The newest installment in the Fantastic Beasts series, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” sees magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) on an international journey in efforts to find Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) before the evil Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who’s plotting to unite pure-blood witches and wizards (whom he views as superior to all non-magical beings). This movie dives into the “good vs. evil” dynamic, exploring each character’s motivations and pulls towards either side while friendships and relationships are put to the test.
As if the series’ cast wasn’t already talented enough, the sequel introduces Jude Law, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim and Zoë Kravitz to the mix. Jude Law plays the iconic Albus Dumbledore perfectly- “Jude’s first day on set [was the scene that] starts with Dumbledore’s back and when he turned and looked at me, he somehow managed to encapsulate in one look… that gravitas and twinkle in the eye… that was Dumbledore right there” said Redmayne. Claudia Kim plays Nagini, who has also appeared in multiple Harry Potter films. In “Grindelwald,” we get to find out more of Nagini’s backstory- she’s a Maledictus, one who possesses a blood curse that forces her to transform into a beast (in her case, a snake). Callum Turner is Theseus Scamander, the older brother of Newt and Auror of the Ministry of Magic. Zoë Kravitz brings the enigmatic Leta Lestrange to life.
Interestingly, the new cast members had to go through wand training sessions before filming began. In fact, Callum Turner broke his wand the very first day of his classes, much to the amusement of the rest of the cast. Law didn’t’t take wand training lessons, though he carried around a stick in preparation for his role.
“The Crimes of Grindelwald” is much more dark and somber than the first, which is evident from the opening scene and continues until the very last. Throughout the film, there are various bombshells and- because this is the Wizarding World- plenty of magic. And, don’t worry, the titular “fantastic beasts” are still very prevalent (we even get to see baby Nifflers(!)). In terms of CGI and special effects, “Crimes of Grindelwald” excelled. The spells and creatures were amazingly realistic. Even the costuming is stunning- Queenie and Leta’s outfits especially. However, I will admit that I would’ve liked for more of a backstory on Grindelwald, as he was a slightly dull villain. One thing we do know about Grindelwald is that he and Dumbledore have some sort of connection, which Law described as “a defining part of [Dumbledore’s] life. There’s a lot more to be revealed,” so hopefully future films will delve into that storyline. Nevertheless, this film captures the essence of what we all love about the Harry Potter universe. We find comic relief in fan-favorite characters like Jacob and Queenie, and fans will be delighted to see Hogwarts once more (as well as some familiar faces). The biggest mystery of the story is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time, and rest assured the ending will not disappoint. Make sure to catch “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes on Grindelwald” when it hits theaters on November 16, 2018.