The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
‘Crimes of Grindelwald’ has same old magic
Second ‘Potter’ prequel ‘Crimes of Grindelwald’ has that same old magic, underutilizes Depp, Law
While it’s likely that mastermind J.K. Rowling has a big story to tell, she seems to be holding most of it back.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” feels very much like what it is: the second chapter in a five-film series. ¶ Set in the world of “Harry Potter” — or, if you like, the Potterverse — this second prequel to the original eight-part film series builds on what was established in its enjoyable 2016 predecessor, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” It advances the story of magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and his pals, and it increases the danger level brought on by dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (a fantastically strange-looking Johnny Depp). It even — eventually — gives us a fairly big revelation after teasing it for much of its two-hour-plus runtime. ¶ However, “The Crimes of Grindelwald” feels like it’s most interested in further table-setting. While it’s likely that Potterverse mastermind J.K. Rowling — who wrote this original screenplay, as she did for the first “Fantastic Beasts” — has a big story to tell, she seems to be holding most of it back.
Still, all the magic — both literal and figurative — of Rowling’s universe is present, as is the charm in her storytelling, even if Newt and company will never burrow into our hearts the way Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley once did. “The Crimes of Grindelwald” begins in exciting fashion, with the escape from New York in 1927 by the titular wizard in a thrilling, eye-popping sequence involving a flying carriage.
We then skip ahead three months and find a bummedout Newt learning he is being banned from international travels following the events in New York chronicled in the first movie.
Soon, though, a floating disattached gloved hand beckons him on the streets and leads him to a clandestine meeting with a former professor of his, Albus Dumbledore, this younger version of the familiar fatherly figure played by a perfectly cast Jude Law.
Dumbledore tells Newt — and later others — that he “can’t” fight Grindelwald and that he needs Newt’s help. Newt must venture to Paris, Dumbledore says, to find the powerful young wizard Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller, “Justice League”), who survived his ordeal from the first movie. Grindelwald is looking for him, too, and if they join forces, it could mean very bad things for the non-magical folks of the earth.
Before he leaves, Newt encounters old allies Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler, who just started appearing on AMC’s “The Walking Dead”), a non-magical New Yorker, and his mindreading lady love, Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol, “Transparent”). He is disappointed Queenie’s auror sister, Tina (Katherine Waterston, “Alien: Covenant”), isn’t with them. The two shared a chemistry during their previous shared adventure, but, Newt learns, Tina started dating after reading an incorrect report that Newt had become engaged.
Redmayne does nice work as Newt pines for Tina and asks the advice of the amiable Jacob, who tells his friend that when he sees Tina he should simply say what’s in his heart.
“She has eyes just like a salamander,” Newt says wistfully.
“Don’t say that,” Jacob responds.
Soon enough, Newt is reunited with Tina in Paris, where Grindelwald is closing in on Credence, who has joined a circus where magical types pass themselves off as non-magical freaks. Credence, meanwhile, wants to know more about his family and his real identity — knowledge Grindelwald claims to possess.
There are myriad other minor players in this story, including Newt’s auror brother, Theseus (Callum Turner of “The Only Living Boy in New York”), with whom he shares a sibling rivalry, and Theseus’ fiancee, Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz, “Big Little Lies”), which can make “The Crimes of Grindelwald” just a bit challenging to follow.
It doesn’t help that nonPotter obsessives may find themselves distracted by wondering things such as, “Wait, we’ve met Lestranges before, right?” and “How does Brontis Jodorowsky’s insanely old alchemist character, Nicolas Flamel, figure into the Potter saga again?” and “What happens when a person stands before the Mirror of Erised?”
Were Rowling’s present story a bit more gripping, this likely would be less of an issue.
Again, though, Rowling’s inventive mind is alive and well, if “The Crimes of Grindelwald” is any indication. Fantastic beasts are just a small part of the equation.
And the apparent love that director David Yates — who has helmed the last six films in the Potterverse, dating to 2007’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” — has for Rowling’s creation continues to come through in his filming. There are no visual signs of Potter fatigue in “The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
The key returning characters are, well, about as enjoyable as they were the first time around, which is to say reasonably. Most notably, Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything,” “The Danish Girl”) is oddly charming as the lead good guy, but he’s just not extremely compelling.
In fact, in terms of actors, the movie’s greatest assets are Depp (“Black Mass,” “The Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise) and Law (“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” the “Sherlock Holmes” films). Disappointingly, neither is on screen as much as you’d hope, but — and this shouldn’t be giving too much away — that would seem likely to change in future “Fantastic Beasts.”
If nothing else, Rowling, Yates and the rest of the folks who have brought this latest Potterverse story to life have cast yet another spell that leaves us wanting more.