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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Jude Law, Johnny Depp
Director: David Yates
Genre: Biographical/Muscal
Rating: PG-13
RUNTIME: 134 Mins
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a weird rather than fantastic beast. The second chapter in J K Rowling’s five-part story, it’s a film stuffed with characters, big moments and impressive spectacle but still feels bizarrely underpowered.
There are twists and revelations, but very few that alter the outcome of the film you are actually watching. Just like the first one, it still feels like set-up for bigger pay-offs down the line, without the satisfying cliff-hanger qualities of, say, The Empire Strikes Back.
The beginning is a lively affair, as baddie Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), being shipped to Europe to stand trial, masterminds a thrilling escape from a flying stagecoach. Dumbledore (Jude Law) sends Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to Paris, where numerous interested parties are searching for orphan Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) who survived the events of New York and holds the key to the wizarding world battle.
Yet Rowling’s writing doesn’t imbue this hunt with any urgency — Newt is distracted by his search for love interest Tina (Katherine Waterston); even Grindelwald seems content just to let Credence come to him. Any potential dynamism is further blunted by emphasis on sub-plots (Dan Fogler’s Muggle Jacob chasing Alison Sudol’s pure-blood Queenie) and backstories such as a stretch devoted to new character Leta Lestrange’s (Zoë Kravitz) lineage. It’s the stuff that suits novels but dissipates the momentum of a movie.
Sound complicated? A load of word salad baloney? Well, that’s just the basic synopsis.
I’d consider myself a pretty serious Potter buff; I grew up with the series, have read them multiple times and engaged in trivia beyond the books and films, and even I was utterly lost for the majority of the movie.
Crimes of Grindelwald tries to do a lot all at once too often, disorienting effect, like Hermione taking extra classes but without the aid of a Time-Turner. It’s part mystery, part action romp, part PETA advertisement, part heist caper, part class commentary, part romance, and part seven other things, and instead of blending together, those disparate elements remain separated, in essence divided, leaving a crowded and chaotic movie in their wake.
Rowling’s Harry Potter novels were so successful in part because they mastered this balance. As the seven-part book series progressed, each instalment contributed to the larger battle between Harry and Voldemort — but still contained its own beginning, middle and rewarding end.
This movie, though, largely eschews dramatic norms, and thus flips its predecessor’s charming dynamic. The first Beasts was fun if not essential; the second tries to be so essential to the understanding of the Potter-verse that it isn’t much fun at all. Here, the exposition is ever-present, blasted through the screen more frequently than spells, and neither of the primary problems receive much resolution.
Still, there are positives to be taken. Rowling’s world-building remains unparalleled. From the smallest details like outfits, to the most expansive like the French Ministry Of Magic, the craft on show is impressive.
It’s matched by Rowling’s imagination peppering the story with charming invention such as a cheeky wind spell or a cute creature. The visuals are simply sublime and the film is at its best when it lets its imagination wander. There aren’t nearly enough new creatures though.
It’s hard to fault the acting of the leads, either. Redmayne’s Newt anchors the madness better this time round, less tic-y and more engaged. Newt is less a diffident doofus here, more a man big-hearted enough to love anything and everything. It’s also great to see Dumbledore again, even if he’s far more charming as your favourite great-grandfather.
Depp, bleached blond with shifting eye colouration, is a serviceable villain in only a handful of scenes, his master-plan building to a rally where you expect a sea of red MAKE MAGIC GREAT AGAIN caps.
In essence, this is a baffling foray into Rowling’s imagination. It reeks of treading water and moving chess pieces in preparation for future chapters while at the same time confusing even the most hard-core of fans.
Still, for those who can’t get enough, there’s just about enough here to make it worth watching. You can at least look at the pretty pictures.
Now showing in: Cineco, Seef II, Avenues, Saar, Oasis Mall
Kristian’s verdict: 3/5
