Grindelwald crosses a line that Harry never crossed

Eddie Redmayne returns as Newt Scamander in the latest Fantastic Beasts film.

Following Grindelwald’s (Johnny Depp) escape from Ministry of Magic custody, a young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) employs Newt to help in stopping Grindelwald’s nefarious plans.

Reuniting with old friends Jacob (Dan Fogler), Queenie (Alison Sudol) and Tina (Katherine Waterston), Newt travels to Paris, unaware of the danger that awaits.

First thing to note is that this sequel is a lot darker than its predecessor. Some of these dark elements are reminiscent of the Harry Potter stories from The Goblet of Fire onwards. But even then, this film crosses certain lines that Harry Potter never crossed.

There were few unexpected plot twists, the quality of which will heavily depend on your own perspective.

The characters also do things you don’t see coming and leave you with your jaw slackened.

Luckily, there are moments of levity, primarily provided by Newt and his beasts. Favourites like the mischievous Niffler and Pickett the Bowtruckle return while some new creatures make their debut.

Jude Law also successfully manages to capture the gravitas and whimsicality of Dumbledore, while Johnny Depp shows how Grindelwald’s silver tongue and ruthlessness made him such a feared dark wizard.

The ultimate problem this movie has is that it is very much a set-up film. Depending on what comes next in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, it might have a strong impact on the overarching narrative. Unfortunately, this inevitably  means that The Crimes of Grindelwald is unable to stand up as its own solo entity.

Overall, there is no harm in seeing this film. It’s fun and the sheer imagination of the creators is clearly illustrated through the presentation of the wizarding world.

If you’re expecting a satisfying conclusion however, then you might want to push those hopes from your mind.