Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldis now out in theaters, and boy are there things to discuss with this movie. The sequel is the second installment in what screenwriterJ.K. Rowlingplans to be a five-film franchise, picking up in 1927 pretty directly after the events ofFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The sequel moves us closer to the world ofHarry Potterthat fans know and love, as the villainous Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) has his eye on recruiting the dangerous and enigmatic Credence (Ezra Miller) to help him on his quest to assert wizard dominance over the Muggle world.
Of course Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and the characters from the firstFantastic Beastsare back in the fray, tasked by Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to get to Credence first. What plays out is more of a thriller than an adventure film, with deep mysteries at the heart that have jaw-dropping conclusions.
Most reviews have been unkind to the film, but personally I was quite charmed by it. It’s certainly more novelistic in structure than a feature film should be, and while it doesn’t necessarily have one strong thematic throughline from beginning to end—or even really a beginning, middle, and end—I was still delighted to spend time with these characters knowing full well I was watching an unfinished chapter in a five-film saga.
So,spoiler warning, but the end ofFantastic Beasts 2drops a major reveal: that Credence is not some nobody, but is instead the brother of Albus Dumbledore. This has major ramifications not only for the future of theFantastic Beastsfranchise, but also for theHarry Potteruniverse, so fans will likely have some strong reactions. You either take this at face value or assume that Grindelwald was lying, but either way this appears to be the way forward for theFantastic Beastsfranchise.
Matt’s review is on the site, and now we want to know what you, the fans, think about the film. DidFantastic Beasts 2improve upon its predecessor? Was it a major letdown? Did the various reveals land for you, or were you perturbed that Rowling tied this franchise even closer together with theHarry Potteruniverse? Sound off in the comments section below.
