Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets hits theaters this April 13 in France!
The Gazette team was able to discover it in preview, and so today we offer you a complete review, with spoilers!
Opinions diverge within the editorial staff; Don’t hesitate to tell us in the comments what you thought of the film!
You can also check out our spoiler-free review HERE .
THE PLOT
Overall I was well taken with the plot, but some aspects are not very clear to me. The holding of elections, the parentage of Credence, etc. Moon
Compared to the Crimes of Grindelwald , we clearly returned to something simpler, and it works better on first viewing. I’m waiting to watch the film several times to really form an opinion on Dumbledore’s plan to “confuse” Grindelwald’s visions, I still feel like we’re missing a bit of exposition, which would have made things more efficient. Everything is still rhythmic, without downtime, and fun to follow. Marjoram
The plot of this film is much clearer than the previous films, it is easy to summarize it: Norbert, Dumbledore and their allies will try to stop Grindelwald from running for office and being elected president of the congress. That’s the only clear thing about this part. Congress of what? What is the importance of this congress? How powerful would Grindelwald be if elected? Why does he want to run and not stage a coup? Stop killing to become a politician and let others do the dirty work? We don’t know, as this congress came out of nowhere as well as Grindelwald’s sudden desire to be elected to it (and his strategy quite simply for this gentleman… where is it?) What is the strategy adopted by Norbert and his allies – who, from the beginning of the film knew who knows how that Grindelwald was going to present himself? To act randomly in order to confuse Grindelwald who knows how to see the future. Great ! I expected to have a development at theInception, with many cogs to thwart Grindelwald’s strategy, seeing Grindelwald challenged by Dumbledore’s intelligence and jubilant when these two great wizards were going to prove to us that they are indeed the prodigies we were promised… Is does it work? Is Grindelwald confused? Are we dealing with a real-life wizarding chess game? Not at all, since we see Grindelwald thinking, in silence, impassive, and going his way, without us understanding anything. Does he seem to only care about his enemies? What’s the use of scaring us by telling us that Grindelwald can see the future, if at no time does this crucial element stand in the way of our heroes? The only time this ability helped him, it was to see – it’s a shame – that his enemies had a head start by having another Quilin. And instead of looking to the future to understand his enemies’ strategy, he sends Croyance, a novice wizard who breaks everything in his path, to retrieve it. Grindelwald should however be, contrary to Voldemort, the first to grant more importance to the intelligence of Dumbledore, than to his magic power. He would have seen right away that he is a secondary character who has had the right suitcase with the Quilin since the beginning (yes because the strategy of acting randomly was a decoy… and yeah… in fact there was no chance, suddenly, if Grindelwald had only sought to spy on his enemies, he would have known everything… it’s stupid that Grindelwald is not interested in secondary characters). To summarize,fantine
In principle, I was very enthralled by the plot. It is rooted in a really interesting international political context that deserves to be developed. In fact, I sometimes find it a little hasty and not always exploited as much as it should have been. Certain elements are brought in and then… a little abandoned. Grindelwald can read the future but in the end it doesn’t have a huge impact on the plot. Dumbledore decides to confuse him but apart from a mishmash of suitcases and a not very discreet spy, we don’t see much of it. So a clear and effective plot overall but which could have been exploited more! Rowenaz
Having been a little disappointed by the second film, I didn’t dare to expect much from the third. However, I was pleasantly surprised and did not see the minutes go by. The film is well paced, interesting because it develops certain characters correctly, a little less others. I blamed the second part for the place that had been given to the creatures, on this one it was perfect in my opinion. Fantastic beasts have an essential place in the plot (although I can’t get enough of them!) especially with the Quilin, which I find absolutely touching and which brings wonder to the already surprising world of magic! The Grindelwald / Dumbledore relationship is well balanced, we feel that certain things are in place for the sequel and that the construction of the plot is closer to that of Harry Potter(with elements distilled throughout the story). Regrets however on the fact that certain details are passed over in silence, as if the spectator had to know it by having an encyclopedic knowledge of the Wizarding World . For lack of time, people are a little neglected, intrigues less worked. In short, I was conquered but only saw it once, it is certain that my opinion will be more nuanced after a second viewing! Naria
Paying a professional screenwriter to help build and structure the screenplay works! I had a great time while watching the movie. Fast-paced, offering a clever mix of humor, action and magic, while developing interesting new secondary characters and aspects of the magical world never approached before. It was only after the fact, by thinking about it and discussing it, that its faults became clearer to me. If the film is clearer to follow and understand than The Crimes of Grindelwald , the fact remains that the story and its unfolding quickly fall into uninteresting facilities and detours. Dumbledore’s Secretsoffers excellent fan-service, which hides the forest of a saga that does not know what story it wants to tell: that of Norbert writing his book and pursuing creatures like his love for Tina? That of the history of the magical world and the fight between Gellert and Albus? That of Belief and its search for its origins? The film confuses us as the heroes seek to confuse Grindelwald, and if it works for a while, the spell quickly ends up dissipating and a question remains: where does the Fantastic Beasts saga want to go ? Bdragon
DISCOVERING THE MAGICAL WORLD
If Bhutan is very nicely staged and presented (this bridge-transplaner intrigued me a lot), the Fantastic Beasts saga still does not know how to properly highlight its magical world. I had already been disappointed with the Paris of the Crimes of Grindelwald, and was even more disappointed by the magical Berlin, reduced to the entrance and the interior of its ministry of magic. The colossal work carried out by MinaLima to give life and body to the universe is not respected, appearing only very little in the final assembly. Additionally, with everything being shot at Leavesden Studios, all exterior streets featured are the same width, whether it’s New York, Paris, or Berlin, which makes every setting and destination lose its charm and interest. Bdragon
THE BLOOD PACT
Such a waste ! From beginning to end, this artifice to explain the absence of a duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald was a failure. First in its operation, the “Knight of the Zodiac” chains that grip Albus when he simply thinks of facing his rival; it’s strange that Grindelwald, who so often pushed Credence to kill his rival, and thinks about it regularly, never suffered pain… And what about his almost pitiful outcome; suddenly the Pact breaks at the first spell cast between the two… With what justification? A story of far-fetched offensive and defensive fate. A completely different explanation was, however, found; aiming for Credence, Grindelwald was attacking a Dumbledore, a person whose blood running through their veins is the same as Albus’, the same as the Covenant. This breach of the Pact, and Albus’ defense, ultimately breaks this magical alliance. And it would have been much better. But we quickly feel that the writers just looked at all costs for a way to move forward on this plot to shorten the final story.Guizmo
The Blood Pact plot was one of the things I was most looking forward to in this film, and I wasn’t disappointed. The way it’s used to make explicit the feelings Albus and Gellert have for each other works terribly well, especially in the first scene at the restaurant. I particularly appreciated the way in which its destruction completes to make Credence a kind of mirror of Ariana. Recalling the story of his sister’s death, we are reminded that Albus’ guilt is rooted in the fact that he attacked Grindelwald, and, although it’s not explicit, we don’t need to elaborate to understand that the Blood Pact played its part at that time, possibly causing Ariana’s death. It happens almost exactly the opposite with Credence: the two brothers bond, no longer to attack Grindelwald, but to protect one of their own. They repair, together, the family love that had been destroyed by the Blood Pact when it had caused the death of their sister. I like.Marjoram
For me, the plot of the Blood Pact works and the symbolism is very beautiful. His resolution also pleased me even if it happens a bit like a hair in the soup. Only negative point in my opinion: the Blood Pact almost kills Dumbledore when he only thinks of facing Grindelwald… Haven’t they already thought about it a hundred times? This sudden magical ability doesn’t fit, I find. But after all, it doesn’t matter much and seems more symbolic of this powerful commitment they made, so be it! Rowenaz
I find this plot very interesting, and unfortunately rather badly treated and too quickly dismissed. It would have been much more interesting if this blood pact remained an obstacle until the end of the saga, its resolution allowing to lead to the final duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. The explanations surrounding it, and in particular those presented to us in the film to justify its destruction remind me of the misunderstanding around the elder wand and its owner in the Deathly Hallows part 2. Those who only saw the movies at the time didn’t understand the logic behind the artifact and how it could have come back to Harry. The same goes with this Blood Pact, which it’s unclear how it can be so simply destroyed as Gellert attacks Creed. The power of love? The fact that Grindelwald attacks a Dumbledore and his blood? Mystery and Fizwizbiz while waiting to learn more. My wand would push me to say that, Warner having not yet launched the site of the 4th film, the resolution of this intrigue in The Secrets of Dumbledore is a necessary milestone allowing to end the saga earlier than planned if necessary. Bdragon
AURELIUS DUMBLEDORE
No. Of all the tracks considered, it was one of the least coherent, one of the least interesting, and yet it was the one they chose. Why ? What had Grindelwald to gain by claiming Albus’ brother, rather than nephew? If he had announced from the start that his uncle had cut him off from the family, refused to integrate him and chased him from his home, he was venting the same rage of Credence against his sworn enemy; without lying about his true parentage. Then how can we so quickly remove the mother from the story, without even mentioning her name, where she came from, who she was?
Since when did Abelforth know? Since when do they communicate by interposed mirror while Albus does not tell him the news until much later in the film? And what a good thing that his death is approaching! Definitely, the explanation of the obscurus of Ariana which would have parasitized Credence would have seemed to me much more logical and complete. It’s the end of a major plot of the second part that crashes like a fly on a clean window. Guizmo
The theories around Credence animated so many passionate and delirious discussions that the revelation inevitably forced me to mourn my favorite theories involving completely barred alchemical experiments. I appreciate the simplicity of this revelation, but especially what it brings to the character of Abelforth, one of my favorites in this film. I need to rewatch the movie to be sure of my theories on how contact was made through mirrors, it’s unclear and confused me at the time, but I still enjoyed the dramatic tension it brought. Marjoram
This story is touching and I appreciate that Croyance is linked to Abelforth and not, again and again, to Albus. I just found this resolution a bit bogus and easy, and it leaves a lot of questions unanswered. What about the mother? And why did Grindelwald bother to lie? How did he know? And above all, this mirror story… How!? Rowenaz
Information that arrives like a hair in the soup. After having put mustard in his face, we learn that he is the hidden son of a Dumbledore, his father knew he existed but did not look for him. However, he calms down after a small fight against Dumbledore. I expected more from this character, really more given his place in the first film and the conclusion of the second. Finally, where are the mirrors coming from? To be continued in the next film! Naria
The character is literally ruined by the film. Besides his whitish complexion, the narrative arc of Aurelius / Creed has no interest and his fight against Dumbledore, resolved in less than two minutes, puts an end to a character full of potential. The revelation regarding his true parentage appears to be a screenplay trick and brings nothing but more questions. How does Abelforth know? How does he communicate through this Boar’s Head mirror? How did Croyance Bébé find himself on his way to America? Why did Croyance suddenly calm down when he learned all this? How has the Obscurial survived all this time? In short, a lot of potential sub-plots that will remain dead letters, like Creed, which should obviously die out between opus 3 and 4. Bdragon
THE MAGIC ELECTIONS
My big disappointment with this film, even if I really liked the Quilin and the mythology built around it. It still confirms that the wizarding society is 1) not at all democratic, 2) obsessed with appearances and much too easy to manipulate (it’s not new, but this is a bit too much pushed to its climax) . But my frustration comes mainly from the absence of political discourse as such, whereas it is supposed to be at the heart of the plot. Despite its flaws, The Crimes of Grindelwaldfared much better in that regard, really showing Grindelwald’s ideology and the way he presents it to the crowd. Here we are in the manipulation of images, but at no time do we dig into the motivations and convictions of the candidates. The biggest lack being for the character of Santos, almost silent when she is supposed to embody a progressive future. A great opportunity sacrificed, probably to make the film more digestible, I still regret it. Marjoram
I don’t know how they managed to make the candidates so transparent. I would have liked to hear them speak, express their positions. Santos is chosen very well but on what ideas? The advantage is that it allowed me to focus on the details of the costumes and to extract information about their personality. The other point is that this position also allows the Quilin to really be the centerpiece of the elections and I find that a magical world that leaves its future to the decision of a legendary animal, it’s touching. Naria
The political intrigue sold by the film’s trailers clearly left me hungry when I discovered the film. There is no stake in this election for the post of Supreme Manitou, and this moment serves as a pretext to highlight the character of Grindelwald. I would have liked us to learn more about the voting system, the organization of elections, the ideas defended by the candidates, and that is not the case. I have a big thought for the actress and the actor embodying the two original candidates for the election, Maria Fernanda Cândido and Dave Wong. While the first has a few lines of dialogue and an ending scene, the second literally serves as a flower pot throughout the film, with the actor not even having a line of dialogue! It was well worth putting them forward on the promotional posters… If Harry Potter knew how to bring a scathing look at politics via his criticism of the Ministry of Magic, we have reached the stage of parody here. You will indeed never make me believe that the whole magical world accepts without flinching that a magical creature appearing mysteriously comes to designate, when this has not been the case for a long time, the person winning the election. And that after the death of this first creature, another designates two in quick succession. At that price I wish Jacob had been elected to come and destroy the system once and for all. You will indeed never make me believe that the whole magical world accepts without flinching that a magical creature appearing mysteriously comes to designate, when this has not been the case for a long time, the person winning the election. And that after the death of this first creature, another designates two in quick succession. At that price I wish Jacob had been elected to come and destroy the system once and for all. You will indeed never make me believe that the whole magical world accepts without flinching that a magical creature appearing mysteriously comes to designate, when this has not been the case for a long time, the person winning the election. And that after the death of this first creature, another designates two in quick succession. At that price I wish Jacob had been elected to come and destroy the system once and for all. Bdragon
CHARACTERS
NEWT
Eddie Redmayne is always on top. I especially remember the magnificent scene of the birth of the Quilin babies, which makes it possible to remember how this bond between Newt and the magical creatures is so special. Marjoram
I can’t get over the baby manticore dance! The character of Norbert is present without overshadowing the others, I also liked the moments shared with his brother. And then, what an excellent representative of the Hufflepuffs! Naria
I really liked the intro scene in China; finally, Newt in a wild environment! His relationship with his magical creatures is still so beautiful and I enjoyed seeing the creatures come to his aid. I also really liked seeing him really team up with his brother in this part. Ipiutinelle
Always equal to himself, Eddie Redmayne never ceases to touch us, and his relationship with each of the magical creatures in his charge makes him all the more endearing. Magical creatures had been somewhat neglected during the previous opus, it’s very nice to see them popping up on the screen again, and to finally be able to put a name to this little star niffler. Lantaelen.
Eddie Redmayne remains an excellent casting choice and his Norbert is both touching, sensitive and funny. We never cease to get attached to him and the film holds in large part thanks to his performance. Too bad that history relegates it to the background. Bdragon
GRINDELWALD
I was one of the skeptics of the cast change, but I finally loved this new Grindelwald. Powerful, the wicked as we like them. I also liked the fact that not everything is all white or all black, especially at the end of the film when he jumps into the void. We feel in Albus a kind of regret, if we can say? On the other hand, the fact that Grindelwald is standing for election is not clear enough to me … Moon
Mads Mikkelsen convinces me much more in Grindelwald than Depp before. His presence, his charisma, but also his dark side and his lust for power really shine through in the acting of the actor. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to fully develop the character, his rivalry with other political figures, because the film wants to move forward in the plot and wrap it all up… That’s my only regret about this performance! Guizmo
Although I love Johnny Depp, I must admit that Mads Mikkelsen was made to play Grindelwald, it was also the thing I was looking forward to the most. He is one of those actors with an incredible presence and charisma, made to play dark and confident characters, without falling into the cliché of the villain who wants to conquer the world. Drearan
I put a layer on the charisma of Mads Mikkelsen! I also terribly enjoyed the way he conveyed the attachment that Gellert himself has for Albus. We are not in pure manipulation, and the “Who will love you now?” final finished me off. Marjoram
I put one more, it makes me happy, Mads Mikkelsen is incredible! he overflows with charisma! But the character is sorely lacking in substance and writing work to better define him. With each film, he changes his face – which could be a distinctive element of Grindelwald, and it is not exploited. He changes his attitude, his “strategy” each time. We know what he wants but we wonder if he has a clear idea of what he is doing and how to get it. Why does he get out of the car to have his clothes ripped off and his hair ripped off by the crowd? To land mismatched at a dinner party among politicians? Okay but why ? Why throw a Cruciatus on a Muggle in front of everyone? So he left in this movie to pretend he did nothing and be cleared of his previous crimes against Muggles? Why start over in front of everyone?fantine
Mads Mikkelsen’s performance delighted me, the nuances of his emotions and expressions are incredible. The subtleties of his acting did much more justice to the fascination that the character of Grindelwald can exert on the wizarding society than that of Depp. I also liked that he wasn’t as made up as Johnny Depp had been; no failed discoloration, no glass eye, he looks much more like an ordinary man. His chemistry with Jude Law works wonderfully, and I really liked the scenes where they talk about their childhood love. Ipiutinelle
Mads Mikkelsen’s performance blew me away. He is charismatic and does honor to the complexity of the character. The chemistry with Jude Law is remarkable, and it’s quite nice that their relationship, as it’s developed, stays pretty much true to canon. I honestly can’t wait to see him become this big bad guy that we know very little about, in the end. Lantaelen.
What a slap! Mads Mikkelsen brings everything I expected to Grindelwald: impressive stature, charismatic, and both terrifying and cruel. This casting change is a real success, and brings a lot to the film. Re-shoot the Crimes of Grindelwald with him, I want and I demand! Some of his character’s actions (the attack on Jacob?) nevertheless remain contradictory with what the actor is wearing. Bdragon
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
It’s wonderful to see Jude Law take his role as Dumbledore so seriously. Everything that was sketched in the previous film has its place in this film. Humanity, complexity, guilt, intelligence, humor… Everything is under control. Marjoram
I expected a lot from this character, which I am more than confused. Throughout this movie I felt like Harry when he realizes that Dumbledore wasn’t always old with a white beard. I couldn’t tell myself that this is how young Dumbledore acted.. I don’t know why but I had a lot of trouble seeing this character as the future Dumbledore of the Harry Potter saga … Fantine
A nugget. Jude Law is perfect. The history of Dumbledore is respected, we find with pleasure these elements too little exploited in the Harry Potter films. I loved delving into his past, hearing him talk so explicitly about his love for Grindelwald and his sister’s story. His relationship with his brother is so interesting too! We find the malice and complexity of the Dumbledore we love, and it’s a pleasure. Rowenaz
Before seeing this film, I hated Albus Perceval Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. I found him too calculating and quite detached in relation to the choices he made and leading others to the slaughterhouse. Jude Law brings all the sweetness, the love, the sensitivity to a character hurt by his youthful choices. I found it right, announcing the beginnings of the wise man he will become and who will assume his decisions for the common good. And then the Qilin who bows before him, we better understand the psychosis of the Ministry of Magic in the Order of the Phoenix on a hypothetical army of Dumbledore! Naria
Albus Dumbledore is a character that you love or hate, there are no half measures. If I have no particular affection for the character, Jude Law does a remarkable job, like his other interpreters. He brings a certain sensitivity and a certain sweetness to this great and enigmatic character. And the men with the hat, I say yes! It has style and an obvious charm. Lantaelen .
Jude Law brings passion and sweetness to the character of Dumbledore at the same time. We thus break the shell of the old professor who rarely acts directly to show us that he was human and sensitive before becoming, we still wonder how, this cold and calculating old headmaster of Hogwarts. The interpretation is in tune with those of Mads Mikkelsen, even if the charisma of the latter carries everything in its path. Bdragon
CREDENCE
I had high expectations for this character, because his place is very promising in the previous films. In this last part there is a strong scene between him and Albus, and apart from that not much else… Small downside for once! His journey is so rich, there would be so much to tell! Moon
I said it previously, there is a hole in the racket on this character, however central in the other films. See more! Naria.
A disaster, both from the point of view of the scenario and the interpretation of Ezra Miller. Nothing is going well, we are no longer attached to him at all, and this change of hairstyle does not help in any way. Bdragon
TINA
It was complicated to integrate Tina, not to dismiss her from the project, despite this difficult filming, her illness, her pregnancy. And the bet is won for me! The explanation for his absence is given, and despite the lack of on-screen presence, his character still manages to grow out of it and his relationship with Newt has evolved over the course of the film. It’s a great promise, and I can’t wait to see Katherine Waterston again at greater length in the future opus. Guizmo
Congratulations on Tina’s promotion making her unavailable to help her friends and family save the world. Facts of life related to the actress mean that she could not be present, the explanation is a bit far-fetched, however, such an important character in addition would certainly have been too much. There was already so much to say and to follow, it may be a blessing in disguise but I expect a romance in the next film! Naria
A nice way to integrate it into the film despite everything, and which leaves the door open to a real romance in the hypothetical fourth film. The costume color work between her and Norbert is fascinating, and their ending scene is very touching. Bdragon
NAGINI
Who is that ? She is not mentioned once, as she had such a strong relationship with Credence in the second film. Have the screenwriters forgotten her? Drearan
Croyance was already quite alone… But without Nagini, it’s not very justifiable in my opinion. A quick note to explain his absence would have been welcome. Rowenaz
Leaving the cinema, the first question we all asked ourselves: where is she? Naria
Credence withers away in this movie, and he’s lost one of the few people who treated him like a friend, an equal. The loss of Nagini is for me intimately linked to the depression of Credence. That the actress can’t be present, I can understand, for not having tried to explain her absence with a few lines of dialogue, much less. Ipiutinelle.
We don’t talk about Nagini… Bdragon
QUEENIE
Queenie remains one of the franchise’s most interesting characters; she is powerful, intelligent, and above all sensitive. Lost in her love that the laws of her own country deny her. His narrative arc could really have gone further, and it’s a shame to sweep away his allegiance to Grindelwald so early in the film. I would have liked there to be more doubt about her fight, for her to remain “grey” in her decisions, for the viewer to have time to doubt. Unfortunately, from the sacrifice of the Quilin; then during his first conversation with Credence; we quickly understand that she will be back on the side of the heroes before the end of the shutter. It is therefore half-hearted for the treatment of this character. Guizmo
I particularly liked how her gift is used, both as a weapon by Grindelwald, and as a way for the writers to show Queenie’s strength, her quiet resilience. Less convinced by the scene with Jacob in Bhutan. Marjoram
A huge costume fan, I couldn’t help but detail the differences on Queenie throughout the film. Depending on her allegiance, it’s not just her hair that changes color. However, she was very self-effacing and her reversal was as easy as in the second film. Damn, she’s not just a pretty girl, she’s legilimens! She has the development potential of a Molly Weasley who defends everything during the Battle of Hogwarts. I’m a bit disappointed. Naria
By all accounts, Queenie is one of the most interesting characters in the franchise, and her gift of legilimens makes her a very powerful character. She is charming, sensitive and very distinguished. However, I found her very withdrawn in the film, despite a strong personality and a wardrobe that was still just as impeccable. I’m waiting to learn more about her and Legilimancy in the next opus, because she fascinates me and I was left a little unsatisfied. Lantaelen.
Queenie is a murky and exciting character. Her evolution throughout the film, marked, like that of Umbridge in the Order of the Phoenix, by her costumes, is interesting, even if too fast for my taste. We feel her change of heart happened very quickly, and nothing shows us that she actively helped Grindelwald, except by reading a few thoughts. We therefore preserve the character to have it easily recalculated in the side of good. Bdragon
LALLY HICKS
I loved this character! And the contents of his suitcase were too stylish! Moon
What a novelty! What freshness brought by Eulalie in this section! It’s always complicated to integrate a new character out of nowhere into an already well-oiled mechanism (like for Leta, Yusuf or Nagini in the previous part), but Lally finds her place terribly quickly. Guizmo
I really liked her character, who was able to restore a bit of freshness and make people forget Tina’s absence. She’s hilarious from her first scene and I really enjoyed the scenes she shares with Jacob and Theseus. Drearan
Very nice new character brought to the saga! The magic she practices is very interesting, and places her among the most powerful witches and wizards in the magical world for sure! I really like the interpretation of his actress, who brings him an energy and a humor that counterbalances perfectly with the other members of the group. His duet with Thésée works extremely well! Bdragon
THESEUS
It’s probably not the most popular, but I had already loved it in the second part, and I was happy to see it on screen more often in this third film. His scenes with Newt are very funny, special mention to the prison escape scene where you have to be “more flexible in your pelvis”. However, I would have appreciated that his character was a little more developed. Drearan
The Newt/Theseus duo is irresistible! I was nevertheless surprised that Theseus didn’t mention Leta once… I choose to think it’s because he’s the type to ignore his grief and hide it behind a nonchalant air, and until it explodes. Maybe in the next movie? Marjoram
Thesee and Norbert’s relationship develops. A kind of strange distance tinged with affection and a common mourning that hovers over them subtly throughout the film… I was convinced by this character and happy that he is more present than in the previous film. I can’t wait to see them get closer in any future films and I hope they will be treated to scenes as funny and cute as those in this film! Rowenaz
There is a chaste, very British bond between them , which shines through when Albus talks about his own relationship with his brother. I liked this balance which did not spoil the main plot, it was pleasant! Thésée is still too far behind unfortunately. Naria
The relationship between Theseus and Newt is well exploited and developed in this opus, which is ultimately more interested in the links between its characters than in its main plot. Even if the character remains very secondary, his presence and his duet with Lalie amused me a lot. Bdragon
YUSUF KAMA
I remain frustrated with this character’s arc. I have the impression that something is missing, because he clearly has a role of double agent but we do not see him “passing” information, whereas that could have added a welcome suspense. It’s all the more unfortunate that I appreciated the intensity of the scene of extracting Leta’s memory, I found this moment powerful, but on which nothing else was built. Marjoram
Definitely, this character does not bring much to the plot. We know from the moment he arrives at Grindelwald that he will not betray Dumbledore, and his arc is as predictable as possible. It only serves to show even more explicitly that Queenie is lying to the dark mage… And it is sad to see that he has become almost mute, his lines of dialogue being counted on the fingers of one hand. Guizmo
Who ? I didn’t understand why risk his life by going to live with the opponents just to do a twist that blocks the Grindelwald supporters at the last minute. Wasn’t there anything better to do? Like slipping something into Grindelwald’s pocket that would help break the Blood Pact? There was so much to do… Hopefully we’ll have the pleasure of seeing it in the next and more developed film. Naria
Too bad for us… This character seems to have enormous potential! And the actor seems excellent to me! So why so many mysteries? Maybe the next installment will tell us more? I hope so, anyway ! Moon
I feel like a lot of scenes are missing around Yusuf, to explain his role and how he fits into Dumbledore’s plan. The character is very little present and interesting, and while Grindelwald asks him to prove himself, we never see the color of it, which is a great shame. Everything is predictable with him, even Gellert could have seen it! The scene of remembrance, however, remains extremely moving. Bdragon
JACOB
Again, Jacob has a lot to do with the humorous potential of the film! Quite simply, and with his invaluable frankness, he holds the film from start to finish. The few scenes with Queenie are quite successful I think, we believe it! Moon
Finally, the film’s humor is no longer at Jacob’s expense! The character is no longer just the good funny friend, he takes on thickness, asserts himself as a member of the band in his own right, and shows a wider range of emotions. I was touched by the final sequence, and his marriage to Queenie in his bakery. The scene is moving without falling into exaggeration. A nice evolution for the characters since the first film. Ipiutinelle
Jacob takes on a much more serious role and posture in this film, while retaining a large part of the humorous twists and turns of the story. He is our link and our anchor with this unknown magical world, and his presence and kindness make us have a great time. The story arc regarding his wand is very funny, and his relationship, sincere with Queenie, is very touching. His marriage to the latter is the most touching scene of the film. Bdragon
MAGICAL CREATURES
This is for me the big plus of this component! I enjoyed myself with the fantastic animals represented! They played a huge role in the aesthetics of the film I think, and really make me say that the film is beautiful, touching and funny! Teddy, Pickett, the cutest of the botrucs who has his miniature glasses, I’m cracking up! And the quilin of course! Beautiful, touching, intelligent, I also like the attributes given to him. This adorable creature is definitely one of my favorites now! Finally, I really liked the presence of the phoenix. We already knew him, yet here his role is different since he follows Credence, who will soon die. This creature always touches me in its symbolism, and I find this interpretation beautiful in this case. Moon
Agree with Moon on all counts. The Quilin is a magnificent success, and offers one of my favorite little scenes, when the group is at the Tête de Sanglier and Jacob is playing with this little cabbage. In stark contrast, this makes the scenes of Grindelwald, killing and then resuscitating the twins, particularly disturbing. Marjoram
It’s good, it’s decided. When I grow up, I will be a magizoologist like Norbert! But I think the Wonders of Nature exhibition had already initiated this decision. The creatures are central to the plot and necessary for wizards, I’m just having trouble with the treatment of the Quilins, maybe Bambi -related trauma. Anyway, these animals are gifted with feelings and it shows on the screen, we really want to adopt them all. The duo Teddy and Pickett made me crack, they are the reflection of a principle when you have a pet: you receive what you give to your animals. They do everything to help Norbert which makes them feel good. The baby Quilin is in my opinion the cutest and most fantastic thing in this universe, to think that they have an animal capable of probing the hearts of people because he himself is pure, it is very beautiful. Unfortunately, the human species and its ambitions hover over him. If with that, we don’t talk about ecology, it’s because we missed a message! Naria
We find, like Fantastic Beasts , a real highlighting of magical creatures in this opus. The Quilin is adorable, the Wyvern too, not to mention the manticores, even if their teenage crisis seems to be very complicated… I’m just disappointed not to have had scenes in the suitcase, a place that I particularly like to see and find out. And the Pickett-Teddy duo alone deserves its spin-off or spin-off series! Bdragon
THE MUSIC
A composer at the height of James Newton Howard was essential in my eyes for a saga of this scale, the compositions are magnificent! I loved the fact of finding a lot of Hogwarts (in music), and some notes from Harry Potter . Pleasure and nostalgia on this soundtrack! Moon
After the incredible score that James Newton Howard had delivered for The Crimes of Grindelwald , I had high expectations, and I was initially a little disturbed by the covers of Williams’ themes, or his own themes from both parts. previous ones, which were sometimes almost “copy-pasted”. I was nevertheless immediately sensitive to some very successful new songs. Having the opportunity to listen to the soundtrack album, I appreciate much more the subtle evolution, some new themes, and strong moments. Marjoram
I loved the soundtrack of this third part, and especially the piece chosen for the scene of the Manticore cave, its joyful and rhythmic tone accentuates the humor of the scene to perfection, and makes it possible to counterbalance with the violence of the Manticore’s attacks. Ipiutinelle
I really enjoyed the soundtrack of the film, and the callbacks to the greatest pieces of the saga did not bother me at all! I’m going to take the time to re-listen to it alone now, to see if it exists or not without the images and thrills me as it did during the screening. Bdragon
VISUALS AND AESTHETICS
Just a quick word on the sets and costumes which are still brilliantly successful! We still love discovering new places, always so magical and with a really appreciable attention to detail. Each country has its graphic universe and I loved that! As for the costumes, they combine class and a subtle magical atmosphere… The whole film is a real pleasure for the eyes. Cheer ! Rowenaz
My cosplayer eyes were satisfied! Naria
It’s time to change David Yates to directing. We have the same film, in terms of image, editing, production as since the Order of the Phoenix , and that’s a shame. All the work on the sets, the accessories, the atmospheres is marred by a classic and dull approach. If it allows to have a coherence in the universe, it also makes him lose interest as time passes. Yates still does not know how to film the fights correctly, which are approximate and very quickly swept away. The more sensitive scenes, on the other hand, are handled better than in The Crimes of Grindelwald . Bdragon
CONCLUSION
I leave this film satisfied, I had a good time. The humor was there, the visuals too, the impressive duels and the different magics magnificently exploited. The creatures are back with as much brio, tenderness and fun as ever. The characters are better developed, the duos work well, and they continue to be endearing. But, several “buts” remain, especially in the plot. If the bar has been raised slightly, I cannot yet fully consider it a success. It’s a small 13/20 for me! Guizmo
I was quite happy when I left the cinema, but there are a few shadows in the picture. Even if the visuals and the humor were there, the many inconsistencies and the fairly predictable scenario (from the start, we know that it is Bunty who has the suitcase with the qilin, that Yusuf Kama and Queenie are double agents … no suspense on it) did not allow me to fully appreciate it. Nevertheless, he almost reconciled me with the franchise, but it will take a lot more to convince me during the next opus. Drearan
Being very attached to this franchise, I counted above all on this film to reconcile the fans who had moved away from it. In that, I’m pretty happy. I still have some inevitable frustrations when you wait so long for a film. But among all my expectations, most have been met, especially concerning the relationships between the characters, and the themes and symbols developed. Marjoram
A lot of effort has gone into trying to raise the bar for the franchise, the simplification of the story is a relief, and the movie is much better paced. But for me this film does not meet my expectations. I thought that the choice to hire Steve Kloves as co-screenwriter for this third installment was made out of the desire to have a much better put together and coherent screenplay. We were starting from a very shaky base, and to have a film that held together completely, we had to not allow ourselves the slightest mistake. If this film corrected certain inconsistencies, it created others (the strategy of chance, the portkey, Dumbledore who knows the Room of Requirement…). The staging is very simple, some scenes seem to have been shot and added at the last moment like the coffee scene at the beginning between Grindewald and Dumbledore, what interest ? Why not save the big reveal about their relationship at the end when they break the blood pact, wouldn’t that have had a much more powerful impact on viewers? The duels look more and more like action scenes ofDr Strange …Since when do wizards make you cross sidewalks to fight your mind simulated by a white coin? It’s still a failure for me. fantine
Despite all the little flaws stated in this review, I came out of the film won over. Yes, the plot is sometimes wobbly or hasty, yes, some characters deserve to be more exploited and, yes, some elements come like a hair in the soup. But these characters! These decorations! These musics! This universe! And above all, this powerful story between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, so well exploited! I had a great time, completely immersed in the film and, at the time of viewing, its flaws went completely unnoticed to me. We can therefore say that the magic is there and that it is enough to make us forget what is wrong to take us to the guts with everything that is right! My favorite film of the three
The following ! The following ! This is my favorite of the three films, certainly because it reconciled me with Dumbledore, showed me Fantastic Beasts and considering the title, I expected at least that! I can’t wait to go see it a second time to analyze everything even better! Naria
This third installment is my favorite! I took full eyes. I laughed, I took a liking to the characters, and I now look forward to the sequel! Moon
I want to know more about the different forms of magic discovered in this part, the alternate dimension in which Dumbledore fights Credence, then Grindelwald, about the way Abelforth and Credence communicate, and I hope to find satisfactory answers, which will not contradict the canon too much. However, I had a great time, this third part revitalizes the franchise, brought the answers I expected, and the wonderful character of Lally Hicks. Abelforth ‘s Always tensed me during my first viewing, the reference was so strong, but I was surprised to appreciate it much more during my second viewing of the film; Finally, I appreciate that this quote is used here to describe a love that is not unhealthy, unlike the Rogue-Lily relationship.Ipiutiminelle.
The film reconciled me with the franchise. Very satisfied with the release of the cinema, I remain however on my hunger vis-à-vis the messy political intrigue yet central, and by the lack of substance of certain characters such as Credence or Yusuf Kama. If I find many faults in this third opus, it is not bad for all that. I also found the relationship between Grindelwald and Dumbledore, even if I would have liked us to focus more on the latter’s “secrets”, and in particular on Ariana, who is missing, and that we would have liked to see in a flashback, beyond a simple painting . Lantaelen.
I had a good time watching the film, something I no longer thought possible after The Crimes of Grindelwald , which had greatly disappointed me. The fact of having worked on it a lot before its release for the Gazette took away a lot of surprises and discoveries, but the film was able to surprise me in certain moments and aspects and take me with it. The fact remains that it has a lot of facilities and that its scenario wants to play it complex by being definitely too simple. Exceptional efforts therefore, I am waiting for the Optimal on the next one, if there is a next one! Bdragon