zoe Kravitz as Leta Lestrange. She has many tie-ins with Newt and his brother (her fiancee), but with Ezra Miller's Credence Barebone as well. While a large portion of the overall story is following Credence into finding out where he came from and what his family lineage is, Leta is as essential to the overall story. 

 What Doesn't Work
There is A LOT Going On: Sitting and thinking about the overall story of Crimes, if someone asked me to come up with a few sentences what this films plot was, I would really struggle to do so without missing some beats, but here goes nothing. Newt has to (illegally) travel to France to try and find Credence, while all the while working with Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to try and stop whatever nefarious plot Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) has in store. Returning favorites Queenie (Alison Sudol) and Jacob (Dan Fogler) pay Newt a visit because Queenie's sister and Newt's previous love interest Tina (Katherine Waterston) is in France to try and find Credence and Grindlewald herself, while also bringing to his attention the fact that Tina thinks Newt likes Leta even though Leta is going to be marrying Newt's brother. This all happens in the first twenty minutes of the movie. 

 Are you as confused as I am? Because I haven't even touched upon why Dumbledore can't fight Grindelwald himself, the plot surrounding Credence, his friendship with Nagini (in human girl form), and all the tie-ins to this, that, and the other thing that in the end, you have to ask yourself what the heck did I just watch. Worst of it all, hardly and of these plot points and loose threads carry much weight behind them because they aren't given much time to flush them out. This gave you enough to have a beginning, middle, and end while also getting you prepared for the many, many sequels to come. 

 Overall Grade: C-. I am as big of a Wizarding World dork has the next guy or gal, and while there was plenty to like about Crimes, I couldn't shake the fact that at the end of the day that this was just a two-hour set-up for volumes 3-5 of Fantastic Beasts. I don't know what it will take to get this story back on track, but hopefully the production team behind the film can get it flushed out. I don't think I can ever truly hate anything the Wizard World puts out there, but I am disappointed that this is what was put on the table. 

 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is rated PG-13 for sequences of fantasy action/violence. Are you planning on seeing this film? Let me know your thoughts by leaving me a comment either on my facebook or instagram page and as always, be civil. 

 -birb 


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