Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) [Blu-ray]
Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline: Who will change the future?

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

Storyline: In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans of raising pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, though he's unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world. Written by sunny skies

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Randy Miller III, March 2, 2019 -- As the tenth film in J.K. Rowling's massive "Wizarding World" film saga -- predated by all eight Harry Potter films (2011-2011) and the prequel film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) -- David Yates' Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) is a direct follow-up to its predecessor. It continues the adventures of meek young British wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) soon after his part in the revelation and defeat of evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who was sent to prison under the authority of the Magical Congress of the United States of America. After Grindelwald violently escapes during his transfer to London for trial, he begins amassing an army of followers to establish control over non-magic users. Perhaps the only one capable of stopping Grindelwald is his one-time friend, the elusive wizard Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law), who enlists the help of Newt to do so.

There's a lot to unpack during The Crimes of Grindelwald, but not all of it feels worth the effort. This is a dense and complex film overstuffed with characters -- many returning from the first Fantastic Beasts -- but at 134 minutes, a deliberate and careful pace would certainly allow enough time to divide up all the details. Yet as it wears on, The Crimes of Grindelwald feels more like a burden than a fun and exciting adventure. It's a mostly dark and grim affair that ultimately carries much less charm than the first outing, and the lack of balance doesn't make me all that excited at the prospect of a planned three more films in the Fantastic Beasts saga. It's not that the series feels like it's out of ideas; if anything, it suffers from too many as the plot wears on...but the way they're treated is akin to throwing everything at the wall just to see what sticks. Though it certainly has a number of great characters and moments -- huge twists, betrayals, clever magic, fantastic beasts (sorry), and a truly expansive atmosphere -- this lack of balance robs an otherwise decent film of most of its heart. Possibly a first for any film in the Wizarding World.

Luckily, the performances here elevate otherwise drab story elements. Eddie Redmayne is, again, a big part of what gives this second film some of its charm: he's proven to be a reliably good fit for the character's meek but likable demeanor."Perpetual underdog" sounds like an insult, but it works in his favor just as well the second time around. Jude Law, though obviously filling big shoes by portraying such a beloved character in the Potter Universe, likewise has a natural warmth and familiarity that fits Dumbledore like a glove. Equally well-matched is Johnny Depp, resurrected in full force as the evil wizard, who imbues his character with all the charisma needed to be the believable leader of a cult. Also returning in good form are Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, who accompanies Newt on the road (hat?) to Paris, and other reliable supporting performances by Claudia Kim (the blood-cursed Nagini), Ezra Miller (the unstable Credence Barebone), Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein, an Auror in the Magical Congress), and others.

Overall, The Crimes of Grindelwald is clearly a step down from its predecessor but, thanks to the performances and visually ambitious atmosphere, it's still worth at least a once-over if you enjoyed the first film. Again, the downturn in overall balance and heart doesn't make me excited for future installments...but considering the franchise's total batting average at this point, let's hope the creative team learns from their mistakes. Luckily, those who enjoyed The Crimes of Grindelwald theatrically will likewise appreciate Warner Bros.' 4K edition, which also includes a Blu-ray. The 4K disc serves up a superior technical presentation that takes advantage of HDR, while the Blu-ray includes over an hour's worth of quality bonus features (not counting an alternate Extended Cut, but more on that later). It's well-rounded support for a film that, if I'm being perfectly honest, needed the extra help.

As a franchise, I'm not the biggest Fantastic Beasts fan -- more from lack of long-term experience than personal preference -- but even within those boundaries, it's obvious that The Crimes of Grindenwald is a somewhat uneven film that struggles to maintain momentum as it lurches forward. There are a lot of characters here and only about half are of real interest, which makes the film's overstuffed plot feel all the more bloated instead of lightweight, fun, and energetic. Still, there are a few genuinely great moments and many of the lead performances (Eddie Redmayne, Johnny Depp, Ezra Miller, Evanna Lynch, and others) carry their own weight, while the special effects are well done and, for the most part, blend seamlessly into the film's ambitious world. Though I can't recommend Warner Bros.' new Blu-ray for the film itself, die-hard fans -- and those on the fence -- will appreciate the terrific A/V presentation and solid bonus features, probably even more than I did. It's the definition of a well-rounded package when that's not always the norm these days...so if you enjoyed this film theatrically, the Blu-ray is worth your money.

[CSW] 2.3- For a film about magic, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is sure lacking it. This sequel to the spin-off features too many characters, an overly complicated plot and blurry, choppy action sequences that make it impossibly difficult to follow. Like instead of taking a book and streamlining it into the essential story when adapting, it's like they took a book and just indiscriminately filmed everything. Beautifully photographed and well-acted, but an overcomplicated story with too many main characters made for a bit of a mess. This reduces the film to generally just a showpiece for the effects, which were great but, don't by themselves make the movie great.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box


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