LIKES:
The Creatures: For the creatures we actually get to see, Fantastic Beasts has made some very cute and endearing merchandising pieces for us to enjoy. The third installment brings with it a small mixture of interested critters for you to enjoy, while still giving you some shots of the loveable lunks in Newt's bag. Props to those whose imaginations can craft such wonderful monsters and beasts, because they definitely belong in Rowling's world.
The Humor: There is plenty of laughs to share in this movie, as the rag tag bunch of wizards try to take on insurmountable odds to save the world from the clever wizard villain. Kowalski's lines are stellar, that comedic punch and delivery to really make you laugh in your seats, and is fitting with most of the Harry Potter style of comedy. Newt's awkwardness works to varying degrees of situational and awkward delivery you love. Throw in some wit from Dumbledore, the animals having some fun laughs, and a few other characters, and you get some good use of the laugh genre to make your catchphrase for a bit. This helps lighten the mood for the darker installment and keeps us towards the balance.
The Darker Aspects: Harry Potter's brilliance is knowing when to start transitioning into the less wonderful side of Wizarding. This movie has started that turn, and helps add some edge, ambiance, and drama to the film to keep you engaged in the characters. Dumbledore's secrets, alongside Grindelwald's, are going down the avenue of the latter books. It works well to pull the spice back in, and put the stakes that Harry Potter's world is famous for. It makes for an engaging story with lots of character pieces to move around and explore, if only done a little better.
Dumbledore's character: Jude Law does well to play younger Albus and I've enjoyed his performance very much in the layering and exploration of his past. However, the movie really dives more into the hidden depths of his inner character and the tale works quite well for me in this installment. By far the strongest piece of the story for me, this subplot, or is it main plot, is the most engaging piece of the puzzle and I love the connections, ties, and extra layers that Rowling has done for her legendary character.
Acting: I'd love to go into all the actors and what they accomplished but you and I both know that the performances of these characters are expert and fine-tuned. Redmayne still knocks the big hearted, compassionate, and awkward Magi-Zoologist out of the park, and is the most balanced character of the bunch in my opinion. Jude Law I've mentioned is wonderful in his portrayal of Albus, witty, wise, riddle spitting, and compassionate to make the already respectable wizard, even cooler. Miller is, okay, but I've not liked his character's direction and think his talents better spent somewhere else than this messy character we are getting. As for the rest of the bunch, varying degrees of awesomeness are there, and such great chemistry, but alas, we must move on to other things.
The Music: A powerful storytelling device in this movie, the score is gorgeous and the same magnitude we fell in love with all those years ago. Fantastic Beast's third installment is filled to the brim with the orchestra work we love, and the engaging tracks all hold so much emotional stakes in this world again. You've got fire, you've got sadness, you've got intrigue, and the familiar ambience of the world revealing itself is all packed into this film. It's that extra level we take advantage of, but for me, this is a higher quality of the film that is consistent in its application through the nearly 150 minute run time.
The Visuals: By far the best part of the movie for me, Warner Bros. Money is utilized well in this film and how they can make everything looks so smooth, polished, and realistic. The creatures of course have their moments, and look as real as they are going to with the visuals, with only the bigger blokes having too much CGI look to it. When the settings and costumes arise, I'm impressed more by just how much they accomplish in their blend of computers and live set location filming, really capturing the culture and mood of the areas. Then you get to the magic and so many spells and interactions with the environment are stellar as they make liquids move, storms erupt, and so many other things come to life. I've always loved the visual telling of this universe, and the updated technology continues to be utilized well to make advanced level magic feuds and repairs become immersive and mystical.
DISLIKES: Character Utilization: We've seen this in big world films that were limitless in books, but limited in films. The world is growing a little too big right now for the films to balance characters out, and given struggles with filming and other aspects, the characters aren't quite as utilized, strong, or connected as the first installment. There are those that are knocks out of the park, but there are others that really feel limited and almost pointless in their inclusion, outside of new Pottermore like stories to come. Several of the antagonistic characters, Ezra Miller's character on part, and even some other fan favorites are surprisingly low in this movie, and that's a bit disappointing for someone like me.
The Incomplete Feeling Of The Story: We know Harry Potter has always been a series, but each book/film accomplished the goal of being a contained book that led you to the next. Like the last film, this series feels like one big book presented in smaller pieces, with each part trying to be the next brick to the complete project. While this overarching story is nice, the issues come from the balance and spreading of the characters and how unbalanced it actually feels. Secrets of Dumbledore seems very chaotic, pieces of the story missing and details sort of inconsistently being presented that are not as enjoyable as the previous arc of this world. In addition, this movie could have ended this series here and now, which I kind of wish it did or at least not dragged out some other plot points that are pretty much done right now for me. Still, the movie does feel like the mid-point climax of a Rowling book at times, but feels it's lacking the magic.
The Action: Potter again got it right in the gradual elevation and use of the spells, though the last movie did need some work. In here, I've mentioned some of the magic is brilliant in the plans of Dumbledore, with the visuals being the WOW factor. However, the action and battling component... kind of stinks compared to the others. A few moments are awesome, seeing the spells and strategy behind it, but there are others that are very limited and boring, over in a flash leading to more symbolic and less climactic fights that I particularly enjoy. You can have both in my opinion, but the climactic finish was more comical and dramatic, than exciting and on the edge of my seat.
The Pace Almost my least favorite thing about the movie, Fantastic Beasts Three is a not the best paced movie of the bunch. It's slow at many parts, drawn out lines and images I don't want to get stuck on as they try to pull the tension and realism to the forefront. Still, the slowness is a little too much for me and without the action having enough time to relieve it from us, it makes the movie a bit boring. Then you throw how fast, patchy and chaotic the plan(s) come out in, alongside the time spent in each setting, and the movie feels choppy and hastily pieced together, which matches production issue stories. As such, the complete feeling again feels to be missing, and the pace really amplified that for me.
The Darkness: I can handle a lot of dark things when it comes to movies and stories, but animal cruelty is not one of them. The first ten minutes suck for me in this film, feeling unnecessary for storytelling, and even more having to see the brutal acts on the screen. I know... they aren't real, that's how I got through them, but this factor is one of my cardinal no-nos for movie making and this tale really went too far for me on this level. If this is not a big issue for you, no problems then, but for me and the little ones, exercise caution, because it is some messed up use of the dark arts that crossed my lines and did not make me enjoy the film. Call me a woose, coward, baby, or whatever, but in animal moments there is always that line to not cross and they did.
The VERDICT:
Overall, the movie is a fine experience and has the visual and audio elements to get you into the theater to enjoy the world of Harry Potter. The Secrets of Dumbledore is still the tale of seeing some cool creatures, soime fun antics, and the heroes coming together to accomplish a task and I liked those familiar elements coming in. Throw in some really good acting, and the character stories of some to bring it to life and you have enough to enjoy Rowling's latest exploration of the world. However, the movie is still suffering from the complete feeling for me, a fan service trying to get more money, but not quite delivering on the full magic and experience I look for in these films. The Action is okay overall when you average it out, and the drama is full flavor for those who drink that aspect of the film in this darker installment. However, the character utilization is mediocre, the story as well feeling like a section of the tale instead of complete, and the darkness aspect crosses the line for me a few times to be unnecessary. Yet, it's the pace that is the big issue and the fact that we potentially have two more to go, makes me hope the grand plan Is going to be set up in the future to be the spectacle I know they can make, if they can just pull it back.
My scores are:
Adventure/Family/Fantasy: 7.0-7.5 Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.
The Creatures: For the creatures we actually get to see, Fantastic Beasts has made some very cute and endearing merchandising pieces for us to enjoy. The third installment brings with it a small mixture of interested critters for you to enjoy, while still giving you some shots of the loveable lunks in Newt's bag. Props to those whose imaginations can craft such wonderful monsters and beasts, because they definitely belong in Rowling's world.
The Humor: There is plenty of laughs to share in this movie, as the rag tag bunch of wizards try to take on insurmountable odds to save the world from the clever wizard villain. Kowalski's lines are stellar, that comedic punch and delivery to really make you laugh in your seats, and is fitting with most of the Harry Potter style of comedy. Newt's awkwardness works to varying degrees of situational and awkward delivery you love. Throw in some wit from Dumbledore, the animals having some fun laughs, and a few other characters, and you get some good use of the laugh genre to make your catchphrase for a bit. This helps lighten the mood for the darker installment and keeps us towards the balance.
The Darker Aspects: Harry Potter's brilliance is knowing when to start transitioning into the less wonderful side of Wizarding. This movie has started that turn, and helps add some edge, ambiance, and drama to the film to keep you engaged in the characters. Dumbledore's secrets, alongside Grindelwald's, are going down the avenue of the latter books. It works well to pull the spice back in, and put the stakes that Harry Potter's world is famous for. It makes for an engaging story with lots of character pieces to move around and explore, if only done a little better.
Dumbledore's character: Jude Law does well to play younger Albus and I've enjoyed his performance very much in the layering and exploration of his past. However, the movie really dives more into the hidden depths of his inner character and the tale works quite well for me in this installment. By far the strongest piece of the story for me, this subplot, or is it main plot, is the most engaging piece of the puzzle and I love the connections, ties, and extra layers that Rowling has done for her legendary character.
Acting: I'd love to go into all the actors and what they accomplished but you and I both know that the performances of these characters are expert and fine-tuned. Redmayne still knocks the big hearted, compassionate, and awkward Magi-Zoologist out of the park, and is the most balanced character of the bunch in my opinion. Jude Law I've mentioned is wonderful in his portrayal of Albus, witty, wise, riddle spitting, and compassionate to make the already respectable wizard, even cooler. Miller is, okay, but I've not liked his character's direction and think his talents better spent somewhere else than this messy character we are getting. As for the rest of the bunch, varying degrees of awesomeness are there, and such great chemistry, but alas, we must move on to other things.
The Music: A powerful storytelling device in this movie, the score is gorgeous and the same magnitude we fell in love with all those years ago. Fantastic Beast's third installment is filled to the brim with the orchestra work we love, and the engaging tracks all hold so much emotional stakes in this world again. You've got fire, you've got sadness, you've got intrigue, and the familiar ambience of the world revealing itself is all packed into this film. It's that extra level we take advantage of, but for me, this is a higher quality of the film that is consistent in its application through the nearly 150 minute run time.
The Visuals: By far the best part of the movie for me, Warner Bros. Money is utilized well in this film and how they can make everything looks so smooth, polished, and realistic. The creatures of course have their moments, and look as real as they are going to with the visuals, with only the bigger blokes having too much CGI look to it. When the settings and costumes arise, I'm impressed more by just how much they accomplish in their blend of computers and live set location filming, really capturing the culture and mood of the areas. Then you get to the magic and so many spells and interactions with the environment are stellar as they make liquids move, storms erupt, and so many other things come to life. I've always loved the visual telling of this universe, and the updated technology continues to be utilized well to make advanced level magic feuds and repairs become immersive and mystical.
DISLIKES: Character Utilization: We've seen this in big world films that were limitless in books, but limited in films. The world is growing a little too big right now for the films to balance characters out, and given struggles with filming and other aspects, the characters aren't quite as utilized, strong, or connected as the first installment. There are those that are knocks out of the park, but there are others that really feel limited and almost pointless in their inclusion, outside of new Pottermore like stories to come. Several of the antagonistic characters, Ezra Miller's character on part, and even some other fan favorites are surprisingly low in this movie, and that's a bit disappointing for someone like me.
The Incomplete Feeling Of The Story: We know Harry Potter has always been a series, but each book/film accomplished the goal of being a contained book that led you to the next. Like the last film, this series feels like one big book presented in smaller pieces, with each part trying to be the next brick to the complete project. While this overarching story is nice, the issues come from the balance and spreading of the characters and how unbalanced it actually feels. Secrets of Dumbledore seems very chaotic, pieces of the story missing and details sort of inconsistently being presented that are not as enjoyable as the previous arc of this world. In addition, this movie could have ended this series here and now, which I kind of wish it did or at least not dragged out some other plot points that are pretty much done right now for me. Still, the movie does feel like the mid-point climax of a Rowling book at times, but feels it's lacking the magic.
The Action: Potter again got it right in the gradual elevation and use of the spells, though the last movie did need some work. In here, I've mentioned some of the magic is brilliant in the plans of Dumbledore, with the visuals being the WOW factor. However, the action and battling component... kind of stinks compared to the others. A few moments are awesome, seeing the spells and strategy behind it, but there are others that are very limited and boring, over in a flash leading to more symbolic and less climactic fights that I particularly enjoy. You can have both in my opinion, but the climactic finish was more comical and dramatic, than exciting and on the edge of my seat.
The Pace Almost my least favorite thing about the movie, Fantastic Beasts Three is a not the best paced movie of the bunch. It's slow at many parts, drawn out lines and images I don't want to get stuck on as they try to pull the tension and realism to the forefront. Still, the slowness is a little too much for me and without the action having enough time to relieve it from us, it makes the movie a bit boring. Then you throw how fast, patchy and chaotic the plan(s) come out in, alongside the time spent in each setting, and the movie feels choppy and hastily pieced together, which matches production issue stories. As such, the complete feeling again feels to be missing, and the pace really amplified that for me.
The Darkness: I can handle a lot of dark things when it comes to movies and stories, but animal cruelty is not one of them. The first ten minutes suck for me in this film, feeling unnecessary for storytelling, and even more having to see the brutal acts on the screen. I know... they aren't real, that's how I got through them, but this factor is one of my cardinal no-nos for movie making and this tale really went too far for me on this level. If this is not a big issue for you, no problems then, but for me and the little ones, exercise caution, because it is some messed up use of the dark arts that crossed my lines and did not make me enjoy the film. Call me a woose, coward, baby, or whatever, but in animal moments there is always that line to not cross and they did.
The VERDICT:
Overall, the movie is a fine experience and has the visual and audio elements to get you into the theater to enjoy the world of Harry Potter. The Secrets of Dumbledore is still the tale of seeing some cool creatures, soime fun antics, and the heroes coming together to accomplish a task and I liked those familiar elements coming in. Throw in some really good acting, and the character stories of some to bring it to life and you have enough to enjoy Rowling's latest exploration of the world. However, the movie is still suffering from the complete feeling for me, a fan service trying to get more money, but not quite delivering on the full magic and experience I look for in these films. The Action is okay overall when you average it out, and the drama is full flavor for those who drink that aspect of the film in this darker installment. However, the character utilization is mediocre, the story as well feeling like a section of the tale instead of complete, and the darkness aspect crosses the line for me a few times to be unnecessary. Yet, it's the pace that is the big issue and the fact that we potentially have two more to go, makes me hope the grand plan Is going to be set up in the future to be the spectacle I know they can make, if they can just pull it back.
My scores are:
Adventure/Family/Fantasy: 7.0-7.5 Movie Overall: 6.5-7.0.