Member review

Really a Disappointment

Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald was highly anticipated instalment to the 5 part Fantastic Beasts Series that had been announced in 2015 and really Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them set a high standard and was comparable to the Harry Potter Series, some even said it was better! With all this excitement of the second instalment's release last year, everybody expected it to be better than its predecessor but it failed. Fantastic Beasts in my eyes is to introduce the new generation to Harry Potter but really with all the plot twists and lore behind it and also the "Law of Sequels" it failed. Much like all sequels, it seemed like an extension to keep the fanbase happy, those who wanted to learn about JK Rowling's Magical World watched this and really even for me, I used to be a die-hard Potter Fan and I didn't understand much and I felt like that one five-year-old sitting on the sofa saying into their mum's ear what is happening, what's that, who is this? To really understand what was happening you had to read every book, watch every film, read every Pottermore post and tweet! Most people don't have that much time on their hands. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was easy to follow as it was a brand new story set in the already known Harry Potter World kind of like Planes being set in the Cars World. Overall, I didn't enjoy watching Crimes of Grindelwald it was confusing and felt like it ruined Harry Potter for me.

The story feels clunky and not exactly new, the film sort of followed the formula of tricking the audience like kids scientific movies and cartoons that are always mentioning things that don't exist, such as "Fire the Quantum Nuclear Phscy Machine!" Or something along with that theme. I get the fact that the Harry Potter series is based on magic and the unexplainable but Crimes of Grindelwald took it too far with plots hard to follow that are confusing and also adding unnecessary interactions and shots that are just for comedy or just for the die-hard fans and I'm being a bit negative but I feel like Rowling is running out of ideas, you can easily tell when a "supposedly" dead character is actually alive trying to stretch the series of plots and twists as far as possible, I hate to say it but Harry Potter is dying (Not the character the franchise) you can stretch a series so far almost like a spring, you stretch it so much and it loses its traction and flexibility Harry Potter in whole has been running for a whopping 22 Years! since the first book's release and the Philosopher's Stone film was in cinemas 18 Years ago. The best franchises last for 10 years then take a break and come back such as Star-Wars they don't run for 20 years at a time unless if they are money-hungry and awful.

The casting feels wrong to me, Jude Law geat actor but Dumbledore, really? Looking through the cast list I barely remember or recognise any of the characters mentioned in it it just shows how rememberable the story and the side characters that aren't the main stars like Newt, Queenie, Dumbledore, etc.

If there is one thing I could award Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald for is the special effects and style that is one thing I feel very passionate about and Crimes of Grindelwald definitely fulfils that criteria, in general, everything to do with the Harry Potter World is sleek and stylish with special effects. Ranging from subtle but major changes like the power wizards have to gigantic winged lions.

Overall I didn't exactly enjoy Crimes of Grindelwald I give it 2/5 but could have possibly made 3. I feel as though most of the piece was a tragic disaster and I have not that many hopes for Fantastic Beasts 3 as just looking at the "Sequel Law" of every sequel being horrible and badly received and we have 4 sequels with the last 3 on the way. I feel as though the fantastic beasts series has not much to offer anymore. Although I can't really judge that until they release.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald follows the anarchy caused after Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) escapes on his transfer to Azkaban as he causes terror in Paris and the whole Wizarding World, there is only one person who can stop him and that is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore but Dumbledore appoints his good friend Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) Newt along with acquaintances Jacob Kowalski, (Dan Fogler) Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) as well as Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterson) Newt meets some old friends as well as some new beasts, while on the hunt for Grindlewald to find out what he is scheming...