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«Doctor Strange 2» – sheer madness!
by Luca Fontana
Minor hitches aside, «Fantastic Beasts 3» is simply magical
7.4.2022
Translation: Katherine Martin
Many fans are thinking: «Finally! Something new from the Harry Potter universe.» And rightfully so. «The Secrets of Dumbledore» is a fantastic film with a brilliantly cast trio that’ll quickly make audiences forget the flop that came before.
First off, my review contains no spoilers. Any information stated here is featured in previously released trailers.
Say what you want about J.K. Rowling, but she’s undoubtedly an exceptional children’s book author. How else can you explain the fact that «Harry Potter» continues to be a portal to a magical world which enchants kids and grown-ups alike? After all, it’s a world bursting with fascinating contrasts. Wonderful, and dangerous at the same time. Hidden, and yet, right under our noses.
The wizarding world.
The «Fantastic Beasts» movies were never quite able to live up to that roaring success. Perhaps because J.K. Rowling never wrote any novels as their templates – only scripts. And these – we can now conclude – aren’t her strongpoint. The series’ second instalment, «The Crimes of Grindelwald», in particular, is rife with narrative and structural problems.
What «The Secrets of Dumbledore» is all about
It’s the 1930s and the wizarding world is changing. Gellert Grindelwald wants to impose a new world order – one where witches and wizards exist openly. And where muggles – or non-magical people – are subjugated by the magical world through war. After all, weren’t muggles the ones to hunt down witches and wizards during The Dark Ages?
There’s only one wizard who can match Grindelwald’s power: Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law). But a magical blood pact, sealed in their youth when the two were still allies, prevents the legendary duel cited continuously in «Harry Potter» years later. It’s then up to their followers, magical zoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) among them, to tirelessly rally around Grindelwald and Dumbledore and fight it out on their behalf.
That is, until a powerful new weapon falls into Grindelwald’s hands: the ability to see fragments of the future.
Another change of course – this time for the better
Now that Steve Kloves has taken the reins – at least over the plot – «The Secrets of Dumbledore» has something its predecessors didn’t: a plan. The film knows where it begins and ends. It also knows how to clearly progress from beginning to end, without getting weighed down with unnecessary confusion:
a breath of fresh air compared with the complicated, convoluted plot of «The Crimes of Grindelwald». It’s telling that in Kloves’ script, the newly introduced Professor Lally Hicks (Jessica Williams) summarises the events of the previous film in two or three simple sentences. This reveals how much of the plot was actually relevant, and how much was just fluff which slowed down the action.
In fact, the truth is that this new change of course is more than just a step in the right direction. It’s a huge roadmap. As if «Fantastic Beasts» has finally found its rhythm. And its place in the wizarding world. It’s a good one.
The new Grindelwald versus the old Dumbledore
«The Secrets of Dumbledore» turning out well wasn’t a foregone conclusion. The production was constantly rocked by scandals so dramatic that it was unable to bank on success.
Scandal all round.
Mikkelsen, on the other hand, oscillates between charming, benevolent and terrifying. A very effective balancing act that also makes the aforementioned romance seem more credible. I now can’t think of a better actor to play Grindelwald. That’s the biggest compliment I can give Mikkelsen.
And what about these «secrets» of Dumbledore’s we’re promised in the title? For fans, the film takes a deep dive into the back story. A very deep dive. Don’t worry, there’ll be no spoilers here. But prepare yourself for the occasional surprise. And for a few tear-jerking scenes, courtesy of Jude Law’s performance.
Is there anything to criticise? Yep, a little.
But there is some good news. The aforementioned newcomer Lally Hicks, a professor at the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – or the American version of Hogwarts – is a welcome addition. Perhaps it’s because most of her scenes involve the lovable Kowalski as they stir up trouble together in Berlin. There, the film references an important, upcoming election. One that will determine the future leader or leaders of the worldwide magical community.
Wait, what?
In every country, there’s a Ministry of Magic. Every ministry has its own leader. This world government, however, is totally new to me, and as far as I know, has never been mentioned in the books or films. Even though the script attempts to coax you into believing that only someone of true heart can be elevated to its leadership, there’s still something kind of authoritarian about the concept.
My verdict: Finally, the franchise has got really fun.
While «Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them» still seemed too meek and frivolous for the «Harry Potter» cosmos, «The Crimes of Grindelwald» sought its justification in an unbelievably convoluted story which, without any warning, threw its original premise out the window. With «The Secrets of Dumbledore» a happy medium has finally been achieved.
In fact, thanks to his well-performing cast and Steve Kloves’ script, director David Yates has pulled off a mostly light-hearted adventure with plenty of action and imaginative use of computer effects. Once again, the whole film is accompanied by James Newton Howard’s impeccable score. Citing the iconic Harry Potter theme just enough, it allows the audience to bask in some blissful nostalgia before turning their attention back to the fantastic beasts.
«Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore» has been in cinemas since 7 April. Runtime: 142 minutes. Age rating: 12/10.
Luca Fontana
Senior Editor
Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.chI'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.»
