07/04/2022
[Rob's Review of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore]
*Warning. Contains Spoilers*
Look…I’ve been invested in the ‘Wizarding World’ of Harry Potter for over twenty years now.
I remember the thrill of reading the books for the first time.
I remember the excitement of watching the films for the first time, then nit-picking over every little detail from the books that were omitted from the films.
I also remember the feeling of disappointment and anger when I discovered the views of JK Rowling didn’t match my views on acceptance and inclusivity.
You see…I have been so invested in the world, the characters, the history, the lore, that it’s impossible for me to separate the reality of this franchise from the fictional stories.
I’m in deep, and like it or not my opinion and (honestly) my love of the franchise HAS been tainted by the controversies and questionable actions of JK Rowling, Johnny Depp and most recently, Erza Miller.
On top of that, the whole Fantastic Beasts film series hasn’t had the most stable or consistent of track records.
I was actually a HUGE fan of the first film.
I really loved the cute, meandering tone of it.
I was delighted by the mostly self-contained structure of it, despite the ham-handed attempts to force in broader ‘world-building’ elements.
I forgave first time screen-writer JK Rowling’s clear lack of experience or discipline in the field of writing a screenplay because the beasts were just so darn fantastic and Newt was truly an incredible leading character. To have a male lead defined by his compassion and empathy, just as equally as his bravery and his anti-authoritative nature.
However then the second film came out and it was a complete disaster.
Gone was the cute self-contained story of little, awkward people becoming friends and saving magical creatures. What we got instead was, our lead characters pushed to the side of their own franchise. The focus shifted to the backstory of young Dumbledore, his relationship with the dark wizard Grindelwald and the rising tension/dissatisfaction within the wizarding world as the Muggle world moves inexorably towards a second world war.
Along the way Rowling further angered/bewildered her fans by contradicting her own continuity and lore. And if there’s one thing fans love to mull over endlessly is franchise continuity. I know this…because I’m one of them!
Really JK? Dumbledore is now teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?
Really JK? McGonagall is now a teacher at Hogwarts during the 1930s? Making her close to the same age as Dumbledore?
Have you even read your own books???
So…it’s safe to say I was not going into this movie with high hopes, and truth be told I was not looking forward to it at all.
I was relieved to hear that Harry Potter films scribe, Steve Kloves returned to assist Rowling with the writing of this third Beasts film.
There is a clear improvement in the script's structure in The Secrets of Dumbledore.
However, it is still far too messy, too many characters are introduced and not many of them have a satisfying arc. Quite a bit of the plot and motivations don’t make sense and even though the script structure is tighter…it is still too ‘loosey-goosey’.
That being said there is a charm, delightful humour and real heart to this film that I really enjoyed and even admired.
I appreciated the globe-trotting elements of this story, so many new exotic locations!
I also adored the ‘band of misfits’ ensemble format of it all. I've always found the Potter-verse was all about celebrating the misfits and outcasts of society, it was great to see that so prominent here.
This is, however, really Dumbledore’s movie and Jude Law does a lovely job for the second time as Dumbledore. He’s no Richard Harris but he is head and shoulders above Michael (I didn’t read the books and it shows) Gambon.
There is one scene where Dumbledore confesses to Newt the truth about his family. That scene is lifted almost word-for-word from the final Harry Potter book. I was very happy to see it finally shared here as it was criminally omitted from the original films. Jude Law performed the scene wonderfully, showing the despair and pain behind Dumbledore’s grinning façade.
I particularly loved that after the unnecessary teasing and tip-toeing around the issue of Dumbledore’s relationship with Grindelwald in the last film, within the first five minutes of this one we have Jude look directly into Mads Mikkelsen’s gorgeous eyes and say he loves him. I understand why some of the fans would find that a gesture too little too late.
Overall I really embraced the lost love and sexual tension between Law and Mikkelsen, it really added a nice emotional weight to the film.
Mikkelsen is a welcome addition to this franchise, he is such an incredibly charismatic performer and inhabits every role he plays.
Eddie Redmayne is again fantastic as the ‘clearly on the spectrum’ Newt. Even though he does play second fiddle, I did appreciate his moments of beast interaction and the return of his companion Bowtruckle and Niffler. His relationship with his brother Theseus is developed, grown and strengthened from the previous film and I couldn’t get enough of it. I love the Scamander boys together.
Dan Folger is incredible as Jacob. He is a wonderful creation by Folger. So sincere. So self-assured. So clumsy. So loyal. So lovable. His chemistry with Alison Sudol is still as strong as ever.
One of my favourite characters in this world is Albus’ cranky older brother Aberforth. So it was a great thrill to see him present here, played masterfully by Richard Coyle.
Daily Show correspondent and confessed ‘Potter Head’ Jessica Williams is another one of the stand-out performances in this film, playing US Magical school (Illvermorny) professor Eulalie Hicks. Williams hits the ground running like she’s been in the franchise since Philosopher’s Stone.
The biggest misstep is the loss of Katherine Waterston’s Tina in this film. For whatever reason, her loss is felt in a big way, and if they do get to carry on with the franchise, Waterston needs to be front and centre.
I was satisfied with how the Credence story was handled. Truth be told I was never really a fan of the character anyway.
Overall though I’m a little more forgiving of this film and for the most part genuinely enjoyed myself...which surprises me.
There are more actual beasts in this one (not as many as the first film). The Niffler and Bowtruckle have an especially hilarious couple of moments in this. One new beast even turns out to play a huge part in the resolution of this film’s plot. So that’s nothing to be sniffed at.
I am not sure the series has the steam to complete the planned five film arc, and there is enough at the end to tie-up the loose ends to at least make it feel like an impromptu conclusion.
I’ll be interested to see how this film goes with the general public and whether they’ll be swayed/influenced by the drama behind the scenes; or whether they can just focus on the magic on display on the screen.