Fantastic Beasts: Grindelwald's Crime: Can the comeback be successful for Albus Dumbledore?
Two years after "Fantastic beasts and where to find them" the magical world of J.K. Rowling (53) returns to the screen with "Fantastic Beasts: Grindelwald's Crime" on November 15th. The film is the second of five planned prequels to the "Harry Potter" series. Director David Yates (55) has once again implemented Rowling's screenplay. But can the second part of the "Fantastic Beasts" convince?
That's it
A few months after the events in part one, magiologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in London is trying to get his travel permit back. The problem: Responsible persons in the Ministry of Magic demand in return that Scamander work with them - and thus with his brother, the aurorus Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner). This Newt decided rejected, as well as the request of his former Hogwarts teacher Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) for him to go to Paris. Not only the Ministry, Dumbledore also knows that Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), equipped with his dark, destructive power, is now in France.
In search of credence is also Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp). The mighty sorcerer escaped from his prison and uses credence power to accomplish his plan of a world where magicians rule Muggles. After all, Newt is going to Paris after all, but out of love. From his friends Queenie (Alison Sudol) and Jacob (Dan Fogler) he has learned that Aurorin Tina (Katherine Waterston) has tacked on Grindelwald's heels.
In the meantime, Grindelwald is chafing his fellow campaigners in Paris, while Credence is in search of his birth mother and his identity. A dark family secret is also guarded by Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz), the former flame of Newt and current fiancé of his brother, and the magician Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam), who is also in search of credibility in Paris. At the end there is a visually stunning showdown between Newt and his colleagues as well as Grindelwald ...
Conclusion
Not only in the last big fight of the film it becomes clear how dismal "Fantastic Beasts: Grindelwald's Crime" comes along. In the 1920s Paris, which the film paints, there is hardly a ray of hope. In the meantime Grindelwald wraps the city with black cloths.
Packed is the strip but not only with dark pictures and special effects, but also with figures. In addition to the important characters, there are a lot of performances that do not really advance the plot, and in part, more likely to be a gift to the "Harry Potter" fans. Thus, Voldemort's "snake" Nagini (Claudia Kim) can be seen here as a Maledictus in still human form. The name Lestrange is likely to ring with most Potter fans and the famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel has a small role. Just like Hogwarts. The short trips to the Magic School and the Flashbacks delight viewers with friendly and bright pictures for a change. The mirror Nerhegeb also reveals how close the two great magicians Dumbledore and Grindelwald really are.
Pale on the other hand remain many of the supporting actors who have shone in the first part. Not only Scamander's beasts play a subordinate role, Jacob, Queenie and Tina are not allowed to radiate in their roles either. Stay the big stars of the movie, Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp and Jude Law, which will not disappoint. Depp as a dark wizard can be just as convincing as Jude Law - even though Albus Dumbledore wanders through Hogwarts here in a three-piece suit rather than in his loose robes, and desires to witness the moment he experiences this radical fashion change. Let's hope that Dumbledore, Grindelwald and their interesting relationship in part three will take center stage even more.
"Grindelwald's crime" scores with visually stunning effects, great actors and nice allusions to the original franchise. In terms of plot, the overloaded with characters and little magic film in places can convince less. In the end, he is "only" part of two planned films. But with an end that makes you want to continue ...
