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Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Movie Review

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a 2022 fantasy film directed by David Yates and starring Jude Law and Mads Mikkelsen. It’s a disorganized, but hugely endearing and entertaining entry in this franchise.

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“There’s nothing you can do to stop me“

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‘The Crimes of Grindelwald’ stumbled quite a bit after the wonderful and very enjoyable first entry in the Fantastic Beasts series, so it was nice to see that the franchise is back on track in terms of quality as this third entry is most definitely an improvement upon its predecessor, though I am still hesitant to call it better than the original.

The series continues to be anti-Harry Potter in terms of the world building. While a part of me gets teary-eyed every single time I see Hogwarts in one of these movies and that even makes me wish that all of these stories were set there, it is still essential to differentiate this franchise form its classic granddaddy and going global and more serious was the right way to achieve that. Brazil was promised to us and we did not get it due to filming difficulties, but Berlin was beautifully realized and the third act in Bhutan was terrific.

This is also the first time in the series so far that they actually incorporated the beasts thoughtfully into the screenplay. They do not seem like an afterthought and most aren’t used too much for the sake of humor, but actually drive the plot forward. The Qilin are essential to the main storyline and they are present in both the movie’s darkest (the killing scene) and sweetest moment (the recognition of Dumbledore’s pure heart).

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It was interesting seeing this ceremony in the third act and how it works. This film is surprisingly political, but in the right way as those elements made it sophisticated and intriguing. It was fascinating witnessing the inner workings of the international political landscape in the magical world. Yes, the parallels between Grindelwald and Hitler are very obvious, but still they fit in the overall story pretty well and those scenes in Berlin are actually among the best here.

I would still contend that these movies are overly densely plotted and populated by way too many characters and subplots. I still like that novelistic approach to a degree and I would much rather have this type of Wizarding World movie than an empty VFX action spectacle, but still a more streamlined film in the future would bring more people on board this magical train.

I love Newt Scamander. He continues to be one of the most purely authentic protagonists in a major Hollywood franchise. I loved his relationship with Dumbledore and how they are full of respect to one another. This movie in particular showcases the importance of animal care and respect and Newt’s big heart and charm are undeniable with Eddie Redmayne delivering another terrific performance. I just wish that Tina wasn’t sidelined so ridiculously as she was basically absent here until that very end. Their romance is great and I want more of their dynamic in the future.

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Theseus is now fully reunited with his brother and it was wonderful seeing them fight together side by side. He was now a much more competent Auror than he had been in the previous flicks. Thankfully, Queenie quickly went back to the side of good and she is just as sweet as she always has been. Her romance with Jacob continues to be one of the most heartwarming elements of this series. Jacob is definitely too much of a comedy relief here, but Dan Fogler’s line delivery and slapstick are both excellent. This character has a lot of heart and it was great how they did not make him magical as that would not only destroy the canon, but the purpose of his character too.

I adored the scene on the train and how it set up this entirely new team to fight against Grindelwald. These small moments of comradeship and playful dynamic are almost reminiscent to the dynamic between Harry, Ron and Hermione and I wish that we had more of those throughout the whole series. Yusuf Kama was underutilized, Bunty is more present here but still a one-note joke for the most part, but Professor Hicks I just adored. She is the newest addition to the cast and she’s just awesome. A cool, charismatic witch who is also very funny and charming – she’s a lovely creation indeed.

I loved the role of Aberforth and that Credence actually turned out to be his son and not their brother. This revelation made the previous movie better as I really detested that final twist, but now it all made sense. This plot development led to more depth for both of these characters.

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As for Dumbledore and Grindelwald, well, a lot has been said about them being the first openly gay couple in a huge blockbuster movie, and that is true and Rowling needs to be congratulated more for those efforts, but the end result is more muted in that respect due to the obvious attempts to appeal to the widest demographics possible and the entire globe. The chemistry between the actors worked and the friction was definitely there, but I just wish that we got more of it, and I am not just talking about the doomed romance part of it, but also the conflict itself. Again, this was all quality stuff and their scenes are uniformly electric, but I needed even more of those and I hope the future installments bring them to the forefront once again.

This installment pinpoints what a terrific creation Albus Dumbledore is and just how complicated and tragic his backstory is. It is all explored beautifully here and Jude Law truly delivered one wonderful, highly emotional and understated performance. He is the acting highlight here, though Mikkelsen was also fantastic as the chilly, brutal Gellert Grindelwald.

Their fight at the end was both beautifully poetic and quite cool. I wish the movie had more action scenes. Those that we got are great, but still I needed more duels. The Secrets of Dumbledore is also overly reliant on humor that is very family-friendly, thus contrasting awkwardly with the story’s darker and more sinister moments. I loved its endearing goofiness and the playful nature of some scenes, but it did make the tone a bit jumbled as a result.

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In terms of the visuals, this is an improvement upon its overly dark-looking predecessor. Not only is the action choreography superb, but the creature effects are incredible. The whole movie is brighter and more polished than the last. The score is also lovely. The direction from Yates is only serviceable and the pacing is all over the place, but the screenplay overall is pretty strong as is expectedly well written dialogue by Rowling. She needs more admiration for the great work that she does in the writing department.