No surprise that the visuals were breathtaking, some beautiful shots and immersive cinematography. However, there was no depth to the plot. Some lovely character moments.
1,421 Reviews
Visually stunning, lacked depth
Calicodreamin16 April 2022
Great visuals, poor storyline.
Sleepin_Dragon5 February 2023
Imagine someone that doing a Jigsaw puzzle, it's a complex puzzle, and they have a scissors, and rather than trying to put the puzzle together, they just cut bits off and squeeze them in, that's what I felt about this plot, what there was of one was just very thin, and hung together by very loose strands.
On the plus side, as you'd expect, it is an immaculately produced film, it really does look breathtaking, from the landscapes and costumes to the special effects and beasts, but unfortunately this time around, the visuals can't entirely cover up the cracks.
There are a few times where it's quite moving, but too many times I was left scratching my head wondering what was happening.
I will give credit to both Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law, I thought the pair really did put a huge amount of effort in, and added some degree of credibility, however they deserved to be working with a much better script.
5/10.
On the plus side, as you'd expect, it is an immaculately produced film, it really does look breathtaking, from the landscapes and costumes to the special effects and beasts, but unfortunately this time around, the visuals can't entirely cover up the cracks.
There are a few times where it's quite moving, but too many times I was left scratching my head wondering what was happening.
I will give credit to both Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law, I thought the pair really did put a huge amount of effort in, and added some degree of credibility, however they deserved to be working with a much better script.
5/10.
NOTHING FELT EARNED.
andrewchristianjr13 April 2022
Though the style part was enjoyable on it's own; the cinematography, special effects, costumes, score, set design and much of the acting was brilliant. It felt great to lose myself into the feel of the wizarding world again. But the plot and the writing felt unanchored in anything real or relatable. Nothing felt earned. Events just happened without much anticipation or appreciation of their significance, and I didn't feel invested much in any of the plot lines or characters. I'm not expert enough to pinpoint exactly what went wrong, but I know something did.
It puts the "dumb" in Dumbledore
benjaminskylerhill14 April 2022
It's sometimes funny and often creative, and it's an improvement over its predecessor by default, simply because rather than only 5% of the plot being consequential, about 30% of the plot is consequential.
In fact, the best thing I can say about this "film" is that you can go to the bathroom during it without worrying about missing something; there's hardly anything important to miss.
Just like the last movie, this has a screenplay that desperately tries to find reasons to keep these characters in the story, and it fails spectacularly. 90% of the characters could be missing from the story, or replaced with planks of wood, and not a single thing of note would change.
The story just consist of characters wandering around and either chilling in the background or completing a task that has absolutely no bearing on the main conflict. It's a two and a half hour movie that should be an hour long.
Even though the magic is creative, it's so inconsistent and so confusing in how it works that it's frustrating to watch rather than awe-inspiring.
In fact, most of the things that happen in the movie don't make any sense. They rely on characters knowing things that they couldn't possibly have known. They rely on people acting in ways that are so unfathomably stupid and are not in line with who they were shown to be earlier in these three movies. It's a story in which not a single plot point can withstand the slightest amount of logical scrutiny.
The writing is so insultingly idiotic that at one point in the film, when a character questions a plot point that doesn't make any sense, Dumbledore actually says "Let's call it fate," ignoring the question entirely.
That was JK Rowling saying to her stupid mob of gullible fans, "Screw you. I don't even have to try anymore. Nothing has to add up or be consistent. You'll watch it and love it anyway."
Lastly, this movie has ZERO character development. Nobody learns anything, nobody does anything special, nobody even IS anything. It's a story populated by husks of human beings, and none of them are even remotely relatable or understandable. In fact, most of them are briefly shown and then forgotten about until the end of the movie.
Just as in "Crimes of Grindlewald," Grindlewald hardly committed any crimes, in "Secrets of Dumbledore," Dumbledore only has one secret, and it doesn't even have any bearing on the story. How fitting. It's false, just like this movie. It's barely a movie.
Stop making these, please.
In fact, the best thing I can say about this "film" is that you can go to the bathroom during it without worrying about missing something; there's hardly anything important to miss.
Just like the last movie, this has a screenplay that desperately tries to find reasons to keep these characters in the story, and it fails spectacularly. 90% of the characters could be missing from the story, or replaced with planks of wood, and not a single thing of note would change.
The story just consist of characters wandering around and either chilling in the background or completing a task that has absolutely no bearing on the main conflict. It's a two and a half hour movie that should be an hour long.
Even though the magic is creative, it's so inconsistent and so confusing in how it works that it's frustrating to watch rather than awe-inspiring.
In fact, most of the things that happen in the movie don't make any sense. They rely on characters knowing things that they couldn't possibly have known. They rely on people acting in ways that are so unfathomably stupid and are not in line with who they were shown to be earlier in these three movies. It's a story in which not a single plot point can withstand the slightest amount of logical scrutiny.
The writing is so insultingly idiotic that at one point in the film, when a character questions a plot point that doesn't make any sense, Dumbledore actually says "Let's call it fate," ignoring the question entirely.
That was JK Rowling saying to her stupid mob of gullible fans, "Screw you. I don't even have to try anymore. Nothing has to add up or be consistent. You'll watch it and love it anyway."
Lastly, this movie has ZERO character development. Nobody learns anything, nobody does anything special, nobody even IS anything. It's a story populated by husks of human beings, and none of them are even remotely relatable or understandable. In fact, most of them are briefly shown and then forgotten about until the end of the movie.
Just as in "Crimes of Grindlewald," Grindlewald hardly committed any crimes, in "Secrets of Dumbledore," Dumbledore only has one secret, and it doesn't even have any bearing on the story. How fitting. It's false, just like this movie. It's barely a movie.
Stop making these, please.
Disappointing to the extreme
siderite30 May 2022
The Harry Potter books achieved so much success because a dedicated writer thought about the story for years and the result, imperfect as it was, became beloved by millions of people as the effort showed. This film is perfect, though, a total and complete mess, written by people who can never come up with more than an elevator pitch and the crave for a big payout. The movie uses a plot that purposefully makes no sense, built on a previous film that no one remembers and manages to cement Dumbledore as a manipulative asshole whose value for humanity is that he looks nice compared to the genocidal maniacs he fights against. But he's gay, so that's fine.
It gets worse, though. So many things in the film not only not make sense, but contradict lore from the books. The film is called Fantastic Beasts, but really it's just one and it doesn't do much except for the ending. The magical world of wizards is now angry, political, divided and warlike, because that's what Americans are like, obliterating the elegant traditionalist Britishness of the books. Magic is only used to show off, fight or destroy now.
The more I think about it, the angrier I become, which is not really what I want or need. My advice is to skip this film completely. Too bad, too, because Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Dan Fogler and Mads Mikkelsen did a great job as actors. Alas, the material they had to work with was utter garbage.
It gets worse, though. So many things in the film not only not make sense, but contradict lore from the books. The film is called Fantastic Beasts, but really it's just one and it doesn't do much except for the ending. The magical world of wizards is now angry, political, divided and warlike, because that's what Americans are like, obliterating the elegant traditionalist Britishness of the books. Magic is only used to show off, fight or destroy now.
The more I think about it, the angrier I become, which is not really what I want or need. My advice is to skip this film completely. Too bad, too, because Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Dan Fogler and Mads Mikkelsen did a great job as actors. Alas, the material they had to work with was utter garbage.
Convoluted
guskeller15 April 2022
The Secrets of Dumbledore is convoluted by inconsequential plotlines and redundant characters. It's so unfocused, it doesn't have a consistent tone or protagonist. The film centers around wizarding politics, but doesn't elaborate on them. This shrinks the Potterverse and satisfies nobody. Meanwhile, Redmayne and Law's protagonist duet is equally unsatisfying. Oddly, no character feels essential (besides Grindelwald) and action sequences don't progress the story. Ultimately, the movie is overstuffed and develops nothing. Mikkelsen and Fogler excel in their limited roles, but they're sparse in this jumble. Without streamlining, The Secrets of Dumbledore is emotionally uninspired.
Technically, The Secrets of Dumbledore is disappointing. First, the effects are overdone. Earlier action is compelling, but the finale is undercut by excessive CGI. Plus, the production design in that final act feels empty. Squandering the union of fantasy and period dressings, the climax is woefully shallow. Furthermore, the editing is bloated and arbitrary because scenes don't influence one another. Lastly, the imagery is drab due to needlessly muted colors and plain framing. The solid music, impressive cast, and meaningful sound can only go so far. Overall, The Secrets of Dumbledore might please some, but is unlikely to leave an impression.
Writing: 5/10 Direction: 5/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Sound: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack: 7/10 Production Design: 6/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10.
Technically, The Secrets of Dumbledore is disappointing. First, the effects are overdone. Earlier action is compelling, but the finale is undercut by excessive CGI. Plus, the production design in that final act feels empty. Squandering the union of fantasy and period dressings, the climax is woefully shallow. Furthermore, the editing is bloated and arbitrary because scenes don't influence one another. Lastly, the imagery is drab due to needlessly muted colors and plain framing. The solid music, impressive cast, and meaningful sound can only go so far. Overall, The Secrets of Dumbledore might please some, but is unlikely to leave an impression.
Writing: 5/10 Direction: 5/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Sound: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack: 7/10 Production Design: 6/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 6/10
Overall Score: 6.3/10.
Really, really awful
Hayden-8605511 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Where do I start, Fantastic Beasts the Secrets of Dumblebore is absolutely terrible. The plot is barebones at best, makes little sense in many places (random portkey, German minister makes speech "every gets a say" then let's an animal pick the leader of a country, random exposition scenes just for the sake of it etc) and the acting is average. The music was ok but honestly I enjoyed barely any of this even the action was dull, had no stakes and wasn't exciting.
2/10: I can't believe they're going to manage to make five of these films. It's like if they split the Deathly Hallows into five parts with barely any plot in each.
2/10: I can't believe they're going to manage to make five of these films. It's like if they split the Deathly Hallows into five parts with barely any plot in each.
A 'Fantastic Beasts' film with not enough fantastic and not enough beasts
TheLittleSongbird7 March 2023
The first 'Fantastic Beasts' film was very enjoyable. While having its fair share of problems, namely over-stuffing which affected the coherence, there was also a lot to like about the second, with Johnny Depp having much more of a chance to shine and shine he did. So seeing the third was definitely on the cards, despite its troubled behind the scenes with Depp's firing and the JK Rowling controversy which has affected the franchise's popularity this reviewer thinks.
Was also really interested in seeing how Depp's replacement Mads Mikkelsen would fare as Grindelwald. Am someone who has a very high opinion of Mikkelsen and there are not many actors who can play villains as well as he. When seeing it in the cinema some months ago, my thoughts were mixed to midlly positive at first. When thinking over it more recently when finally getting round to reviewing, this reviewer actually found herself liking it less and feeling more strongly about the problems. Of the three, it's for me the weakest (and no, that it doesn't have Depp in it has nothing to do with it) as the first two at least felt like 'Fantastic Beasts' whereas this felt like a distant relative.
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' does have good things. It looks absolutely fantastic, with stunning set/production design, very atmospheric photography and effects that really do give off a sense of wonder. The music is rousing in spots, eerily haunting in others, jaunty in others and melancholic in others. Really liked that Newt had more to do and was more incidental to the story. When the beasts do feature, they are fun. Niffler steals every scene he appears in. Liked the Quilan too.
Of all the scenes in the film, it does start off very well and intriguingly, everything with Dumbledore intrigues and evokes some nice unforced nostalgia and the climax did excite initially. But the highlight is the riotously bizarre dance as part of a particularly perilous escape, a scene that also had a lot of nail biting tension. It is well performed, Eddie Redmayne continues to be well cast as Newt and Dan Vogler has a lot of fun moments. Ezra Miller is quietly intense and Jude Law is nobly charismatic. Mikkelsen is always going to be compared to Depp, and while it is a very different interpretation and more James Bond villain-like Mikkelsen is still very menacing in a subtle way.
Against all of that, there is a lot wrong. It was good that the plotting is more streamlined/straightforward and more coherent than the second, but it does suffer still from not doing enough with too many plot strands. Coming off worst is the Yusuf Kama subplot and role, which are completely incongruous to the story and could have been left out entirely because absolutely nothing is done with it. Credence's story, after so much promising build up and some nice suspense still, felt rather rushed.
Moreover, 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' is too long by about twenty minutes, tightening the pace, exciting Kama's role and storyline and trimming down a little some of the last act would have solved this. Didn't like too the script's annoying tendency to over-explain, too much telling and not enough show and too much of a reliance on background exposition. Really wish that there was more of the beasts, when they do appear they are fun (though only Niffler is properly memorable) but they are very under-utilised and have very little role in the story. Excepting a nice build up, the ending felt very anti-climactic and incomplete and is a type of ending that this reviewer doesn't care about usually in case another instalment or two is not done.
In conclusion, very conflicted here and couldn't have feeling disappointed. 5/10.
Was also really interested in seeing how Depp's replacement Mads Mikkelsen would fare as Grindelwald. Am someone who has a very high opinion of Mikkelsen and there are not many actors who can play villains as well as he. When seeing it in the cinema some months ago, my thoughts were mixed to midlly positive at first. When thinking over it more recently when finally getting round to reviewing, this reviewer actually found herself liking it less and feeling more strongly about the problems. Of the three, it's for me the weakest (and no, that it doesn't have Depp in it has nothing to do with it) as the first two at least felt like 'Fantastic Beasts' whereas this felt like a distant relative.
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' does have good things. It looks absolutely fantastic, with stunning set/production design, very atmospheric photography and effects that really do give off a sense of wonder. The music is rousing in spots, eerily haunting in others, jaunty in others and melancholic in others. Really liked that Newt had more to do and was more incidental to the story. When the beasts do feature, they are fun. Niffler steals every scene he appears in. Liked the Quilan too.
Of all the scenes in the film, it does start off very well and intriguingly, everything with Dumbledore intrigues and evokes some nice unforced nostalgia and the climax did excite initially. But the highlight is the riotously bizarre dance as part of a particularly perilous escape, a scene that also had a lot of nail biting tension. It is well performed, Eddie Redmayne continues to be well cast as Newt and Dan Vogler has a lot of fun moments. Ezra Miller is quietly intense and Jude Law is nobly charismatic. Mikkelsen is always going to be compared to Depp, and while it is a very different interpretation and more James Bond villain-like Mikkelsen is still very menacing in a subtle way.
Against all of that, there is a lot wrong. It was good that the plotting is more streamlined/straightforward and more coherent than the second, but it does suffer still from not doing enough with too many plot strands. Coming off worst is the Yusuf Kama subplot and role, which are completely incongruous to the story and could have been left out entirely because absolutely nothing is done with it. Credence's story, after so much promising build up and some nice suspense still, felt rather rushed.
Moreover, 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' is too long by about twenty minutes, tightening the pace, exciting Kama's role and storyline and trimming down a little some of the last act would have solved this. Didn't like too the script's annoying tendency to over-explain, too much telling and not enough show and too much of a reliance on background exposition. Really wish that there was more of the beasts, when they do appear they are fun (though only Niffler is properly memorable) but they are very under-utilised and have very little role in the story. Excepting a nice build up, the ending felt very anti-climactic and incomplete and is a type of ending that this reviewer doesn't care about usually in case another instalment or two is not done.
In conclusion, very conflicted here and couldn't have feeling disappointed. 5/10.
Lacks the magic and awe the series deserves,
sbweightman8 April 2022
Rather slow and boring with a politically oriented plot which throttles itself through its design choices. There's lots of spectacular looking CGI and special effects, but most of the action was in dark scenes which made it hard to see what was going on and for all the magic in the film, it had none of the awe or amazement of the Harry Potter films. Some funny moments and the acting and music was ok, but the secrets were underwhelming and although the production value was high, the entertainment level was not.
A sad legacy to the Wizarding World
thePopcornExplorer12 June 2022
I am from the Harry Potter generation, I grew up with the books and the movies so there's no denying that I am a massive fan of the saga, so when the first news of prequels came out I was as you might imagine expectant!
I thoroughly enjoyed the first movie, sure it lacks the originality and the magic of the original Potter films but it had one thing I really liked: it didn't force itself to be a part of the former stories while still being engaging and clearly happening in the same "Universe".
This changed a bit when the second movie came around, Crimes of Grindelwald made a clear shift on the story and started to force itself in the "Harry Potter" timeline by navigating through the past of some of the beloved characters present in the original movies.
And now the third.. where things just simply go sideways, not only it tries to explore even further Dumbledore's past, but fails miserably on doing so. There are a lot of points in the story that simply make no sense at all, the most annoying being the fact that most characters on screen have absolutely no influence on the plot, they are extras in their own film. Grindelwald "rise to power" is so forced, senseless and so generic to the point of being cringe.. It almost doesn't feel like a Wizarding World movie, the only reason I won't rate it lower is the creatures are indeed a great addition and being able to see Hogwarts always brings good memories, but that's about it in terms of positive aspects.
The Credence plot is pointless after two movies developing it, the climax of the story feels empty after 140 minutes of waiting, the magic these days is used as generic fantasy movie would depict it with complete disregard of the "Potter rules", people throwing spells here and there without pronouncing them and us (the audience) not understanding what actually is going on.. They took the magic out and inserted the desire for money, it's sad for Potter fans around the world.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first movie, sure it lacks the originality and the magic of the original Potter films but it had one thing I really liked: it didn't force itself to be a part of the former stories while still being engaging and clearly happening in the same "Universe".
This changed a bit when the second movie came around, Crimes of Grindelwald made a clear shift on the story and started to force itself in the "Harry Potter" timeline by navigating through the past of some of the beloved characters present in the original movies.
And now the third.. where things just simply go sideways, not only it tries to explore even further Dumbledore's past, but fails miserably on doing so. There are a lot of points in the story that simply make no sense at all, the most annoying being the fact that most characters on screen have absolutely no influence on the plot, they are extras in their own film. Grindelwald "rise to power" is so forced, senseless and so generic to the point of being cringe.. It almost doesn't feel like a Wizarding World movie, the only reason I won't rate it lower is the creatures are indeed a great addition and being able to see Hogwarts always brings good memories, but that's about it in terms of positive aspects.
The Credence plot is pointless after two movies developing it, the climax of the story feels empty after 140 minutes of waiting, the magic these days is used as generic fantasy movie would depict it with complete disregard of the "Potter rules", people throwing spells here and there without pronouncing them and us (the audience) not understanding what actually is going on.. They took the magic out and inserted the desire for money, it's sad for Potter fans around the world.
The franchise needs to stop
jakethesnake-420074 June 2022
Fantastic beasts was always a good idea on paper but it turned out meh and now it's officially dead in the water. It would be interesting to see if they make another after the poor box office results and mixed reactions. I found the first movie ok not great not good but ok , the second was meh and now it's also meh but it's the worst of the series. Like the first 2 the length time is a main falter. The story is not much its most of a waste of a movie. I hope the series stops I love Harry Potter but it's just a cash grab now.
Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald...
Thanos_Alfie29 January 2023
"Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" is the third movie of the Fantastic Beasts franchise in which we watch Albus Dumbledore trying to stop Grindelwald of eliminating all Muggles. Newt Scamander and his friends help Dumbledore as they can.
I liked this movie more than the previous two because it combined very well the great interpretations of the cast with a nice closure of the franchise. The direction which was made by David Yates was very good and his exceptional job was obvious through the whole duration of the film. The interpretations of Jude Law who played as Albus Dumbledore, Mads Mikkelsen who played as Gellert Grindelwald, Eddie Redmayne who played as Newt Scamander and Dan Fogler who played as Jacob Kowalski were very good. Regarding the selection of Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald I believe it was the best choice possible and he did an exceptional job. To sum up, I have to say that "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" is a nice movie and I am sure that if you have already watched the previous two movies of the franchise I am sure you will enjoy this one, too.
I liked this movie more than the previous two because it combined very well the great interpretations of the cast with a nice closure of the franchise. The direction which was made by David Yates was very good and his exceptional job was obvious through the whole duration of the film. The interpretations of Jude Law who played as Albus Dumbledore, Mads Mikkelsen who played as Gellert Grindelwald, Eddie Redmayne who played as Newt Scamander and Dan Fogler who played as Jacob Kowalski were very good. Regarding the selection of Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald I believe it was the best choice possible and he did an exceptional job. To sum up, I have to say that "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" is a nice movie and I am sure that if you have already watched the previous two movies of the franchise I am sure you will enjoy this one, too.
Just atrocious is every sense of the word
Neptune16510 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The fact that this has above an 80% audience score just saddens me at the state of audiences. Rubbish. What have you done to the wizarding world? Dumbledore's reason for making the unreadable vow would have been easily explained with young and drunk with power. In love with you, come on. This thing drags on forever. It would be a lot better with Johnny. This movie blows. Too many characters and too confusing. Look superimposed and fake, despite the high budget, so I wasn't impressed by the FX. And overall it's very slow and rudderless. There's no real sense of adventure, story, direction or anything much to care about. If I could sum it all up in one word, that word is 'boring'.
Still lacking a certain magic, the newest Fantastic Beasts is a step back in the right direction
eddie_baggins12 April 2022
In pleasing a result, the third entry into the Fantastic Beasts franchise (a franchise that seemingly exists with support but no dedicated fanbase or huge fanfare) is a marked improvement on the dire misstep that was 2018's The Crimes of Grindelwald, even if Harry Potter veteran director David Yates still can't find the real magic to enliven this wizarding world property to a level that would have it competing in the same space as the beloved films that came before this J. K Rowling property.
Becoming less and less about the titular beasts that started this Eddie Redmayne lead adventure all the way back in 2016 and more about trying to draw in extra audience engagement and enthusiasm by bringing back known staples such as Hogwarts and a much more prevalent Albus Dumbledore into this latest outing, you can see the battle raging between Fantastic Beasts trying to figure out exactly what it is and who its for and its a battle that isn't won clearly by the conclusion of this third outing, making it a sometimes frustratingly cold experience that still manages to entertain to decent degree.
Without a clear identity or even a character we can truly call our own, with Redmayne's Newt Scamander getting to do his awkward shtick here once more but feeling more like a bystander to whats going on around him, with new addition Mads Mikkelsen's Grindelwald growing in power and his old acquaintance Dumbledore trying to assemble a crack team to help thwart his plans, Fantastic Beasts is hamstrung by its inability to focus its attention into a specific story arc or character journey, with its drab grey and gloomy sets, dark themes and heavy topics feeling rather unmagical for a film that potentially could've finally shed the shackles of past expectations to really let fly with some inventiveness and spark.
There are snippets of such things here, a prison escape and some brief moments spent back in the halls of Hogwarts but for a majority of the films two hour plus runtime there's not a whole lot of memorable moments delivered in Yates film, which is by no means offensively bad or incoherent like much of Crimes of Grindelwald was but it still makes you wish someone could take hold of this property and turn it into the possibly great series it could be, something that is unlikely now with two films left to come.
While not inspiring much jaw-dropping or magical chills, there's still an undeniable cinematic goodness to Rowling's magic filled universe and there is a feeling here that with Dumbledore building his ragtag group of foot soldiers and with Mikkelsen giving Grindelwald a significant amount of menace and unnerving energy, there's hope yet still that the final chapters of Rowling's mid-tier and seemingly unloved property can still work to a level that will ensure we walk away from the Fantastic Beasts series indifferent in ways but not upset at what's been done to our beloved world of wizards, witches and muggles (and the odd beast or two).
Final Say -
Still far removed from even the lesser of the Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a small step back in the right direction following the crimes of the last entry and while its still not awe-inspiring by any stretch of the imagination, its a passable diversion of anyone with a passing interest in the Harry Potter cannon.
3 crab walks out of 5
For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Becoming less and less about the titular beasts that started this Eddie Redmayne lead adventure all the way back in 2016 and more about trying to draw in extra audience engagement and enthusiasm by bringing back known staples such as Hogwarts and a much more prevalent Albus Dumbledore into this latest outing, you can see the battle raging between Fantastic Beasts trying to figure out exactly what it is and who its for and its a battle that isn't won clearly by the conclusion of this third outing, making it a sometimes frustratingly cold experience that still manages to entertain to decent degree.
Without a clear identity or even a character we can truly call our own, with Redmayne's Newt Scamander getting to do his awkward shtick here once more but feeling more like a bystander to whats going on around him, with new addition Mads Mikkelsen's Grindelwald growing in power and his old acquaintance Dumbledore trying to assemble a crack team to help thwart his plans, Fantastic Beasts is hamstrung by its inability to focus its attention into a specific story arc or character journey, with its drab grey and gloomy sets, dark themes and heavy topics feeling rather unmagical for a film that potentially could've finally shed the shackles of past expectations to really let fly with some inventiveness and spark.
There are snippets of such things here, a prison escape and some brief moments spent back in the halls of Hogwarts but for a majority of the films two hour plus runtime there's not a whole lot of memorable moments delivered in Yates film, which is by no means offensively bad or incoherent like much of Crimes of Grindelwald was but it still makes you wish someone could take hold of this property and turn it into the possibly great series it could be, something that is unlikely now with two films left to come.
While not inspiring much jaw-dropping or magical chills, there's still an undeniable cinematic goodness to Rowling's magic filled universe and there is a feeling here that with Dumbledore building his ragtag group of foot soldiers and with Mikkelsen giving Grindelwald a significant amount of menace and unnerving energy, there's hope yet still that the final chapters of Rowling's mid-tier and seemingly unloved property can still work to a level that will ensure we walk away from the Fantastic Beasts series indifferent in ways but not upset at what's been done to our beloved world of wizards, witches and muggles (and the odd beast or two).
Final Say -
Still far removed from even the lesser of the Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a small step back in the right direction following the crimes of the last entry and while its still not awe-inspiring by any stretch of the imagination, its a passable diversion of anyone with a passing interest in the Harry Potter cannon.
3 crab walks out of 5
For more reviews check out Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
Jumbled mess that needed a light turned on and audio turned up
mason2526 July 2022
Admittedly I forget the previous fantastic beast movies, but this seemed like a jumbled mess of disconnected scenes that didn't mesh to form much of a plot. No one cares that dumbledore is gay, it has literally zero bearing on anything. It adds nothing to the plot beyond the contrived amulet he has from between them.
Logically it was a mess.
Middle of the movie they literally state "we used to use a Qilin to pick our leader" which means they no longer use that method. But low and behold, the criminal from the start of the movie gets a ridiculous pardon for his crimes (alleged crimes??), starts running for leader, and within a week or two, is a prime candidate who then brings his own Qilin to what can only presumably be a ballot counting/confirmation ceremony, and no one bats an eye. No one checks said Qilin for tampering or anything else that would make sense. So of course they all immediately bow down to him because the qilin bowed to him..... (previously stated that the qilin would only ever bow to someone pure of heart) AND they just confirm him as the new leader on the spot for this one act. Then the twin gets brought up, again no questions asked, and no verifications done, and presto he's no longer the leader so let's kill him.
Logically it was a mess.
Middle of the movie they literally state "we used to use a Qilin to pick our leader" which means they no longer use that method. But low and behold, the criminal from the start of the movie gets a ridiculous pardon for his crimes (alleged crimes??), starts running for leader, and within a week or two, is a prime candidate who then brings his own Qilin to what can only presumably be a ballot counting/confirmation ceremony, and no one bats an eye. No one checks said Qilin for tampering or anything else that would make sense. So of course they all immediately bow down to him because the qilin bowed to him..... (previously stated that the qilin would only ever bow to someone pure of heart) AND they just confirm him as the new leader on the spot for this one act. Then the twin gets brought up, again no questions asked, and no verifications done, and presto he's no longer the leader so let's kill him.
Fell Asleep
wheatley-2023015 April 2022
I probably managed to stay awake for less than half of this film, if you add up the bits that I endured. Perhaps that means I don't have the right to judge it. But to my mind it accurately reflects the fare on offer. A lot of the dialogue was inaudible. Nothing much happened for long periods. When action does kick in it can be visually stirring, but with so little investment in the characters and their predicament it was not exciting.
As I have never been keen on Harry Potter, fans of the franchise may feel they should take these comments with a pinch of salt. But my wife, who loved Harry Potter and dragged me to a number of the films, yawned her way through this and pronounced it poor.
As I have never been keen on Harry Potter, fans of the franchise may feel they should take these comments with a pinch of salt. But my wife, who loved Harry Potter and dragged me to a number of the films, yawned her way through this and pronounced it poor.
Its not about Fantastic Beasts Anymore
Tetrahejon8 June 2022
The Fantastic Beast Movies should have been about Newt Scamander and friends going on wild and crazy adventures where they run into or face numerous mythical beasts. Imagine Newt interacting with an infant Fluffy (from HP Sorcerers Stone) or taming a Hungarian Horntail. Unfortunately, the fantastic beasts are overshadowed by the Dumbledore VS Grindelwald conflict. However, the film contained stunning visuals and great character performances; but lacked the tension and pizzaz required for a final battle. Worth a watch but falls short with the fantastic beasts being cast aside for a plot that does not entirely deliver.
Not good, 👎
opticuscro16 April 2022
I watched this at the cinema, I can't say I'm sorry for the money I gave for tickets, but it almost is. First of all I came to watch a fantastic beast movie, the first two parts were great for me so I thought there would be this one too. Well I was wrong, here the emphasis is on interpersonal relationships, politics, the emphasis is on promoting same-sex sexual orientations (in backgrond) and many other smaller and bigger things that have absolutely nothing to do with either genre or story, very few special effects unlike previous works and very few fantastic beast. Well mostly suppress your enthusiasm and don't expect much this movie is an below average timekiller .. blah.
Secrets of Dumb-bore
Nagitokomeda6 April 2022
Where to begin with this agonising experience? Its a 2 hour 20 minute film that feels like its twice that length. I think the writers must have been paid per character they introduce, because this film has so many characters they sink the ship that this franchise is.
Nothing happens for so long. No one is interesting. We don't care about anything. The saving grace of this film is that the acting across the board is great, but great acting cannot save awful writing.
The two good characters are Dumbledore and Newt. Jude Law is great as Dumbledore and, as the title suggests, we learn things about him. Newt is a fun plucky character. I feel bad his Fantastic Beasts series was taken over by this dour slog simulator.
The action is messy. There's no stakes to the action because you don't care about anyone. The film jumps from place to place to thing to thing and nothing is interesting. Why do I care about any of these people (apart from my boy Newt).
Someone needs to lose the writers and directors for the sequels because all I can say about this series is that its a colossal waste of time.
Nothing happens for so long. No one is interesting. We don't care about anything. The saving grace of this film is that the acting across the board is great, but great acting cannot save awful writing.
The two good characters are Dumbledore and Newt. Jude Law is great as Dumbledore and, as the title suggests, we learn things about him. Newt is a fun plucky character. I feel bad his Fantastic Beasts series was taken over by this dour slog simulator.
The action is messy. There's no stakes to the action because you don't care about anyone. The film jumps from place to place to thing to thing and nothing is interesting. Why do I care about any of these people (apart from my boy Newt).
Someone needs to lose the writers and directors for the sequels because all I can say about this series is that its a colossal waste of time.
The magic fizzled and was replaced by a political drama...
paul_haakonsen15 May 2022
Having recent sat through the two previous movies, I was looking forward to getting to see the third movie in the franchise titled "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore". I must admit that I was having some expectations to writer Steve Kloves and author J. K. Rowling.
I must say that this 2022 movie "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" from director David Yates was a swing and a miss, and it was a major step backwards for the franchise.
First of all, the movie was lacking Johnny Depp, let's just be honest here, the role of Grindelwald could not be played by any other actor. And while I do admit my fellow countryman Mads Mikkelsen and his acting skill, then he just couldn't fill out the shoes left by Depp.
And secondly, the storyline went from being a magical storyline about wizards and strange creatures to a hardcore politcal drama. I just stopped and got off the train here, because I had lost all interest in the turn of change in the storyline, as I have zero interest in political dramas. And that was exactly what "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" had turned into; a political drama. Long gone was the appeal of wizards, magic, fantastic beasts and a good old fashioned fairy tale.
Visually then "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" was a good movie, of course it was. Just as the previous two movies were. The CGI and special effects in the 2022 movie are great and visually impressive, and definitely add a lot of flavor to the movie.
The cast ensemble in "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" was good, and it was definitely nice to have lots of returning actors and actresses come back to reprise their characters and roles. And while Mads Mikkelsen is a good actor and certainly put on a good performance in "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore", then he just was no Johnny Depp. And Johnny Depp was sorely missed from the movie, as he alone embodied the Grindelwald character.
I was rather disappointed with what director David Yates delivered here. But I had not expected the movie to become a political drama. And I ended up walking out on the movie with just 20 minutes left to the end.
My rating of "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" lands on a four out of ten stars.
I must say that this 2022 movie "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" from director David Yates was a swing and a miss, and it was a major step backwards for the franchise.
First of all, the movie was lacking Johnny Depp, let's just be honest here, the role of Grindelwald could not be played by any other actor. And while I do admit my fellow countryman Mads Mikkelsen and his acting skill, then he just couldn't fill out the shoes left by Depp.
And secondly, the storyline went from being a magical storyline about wizards and strange creatures to a hardcore politcal drama. I just stopped and got off the train here, because I had lost all interest in the turn of change in the storyline, as I have zero interest in political dramas. And that was exactly what "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" had turned into; a political drama. Long gone was the appeal of wizards, magic, fantastic beasts and a good old fashioned fairy tale.
Visually then "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" was a good movie, of course it was. Just as the previous two movies were. The CGI and special effects in the 2022 movie are great and visually impressive, and definitely add a lot of flavor to the movie.
The cast ensemble in "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" was good, and it was definitely nice to have lots of returning actors and actresses come back to reprise their characters and roles. And while Mads Mikkelsen is a good actor and certainly put on a good performance in "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore", then he just was no Johnny Depp. And Johnny Depp was sorely missed from the movie, as he alone embodied the Grindelwald character.
I was rather disappointed with what director David Yates delivered here. But I had not expected the movie to become a political drama. And I ended up walking out on the movie with just 20 minutes left to the end.
My rating of "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" lands on a four out of ten stars.
The Secrets Are Out: Unbalanced, Lacking Story, and A Bit Uneven Pace. The Visuals and Music Are Still Just As magical
rgkarim15 April 2022
LIKES:
The Creatures: For the creatures we actually get to see, Fantastic Beasts has made some very cute and endearing merchandising pieces for us to enjoy. The third installment brings with it a small mixture of interested critters for you to enjoy, while still giving you some shots of the loveable lunks in Newt's bag. Props to those whose imaginations can craft such wonderful monsters and beasts, because they definitely belong in Rowling's world.
The Humor: There is plenty of laughs to share in this movie, as the rag tag bunch of wizards try to take on insurmountable odds to save the world from the clever wizard villain. Kowalski's lines are stellar, that comedic punch and delivery to really make you laugh in your seats, and is fitting with most of the Harry Potter style of comedy. Newt's awkwardness works to varying degrees of situational and awkward delivery you love. Throw in some wit from Dumbledore, the animals having some fun laughs, and a few other characters, and you get some good use of the laugh genre to make your catchphrase for a bit. This helps lighten the mood for the darker installment and keeps us towards the balance.
The Darker Aspects: Harry Potter's brilliance is knowing when to start transitioning into the less wonderful side of Wizarding. This movie has started that turn, and helps add some edge, ambiance, and drama to the film to keep you engaged in the characters. Dumbledore's secrets, alongside Grindelwald's, are going down the avenue of the latter books. It works well to pull the spice back in, and put the stakes that Harry Potter's world is famous for. It makes for an engaging story with lots of character pieces to move around and explore, if only done a little better.
Dumbledore's character: Jude Law does well to play younger Albus and I've enjoyed his performance very much in the layering and exploration of his past. However, the movie really dives more into the hidden depths of his inner character and the tale works quite well for me in this installment. By far the strongest piece of the story for me, this subplot, or is it main plot, is the most engaging piece of the puzzle and I love the connections, ties, and extra layers that Rowling has done for her legendary character.
Acting: I'd love to go into all the actors and what they accomplished but you and I both know that the performances of these characters are expert and fine-tuned. Redmayne still knocks the big hearted, compassionate, and awkward Magi-Zoologist out of the park, and is the most balanced character of the bunch in my opinion. Jude Law I've mentioned is wonderful in his portrayal of Albus, witty, wise, riddle spitting, and compassionate to make the already respectable wizard, even cooler. Miller is, okay, but I've not liked his character's direction and think his talents better spent somewhere else than this messy character we are getting. As for the rest of the bunch, varying degrees of awesomeness are there, and such great chemistry, but alas, we must move on to other things.
The Music: A powerful storytelling device in this movie, the score is gorgeous and the same magnitude we fell in love with all those years ago. Fantastic Beast's third installment is filled to the brim with the orchestra work we love, and the engaging tracks all hold so much emotional stakes in this world again. You've got fire, you've got sadness, you've got intrigue, and the familiar ambience of the world revealing itself is all packed into this film. It's that extra level we take advantage of, but for me, this is a higher quality of the film that is consistent in its application through the nearly 150 minute run time.
The Visuals: By far the best part of the movie for me, Warner Bros. Money is utilized well in this film and how they can make everything looks so smooth, polished, and realistic. The creatures of course have their moments, and look as real as they are going to with the visuals, with only the bigger blokes having too much CGI look to it. When the settings and costumes arise, I'm impressed more by just how much they accomplish in their blend of computers and live set location filming, really capturing the culture and mood of the areas. Then you get to the magic and so many spells and interactions with the environment are stellar as they make liquids move, storms erupt, and so many other things come to life. I've always loved the visual telling of this universe, and the updated technology continues to be utilized well to make advanced level magic feuds and repairs become immersive and mystical.
DISLIKES: Character Utilization: We've seen this in big world films that were limitless in books, but limited in films. The world is growing a little too big right now for the films to balance characters out, and given struggles with filming and other aspects, the characters aren't quite as utilized, strong, or connected as the first installment. There are those that are knocks out of the park, but there are others that really feel limited and almost pointless in their inclusion, outside of new Pottermore like stories to come. Several of the antagonistic characters, Ezra Miller's character on part, and even some other fan favorites are surprisingly low in this movie, and that's a bit disappointing for someone like me.
The Incomplete Feeling Of The Story: We know Harry Potter has always been a series, but each book/film accomplished the goal of being a contained book that led you to the next. Like the last film, this series feels like one big book presented in smaller pieces, with each part trying to be the next brick to the complete project. While this overarching story is nice, the issues come from the balance and spreading of the characters and how unbalanced it actually feels. Secrets of Dumbledore seems very chaotic, pieces of the story missing and details sort of inconsistently being presented that are not as enjoyable as the previous arc of this world. In addition, this movie could have ended this series here and now, which I kind of wish it did or at least not dragged out some other plot points that are pretty much done right now for me. Still, the movie does feel like the mid-point climax of a Rowling book at times, but feels it's lacking the magic.
The Action: Potter again got it right in the gradual elevation and use of the spells, though the last movie did need some work. In here, I've mentioned some of the magic is brilliant in the plans of Dumbledore, with the visuals being the WOW factor. However, the action and battling component... kind of stinks compared to the others. A few moments are awesome, seeing the spells and strategy behind it, but there are others that are very limited and boring, over in a flash leading to more symbolic and less climactic fights that I particularly enjoy. You can have both in my opinion, but the climactic finish was more comical and dramatic, than exciting and on the edge of my seat.
The Pace Almost my least favorite thing about the movie, Fantastic Beasts Three is a not the best paced movie of the bunch. It's slow at many parts, drawn out lines and images I don't want to get stuck on as they try to pull the tension and realism to the forefront. Still, the slowness is a little too much for me and without the action having enough time to relieve it from us, it makes the movie a bit boring. Then you throw how fast, patchy and chaotic the plan(s) come out in, alongside the time spent in each setting, and the movie feels choppy and hastily pieced together, which matches production issue stories. As such, the complete feeling again feels to be missing, and the pace really amplified that for me.
The Darkness: I can handle a lot of dark things when it comes to movies and stories, but animal cruelty is not one of them. The first ten minutes suck for me in this film, feeling unnecessary for storytelling, and even more having to see the brutal acts on the screen. I know... they aren't real, that's how I got through them, but this factor is one of my cardinal no-nos for movie making and this tale really went too far for me on this level. If this is not a big issue for you, no problems then, but for me and the little ones, exercise caution, because it is some messed up use of the dark arts that crossed my lines and did not make me enjoy the film. Call me a woose, coward, baby, or whatever, but in animal moments there is always that line to not cross and they did.
The VERDICT:
Overall, the movie is a fine experience and has the visual and audio elements to get you into the theater to enjoy the world of Harry Potter. The Secrets of Dumbledore is still the tale of seeing some cool creatures, soime fun antics, and the heroes coming together to accomplish a task and I liked those familiar elements coming in. Throw in some really good acting, and the character stories of some to bring it to life and you have enough to enjoy Rowling's latest exploration of the world. However, the movie is still suffering from the complete feeling for me, a fan service trying to get more money, but not quite delivering on the full magic and experience I look for in these films. The Action is okay overall when you average it out, and the drama is full flavor for those who drink that aspect of the film in this darker installment. However, the character utilization is mediocre, the story as well feeling like a section of the tale instead of complete, and the darkness aspect crosses the line for me a few times to be unnecessary. Yet, it's the pace that is the big issue and the fact that we potentially have two more to go, makes me hope the grand plan Is going to be set up in the future to be the spectacle I know they can make, if they can just pull it back.
My scores are:
Adventure/Family/Fantasy: 7.0-7.5 Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.
The Creatures: For the creatures we actually get to see, Fantastic Beasts has made some very cute and endearing merchandising pieces for us to enjoy. The third installment brings with it a small mixture of interested critters for you to enjoy, while still giving you some shots of the loveable lunks in Newt's bag. Props to those whose imaginations can craft such wonderful monsters and beasts, because they definitely belong in Rowling's world.
The Humor: There is plenty of laughs to share in this movie, as the rag tag bunch of wizards try to take on insurmountable odds to save the world from the clever wizard villain. Kowalski's lines are stellar, that comedic punch and delivery to really make you laugh in your seats, and is fitting with most of the Harry Potter style of comedy. Newt's awkwardness works to varying degrees of situational and awkward delivery you love. Throw in some wit from Dumbledore, the animals having some fun laughs, and a few other characters, and you get some good use of the laugh genre to make your catchphrase for a bit. This helps lighten the mood for the darker installment and keeps us towards the balance.
The Darker Aspects: Harry Potter's brilliance is knowing when to start transitioning into the less wonderful side of Wizarding. This movie has started that turn, and helps add some edge, ambiance, and drama to the film to keep you engaged in the characters. Dumbledore's secrets, alongside Grindelwald's, are going down the avenue of the latter books. It works well to pull the spice back in, and put the stakes that Harry Potter's world is famous for. It makes for an engaging story with lots of character pieces to move around and explore, if only done a little better.
Dumbledore's character: Jude Law does well to play younger Albus and I've enjoyed his performance very much in the layering and exploration of his past. However, the movie really dives more into the hidden depths of his inner character and the tale works quite well for me in this installment. By far the strongest piece of the story for me, this subplot, or is it main plot, is the most engaging piece of the puzzle and I love the connections, ties, and extra layers that Rowling has done for her legendary character.
Acting: I'd love to go into all the actors and what they accomplished but you and I both know that the performances of these characters are expert and fine-tuned. Redmayne still knocks the big hearted, compassionate, and awkward Magi-Zoologist out of the park, and is the most balanced character of the bunch in my opinion. Jude Law I've mentioned is wonderful in his portrayal of Albus, witty, wise, riddle spitting, and compassionate to make the already respectable wizard, even cooler. Miller is, okay, but I've not liked his character's direction and think his talents better spent somewhere else than this messy character we are getting. As for the rest of the bunch, varying degrees of awesomeness are there, and such great chemistry, but alas, we must move on to other things.
The Music: A powerful storytelling device in this movie, the score is gorgeous and the same magnitude we fell in love with all those years ago. Fantastic Beast's third installment is filled to the brim with the orchestra work we love, and the engaging tracks all hold so much emotional stakes in this world again. You've got fire, you've got sadness, you've got intrigue, and the familiar ambience of the world revealing itself is all packed into this film. It's that extra level we take advantage of, but for me, this is a higher quality of the film that is consistent in its application through the nearly 150 minute run time.
The Visuals: By far the best part of the movie for me, Warner Bros. Money is utilized well in this film and how they can make everything looks so smooth, polished, and realistic. The creatures of course have their moments, and look as real as they are going to with the visuals, with only the bigger blokes having too much CGI look to it. When the settings and costumes arise, I'm impressed more by just how much they accomplish in their blend of computers and live set location filming, really capturing the culture and mood of the areas. Then you get to the magic and so many spells and interactions with the environment are stellar as they make liquids move, storms erupt, and so many other things come to life. I've always loved the visual telling of this universe, and the updated technology continues to be utilized well to make advanced level magic feuds and repairs become immersive and mystical.
DISLIKES: Character Utilization: We've seen this in big world films that were limitless in books, but limited in films. The world is growing a little too big right now for the films to balance characters out, and given struggles with filming and other aspects, the characters aren't quite as utilized, strong, or connected as the first installment. There are those that are knocks out of the park, but there are others that really feel limited and almost pointless in their inclusion, outside of new Pottermore like stories to come. Several of the antagonistic characters, Ezra Miller's character on part, and even some other fan favorites are surprisingly low in this movie, and that's a bit disappointing for someone like me.
The Incomplete Feeling Of The Story: We know Harry Potter has always been a series, but each book/film accomplished the goal of being a contained book that led you to the next. Like the last film, this series feels like one big book presented in smaller pieces, with each part trying to be the next brick to the complete project. While this overarching story is nice, the issues come from the balance and spreading of the characters and how unbalanced it actually feels. Secrets of Dumbledore seems very chaotic, pieces of the story missing and details sort of inconsistently being presented that are not as enjoyable as the previous arc of this world. In addition, this movie could have ended this series here and now, which I kind of wish it did or at least not dragged out some other plot points that are pretty much done right now for me. Still, the movie does feel like the mid-point climax of a Rowling book at times, but feels it's lacking the magic.
The Action: Potter again got it right in the gradual elevation and use of the spells, though the last movie did need some work. In here, I've mentioned some of the magic is brilliant in the plans of Dumbledore, with the visuals being the WOW factor. However, the action and battling component... kind of stinks compared to the others. A few moments are awesome, seeing the spells and strategy behind it, but there are others that are very limited and boring, over in a flash leading to more symbolic and less climactic fights that I particularly enjoy. You can have both in my opinion, but the climactic finish was more comical and dramatic, than exciting and on the edge of my seat.
The Pace Almost my least favorite thing about the movie, Fantastic Beasts Three is a not the best paced movie of the bunch. It's slow at many parts, drawn out lines and images I don't want to get stuck on as they try to pull the tension and realism to the forefront. Still, the slowness is a little too much for me and without the action having enough time to relieve it from us, it makes the movie a bit boring. Then you throw how fast, patchy and chaotic the plan(s) come out in, alongside the time spent in each setting, and the movie feels choppy and hastily pieced together, which matches production issue stories. As such, the complete feeling again feels to be missing, and the pace really amplified that for me.
The Darkness: I can handle a lot of dark things when it comes to movies and stories, but animal cruelty is not one of them. The first ten minutes suck for me in this film, feeling unnecessary for storytelling, and even more having to see the brutal acts on the screen. I know... they aren't real, that's how I got through them, but this factor is one of my cardinal no-nos for movie making and this tale really went too far for me on this level. If this is not a big issue for you, no problems then, but for me and the little ones, exercise caution, because it is some messed up use of the dark arts that crossed my lines and did not make me enjoy the film. Call me a woose, coward, baby, or whatever, but in animal moments there is always that line to not cross and they did.
The VERDICT:
Overall, the movie is a fine experience and has the visual and audio elements to get you into the theater to enjoy the world of Harry Potter. The Secrets of Dumbledore is still the tale of seeing some cool creatures, soime fun antics, and the heroes coming together to accomplish a task and I liked those familiar elements coming in. Throw in some really good acting, and the character stories of some to bring it to life and you have enough to enjoy Rowling's latest exploration of the world. However, the movie is still suffering from the complete feeling for me, a fan service trying to get more money, but not quite delivering on the full magic and experience I look for in these films. The Action is okay overall when you average it out, and the drama is full flavor for those who drink that aspect of the film in this darker installment. However, the character utilization is mediocre, the story as well feeling like a section of the tale instead of complete, and the darkness aspect crosses the line for me a few times to be unnecessary. Yet, it's the pace that is the big issue and the fact that we potentially have two more to go, makes me hope the grand plan Is going to be set up in the future to be the spectacle I know they can make, if they can just pull it back.
My scores are:
Adventure/Family/Fantasy: 7.0-7.5 Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.
38mins. Turned it off
SEGHE12413 February 2023
What a let Down to a great group of books. How can you go from "following" the narrative with Harry Potter. Showing us multiple uses of using magic from howlers, sturing a teaspoon to lighting a fire. But all this move does make me cringe. Magic only being used for attacking? And what the hell is with the god awful accent. Jessica Williams character eulalie hicks who has a "Mid-atlantic" accent, caused me to turn this movie off.
I can say that for the worst accent I can ever recall. This character and actor is in 1st place for reference in the future.
I feel sorry for Eddie redmayne "newt" as he's such a good actor. As well as Mr. Mikkelsen and Mr. Law.
I can say that for the worst accent I can ever recall. This character and actor is in 1st place for reference in the future.
I feel sorry for Eddie redmayne "newt" as he's such a good actor. As well as Mr. Mikkelsen and Mr. Law.
The lack of intensity in the action scenes made this movie rather forgettable than rewatchable
Ruben176 April 2022
Was the third installment in the Fantastic Beast "universe" a succes?
Well, the main storyline was okey but the rest of it was kinda unimportant and not that interesting.. Also like i had with the previous two installments was the lack of intensity and emotions in the action scenes.
And after 3 completed movie i still can't find my connection with most of the characters especially the main one's.
The "recasting" of Johnny Depp was a huge mistake for the development of Grindelwald's character!
One of the outstanding parts were the CGi and special effects so enjoyable and well created.
Also the Harry Potter references were nice, lovely and not overdone It's a overall good movie but not one to rewatch weekly like the other two, it's pretty predictable with more forgettable moments than remembered once's.
I really wanted to like it more but it just didn't really worked out for me...
Well, the main storyline was okey but the rest of it was kinda unimportant and not that interesting.. Also like i had with the previous two installments was the lack of intensity and emotions in the action scenes.
And after 3 completed movie i still can't find my connection with most of the characters especially the main one's.
The "recasting" of Johnny Depp was a huge mistake for the development of Grindelwald's character!
One of the outstanding parts were the CGi and special effects so enjoyable and well created.
Also the Harry Potter references were nice, lovely and not overdone It's a overall good movie but not one to rewatch weekly like the other two, it's pretty predictable with more forgettable moments than remembered once's.
I really wanted to like it more but it just didn't really worked out for me...
Send this franchise to Azkaban
AdamCinelioglu10 April 2022
Just when I thought it couldn't get any more insulting than The Crimes of Grindelwald - Yates & Rowling outdid themselves in spectacular fashion.
What an atrocious, insulting, messy, inconsistent, awkward jumble of a film.
Laughable plotlines, non-sensical world and lore building, convenience is at an all time high - and don't get me started on the clear and present merchandising attempts through washed out fan service.
Any Harry Potter fan will agree with me when I say that this cash grab of a series needs to die.
Annoyingly - it's SO bad that I can't wait to see what bull they try and get away with in the next one.
What an atrocious, insulting, messy, inconsistent, awkward jumble of a film.
Laughable plotlines, non-sensical world and lore building, convenience is at an all time high - and don't get me started on the clear and present merchandising attempts through washed out fan service.
Any Harry Potter fan will agree with me when I say that this cash grab of a series needs to die.
Annoyingly - it's SO bad that I can't wait to see what bull they try and get away with in the next one.
A gathering of missed opportunities
trash-mailnervmichnicht9 April 2022
A movie with some solid ideas for character development and a promising overall plotline that constantly loses itself in meaningless subplots and ridicoulus moments of mere fan service. Overall the movie ended up being a visually impressive gathering of missed opportunities.
Instead of focusing on Newt, Dumbledore or Grindelwald the writers included screentime filling action for a number of side characters that does not influence the outcome at all. This only prevents the main story from progressing and (apart from the admittedly hilarious sidekick Kowalski) creates passages that you just have to endure.
Plus the faceless army of Grindelwald's followers is so utterly incompetent that there never is any real danger to the heroes. They get shot down like puppets in a 15:1 strength ratio, are knocked out by Quidditch balls that wouldn't even cause a twelve-year-old any problems (see Harry Potter Part 2) and get beaten up by a Muggle with a suitcase.
The whole "we meet at Hogwarts to make a plan to save the world"-scene could have been replaced by a simple letter and wasn't any more than an excuse to include the castle in the trailer.
Instead of focusing on Newt, Dumbledore or Grindelwald the writers included screentime filling action for a number of side characters that does not influence the outcome at all. This only prevents the main story from progressing and (apart from the admittedly hilarious sidekick Kowalski) creates passages that you just have to endure.
Plus the faceless army of Grindelwald's followers is so utterly incompetent that there never is any real danger to the heroes. They get shot down like puppets in a 15:1 strength ratio, are knocked out by Quidditch balls that wouldn't even cause a twelve-year-old any problems (see Harry Potter Part 2) and get beaten up by a Muggle with a suitcase.
The whole "we meet at Hogwarts to make a plan to save the world"-scene could have been replaced by a simple letter and wasn't any more than an excuse to include the castle in the trailer.
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