The Mosley Review: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

There seems to be a tug of war going on with this film franchise. It wants to be an origins piece that showcases the beginning of how the Muggle and Wizarding World came to know of each other's existence, but also the story of a charismatic magical zoologists. I'm all for expanding the Wizarding World, but the last film nearly ended this franchise for its lack explanation and cramming of alot of information. This new entry actual tried to bring back that magic and fun we love with the right amount of darkness. It was a course correction that was sorely needed and felt as if it truly belonged. I thought that it was an interesting choice to make this one a political drama which gave the reason for the pacing, but at times I felt it wasn't always smooth. Many of the things that I felt were wrong with the previous entry were fixed and the characters this time were given way more depth. My major issue is that the film's tone was just so dull and I feel that new leadership is needed.

Eddie Redmayne returns as Newt Scamander and I actually loved him the most in this film. We all know the characters' love for all fantastic beasts, but here you truly see his heart on display as he saves one of the most beautiful creatures of all. He is even more confident around people this time around and I loved his growth. Callum Turner returns as his brother Theseus Scamander and I liked him more this time around. Their relationship was more natural this time and you see the contrast between the two even though their bond is strong. Jude Law returns as the middle aged Albus Dumbledore and he was outstanding. If you're a fan of the character and some of his history, then this film does dive into it further and I loved Jude's commitment to it all. You see Albus' pain and struggle with the guilt of his family history and former lover. Mads Mikkelsen takes over for Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald and he did an excellent job carrying over the same tone of the character while giving him more of an edge. You see his motivations, but in the end it becomes a bit of a stereotypical villain arc of upsetting the balance by political means. Ezra Miller returns as Credence Barebone / Aurelius Dumbledore and he was good and brooding. His story was kind of moved to the side and rightfully so because of its predictability and straight forward nature. Victoria Yeates was absolutely delightful again as Bunty Broadacre and she turned out to be one of the most important characters. Her friendship with Newt was even better this time as you see Newt trust her completely. Jessica Williams as Professor Eulalie "Lally" Hicks was a very welcomed newcomer to the franchise and makes a strong and lasting impression as one of the most well rounded characters. She had a commanding presence and I loved her creativity. Dan Fogler returns as Jacob Kowalski and he hasn't skipped a beat in quality. He consistently carries over the earnesty of the character and you love him even more as he still struggles with the betrayal of his loved one. Alison Sudol was once again great as Queenie Goldstein and you see the torment and shame of the things she’s done to Jacob in the previous film. Their chemistry and love is the heart of the franchise and you feel the heartbreak and you desperately want them back together.

The score by James Newton Howard was excellent as always and very warm. It drives home the emotion in the most softest scenes and you feel the darker tone emerge in a particular scene. I don't mind a slower pace in films, but this entry you really felt it drag. The tone is almost completely devoid of any happiness and sometimes it lacks focus. Like I said before, the main character of the franchise is Newt Scamander, but it feels like he is becoming secondary now. Instead of Newt and friends, its starting to look like everyone else and then Newt. I loved that we got more about Dumbledore, but I think this franchise needs to refocus. The magic is still there and Director David Yates is a wonderful filmmaker, but I think its time for him to step away and let a new voice take a shot at the next entry. In the end I enjoyed this definite improvement over Crimes of Grindelwald. I know that there is still much more to tell, but these films need that magical charm for this franchise to go any further. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!