FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE -- With A Fantastic Beginning but Disappointing Ending

Review by Paris Jade

(L-R) JESSICA WILLIAMS as Eulalie “Lally” Hicks, CALLUM TURNER as Theseus Scamander, FIONA GLASCOTT as Minerva McGonagall, DAN FOGLER as Jacob Kowalski, JUDE LAW as Albus Dumbledore and EDDIE REDMAYNE as Newt Scamander in Warner Bros. Pictures' fantasy adventure "FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

After four years, we have finally gotten the long-awaited Fantastic Beasts sequel, making this series a trilogy. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore has finally arrived. This film was just amazing. Immediately your attention is grabbed in the beginning with the stunning effects. If you hadn't watched the first two films, you might be a bit confused because it immediately goes into the storyline and picks up where the last movie left off, which is perfect for a person who wants to deep dive into the plot. 
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Let's first discuss the casting for this film, as we have a brand new Grindelwald in replacement of Johnny Depp. Mads Mikkelsen makes a great villain; he's a very menacing looking man. The only problem with this particular film is that whoever did the casting decided they wanted someone who looked and sounded just like Mikkelsen. Oscar Masucci plays Anton Vogel, the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, basically meaning he called all the shots for the wizarding community. There was a scene where it kept cutting back and forth between Vogel and Grindelwald, and you swear it's the same person. The amount of times you'll be confused about who is on your screen is way too many. So when you do decide to see this film, remind yourself that Grindelwald is the one with a baby grey streak in his hair, obviously a very big distinction. Other than that mishap, the rest of the cast is perfect as they were in their previous films and truly know and understand the characters they are playing. ​

MADS MIKKELSEN as Gellert Grindelwald in Warner Bros. Pictures' fantasy adventure "FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Regarding the effects, Warner Bros. one-ups themselves when it comes to the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts franchise. Every new movie delivers great new effects, and this one does not stray away from that. This is a film that you have to experience in theaters. Every fake creature that we discover in the movie looks incredibly real, which only makes you more attached to them. 

The plot itself was very entertaining. You are pulled into instantly, and you want to know what happens next. The film starts with a regular conversation between two characters and then shoots you into an epic battle. Suddenly, the stakes are high, and you are on a journey to defeat Grindelwald. The build-up during the film is great. You can feel the tension between Dumbledore and Grindlewald, you can feel the stakes of everyone's lives rising until the final scene, but then there's not much payoff. The ending doesn't feel grand enough for such a big build-up, and it's honestly a little disappointing. There is a bit of a happy ending, but it didn't feel like enough for everything that happened. You leave the film wanting more and not in a good way. However, even with an ending like that, it is still a great film, and you should still watch it, especially if you are already a fan of the series because that's who it is made for. 

Catch Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore in theaters on April 15th. 

Rating: 4/5