Les Animaux fantastiques : Les Secrets de Dumbledore

Though the style part was enjoyable on it's own; the cinematography, special effects, costumes, score, set design and much of the acting was brilliant. It felt great to lose myself into the feel of the wizarding world again. But the plot and the writing felt unanchored in anything real or relatable. Nothing felt earned. Events just happened without much anticipation or appreciation of their significance, and I didn't feel invested much in any of the plot lines or characters. I'm not expert enough to pinpoint exactly what went wrong, but I know something did.

The Secrets of Dumbledore is convoluted by inconsequential plotlines and redundant characters. It's so unfocused, it doesn't have a consistent tone or protagonist. The film centers around wizarding politics, but doesn't elaborate on them. This shrinks the Potterverse and satisfies nobody. Meanwhile, Redmayne and Law's protagonist duet is equally unsatisfying. Oddly, no character feels essential (besides Grindelwald) and action sequences don't progress the story. Ultimately, the movie is overstuffed and develops nothing. Mikkelsen and Fogler excel in their limited roles, but they're sparse in this jumble. Without streamlining, The Secrets of Dumbledore is emotionally uninspired.

Technically, The Secrets of Dumbledore is disappointing. First, the effects are overdone. Earlier action is compelling, but the finale is undercut by excessive CGI. Plus, the production design in that final act feels empty. Squandering the union of fantasy and period dressings, the climax is woefully shallow. Furthermore, the editing is bloated and arbitrary because scenes don't influence one another. Lastly, the imagery is drab due to needlessly muted colors and plain framing. The solid music, impressive cast, and meaningful sound can only go so far. Overall, The Secrets of Dumbledore might please some, but is unlikely to leave an impression.

Writing: 5/10 Direction: 5/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 7/10 Editing: 5/10 Sound: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack: 7/10 Production Design: 6/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 6/10

Overall Score: 6.3/10.

I'm sorry...this may be controversial, Johnny Depp made the character of Grindelwald come to life. The film wasn't the same without him playing the role. Bring Johnny back, or retire the series. Your replacement choice was poor at best. And so sad, Eddie Redmayne is one of my favorite actors, and he was wonderful. Don't ruin your franchise with cancel culture, bring back the real Grindelwald.

Imagine someone that doing a Jigsaw puzzle, it's a complex puzzle, and they have a scissors, and rather than trying to put the puzzle together, they just cut bits off and squeeze them in, that's what I felt about this plot, what there was of one was just very thin, and hung together by very loose strands.

On the plus side, as you'd expect, it is an immaculately produced film, it really does look breathtaking, from the landscapes and costumes to the special effects and beasts, but unfortunately this time around, the visuals can't entirely cover up the cracks.

There are a few times where it's quite moving, but too many times I was left scratching my head wondering what was happening.

I will give credit to both Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law, I thought the pair really did put a huge amount of effort in, and added some degree of credibility, however they deserved to be working with a much better script.

5/10.

The Fantastic Beast Movies should have been about Newt Scamander and friends going on wild and crazy adventures where they run into or face numerous mythical beasts. Imagine Newt interacting with an infant Fluffy (from HP Sorcerers Stone) or taming a Hungarian Horntail. Unfortunately, the fantastic beasts are overshadowed by the Dumbledore VS Grindelwald conflict. However, the film contained stunning visuals and great character performances; but lacked the tension and pizzaz required for a final battle. Worth a watch but falls short with the fantastic beasts being cast aside for a plot that does not entirely deliver.