Harry Potter is one of the, if not the most, well-known franchises in the world today. Even after the completion of the original Harry Potter story, our favorite trio of wizards continued to live on as parents passed the magic on to their children, who grew up and are beginning to do the same for their own kids. With the release of Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” in 2016, it seemed that our favorite make-believe universe was finally back.
Much like any remake or continuation of a classic story, there was a lot of pressure on the Fantastic Beasts series to uphold the legacy of the wizarding world. The last thing anyone wanted was a smudge on the perfection of Harry Potter in the form of a clumsy Newt Scamander. With the release of the first three Fantastic Beasts movies, we can now rest assured that neither Grindelwald, young Dumbledore, or Newt will be leaving any smudges on the Harry Potter legacy.
Although there was mounting pressure on the third installment of the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ story, Warner Bros was able to not just live up to the expectations but surpass them. The movie itself is much more political than the first two in the series. While “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is much more focused on Scammander’s suitcase and the animals within, the third movie is circulating the politics of the wizarding world from start to finish. However, this does not go to say that this was unexpected. Throughout the first two movies, the Fantastic Beasts storyline is developed in a manner that leads to an increasing concentration on politics and relationships between wizards and muggles, rather than more simple topics such as Newt’s love for his animals.
While I am a huge fan of the more light-hearted side of the world of Harry Potter, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” was refreshing in the ways that it introduced new, more mature themes into the storyline, forcing readers to consider deeper questions. Politics have always been present in the world of Harry Potter; slowly introduced throughout the eight original movies, and particularly present in the Fantastic Beasts movies. However, Warner Bros.’ most recent addition to the list dove into politics in a manner that added depth both to the plot and the character development.
Despite being a serious movie in relation to the events being covered, the conversations and individual scenes in the film are absolutely hilarious and somehow manage to create a perfect balance of serious and funny, without an overbearing of comedic relief. The jokes in the movie come very naturally but have the whole theater erupting in laughter (trust me, I was there when it happened). This constant switch between sitting on the edge of your seat with anticipation, and sitting back and laughing is what makes this installment of Fantastic Beasts arguably the best out of the three, and perhaps even puts it up in the ranks with the original Harry Potter movies.
However, what made this particular installment stand out compared to the first two Fantastic Beasts movies was the manner in which the story became intertwined with the original Harry Potter movies we all know and love. While we got significantly less “Hogwarts talk” at the beginning of the Fantastic Beasts storyline, we now have the opportunity to meet our favorite characters in their youth and even get to travel to Hogwarts with the motley crew fighting off Grindelwald. These interactions are both nostalgic and hilarious, as we watch Jacob Kowalski, a muggle, interact with young Hogwarts students, and see the Room of Requirement once more. The addition of the original Hedwig’s Theme from the Harry Potter series during those scenes makes the experience all the more special.
Regardless of whether or not you grew up with Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts is an amazing series that does an exquisite job balancing serious, mature themes with lighthearted, funny jokes. The plot is engaging, the music nostalgic, and the costume and set design manage to make the movie radiate feel-good vibes. It really would leave anyone watching with a smile. I was pleasantly surprised by “The Secrets of Dumbledore” as it exceeded my expectations in every way, and I would thoroughly recommend watching the movie, even if you (somehow) have absolutely no idea who Harry Potter even is.