[FILM REVIEW] FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE Review (2022)

January 10, 2023January 10, 2023 Dave Aleksandr Kuzetsov, Alex First, Alison Sudol, Callum Turner, Dan Fogler, Dave Wong, David Bertrand, David Griffiths, David Yates, Donal Finn, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Fiona Glascott, Greg King, Hebe Beardsall, J.K. Rowling, Jacqueline Boatswain, Jessica Williams, Jude Law, Katherine Waterson, Lucas Englander, Mads Mikkelsen, Maja Bloom, Maria Fernanda Candido, Matthias Brenner, Oliver Masucci, Paul Low-Hang, Peter Krausz, Poppy Corby-Tuech, Ramona Kunze-Libnow, Richard Coyle, Stefan race, Steve Kloves, UK, USA, Valerie Pachner, Victorai Yeates, Wilf Scolding, William Nadylam

Summary: Professor Albus Dumbledore must assist Newt Scamander and his partners as Grindelwald begins to lead an army to eliminate all Muggles.

Year: 2022

Cinema Release Dates: 7th April 2022 (Australia), 21st April 2022 (Thailand), 8th April 2022 (UK), 15th April 2022 (USA)

VOD Release Dates: Available in all regions now.

Country: USA, UK

Director: David Yates

Screenwriter: J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves

Cast: Hebe Beardsall (Ariana Dumbledore), David Bertrand (Victor – French Minister), Maja Bloom (Carrow), Jacqueline Boatswain (Ida Webb – British Witch), Matthias Brenner (Otto), Maria Fernanda Candido (Vicencia Santos), Poppy Corby-Tuech (Vinda Rosier), Richard Coyle (Aberforth), Lucas Englander (Horst), Donal Finn (Albert – Baker), Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski), Fiona Glascott (Minerva McGonagall), Ramona Kunze-Libnow (Edith – Elderly Matron), Aleksandr Kuznetsov (Helmut), Jude Law (Albus Dumbledore), Paul Low-Hang (Zabini), Oliver Masucci (Anton Vogel), Mads Mikkelsen (Gellert Grindelwald), Ezra Miller (Credence Barebone), William Nadylam (Yusuf Kama), Valerie Pachner (Henrietta Fischer), Stefan Race (Karl – Dark-Eyed Waiter), Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), Wilf Scolding (Frank Doyle – Workman 1), Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein), Callum Turner (Thesus Scamander), Katherine Waterson (Tina Goldstein), Jessica Williams (Eulalie ‘Lally’ Hicks), Dave Wong (Liu Tao), Victoria Yeates (Bunty Broadacre)

Running Time: 142 mins

Classification: M (Australia),G (Thailand), 12 (UK), PG-13 (USA)

OUR FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE REVIEWS

David Griffiths ‘s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Review:

The Wizarding World is a world that simply just keeps giving to cinema fans and this time it has delivered a film that is going to be surprising for both fans and non-fans alike. In the past both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films have been viewed as something that is largely for a family as a whole, but Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore moves away from that with a more adult-orientated film that rests heavily on the spy/thriller genre.

After the events of the previous film both Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law – Closer) and Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen – Doctor Strange) are both taking stock and preparing for the future. Dumbeldore has been putting together a small team, led by Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne – Les Miserables), to try to counteract anything Grindelwald can plan while Grindewald encourages the damaged Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller – Justice League) to kill Dumbledore but he devises a plan to be elected to become the most powerful Wizard in the Wizarding World.

Together as a team director David Yates (The Legend Of Tarzan) and co-screenwriters Steve Kloves (Wonder Boys) and J.K. Rowling (Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them) have created a film that brilliantly reminds the audiences of similarities between the politics of today and events of the past while still managing to move both Newt and Dumbledore’s stories along in an interesting direction.

As a film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore takes on a darker tone as Grindelwald’s plan to gain power and destroy the Muggle world mirrors what Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party’s plans were back in the 1940s. To hammer that point home the filmmakers set a large chunk of this film in Germany while dressing various characters in outfits that are clearly based on the clothes worn by many in the Nazi Party.

That darker tone filters throughout the film and the result is a movie laced with suspense. Following on from the ‘supernatural massacre’ from the first film it is established early on in this film that Grindelwald will slit the throat of any creature no matter how cute it is while the audience is constantly placed on the edge of their seat and kept guessing at whether characters such as Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol – Dan In Real Life) are double agents who are in grave danger.

Like the film itself the filmmakers have also given a darker edge to Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler – Fanboys). Gone is much of the comedy shtick that was present around his character in the previous two films. Here he is fuelled by both depression and anger that has been brought on by Queenie turning to the dark-side and as an audience member you can’t help but worry about the safety of a Muggle who seems determined to go up against a gifted wizard like Grindelwald and his followers.

The more intense screenplay also allows for some great acting performances by the film’s leads. Jude Law takes his portrayal of Dumbledore to a whole new level. We see a different side to the much loved character as his relationship with Grindelwald is explored more and Law further enhances the role by making it feel like he is playing a character stuck in the middle of a war thriller.

Likewise Eddie Redmaybe is at the top of his game here is well. He keeps the small nuances present that we have come to expect from Newt as a character. His shyness and awkwardness is still there but we still more bravery and determination when he realises that the lives of those he cares about – including his brother Theseus (Callum Turner – War & Peace) – are in danger. The fact that Newt is also kept relevant by incorporating his ‘creatures’ into the storyline is also a stroke a genius from Kloves and Rowling as well.

It was hard to imagine that films in the Wizarding World would ever reach the heights that some of the better Harry Potter films did but Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore shows that there is still creativity to be had with this franchise. The darker tone enhances the film and makes it lot better than a lot of people expected it would be. This film is a surprisingly well written and suspenseful affair.

Dave’s rating Out Of 5

Alex First, Greg King and Peter Krausz’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Review:

Alex’s rating Out Of 5

Greg’s rating Out Of 5

Peter’s rating Out Of 5

Average Subculture rating Out Of 5

Other Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Reviews:

You can read our review of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore that appeared in The Phuket News here – https://www.thephuketnews.com/jude-law-turns-it-on-as-fantastic-beasts-matures-83817.php

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