Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - Wizarding World

It’s a return to the Wizarding World.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald arrives today! It’s on everything from the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack, the Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD. The Digital format appeared early on February 15.

The 4K Ultra HD and the Blu-Ray Combo have an extended cut. It's more than seven minutes added and is only available with the digital download code.

WIZARD

J.K. Rowling, obviously, is the author behind the popular Harry Potter series. Harry’s story was meant to be finished though.

The return to the Wizarding World happened in 2016. It was Rowling’s first-ever screenplay with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Newt Scamander (Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne) is the centre of the action.

Like Creed II, Beasts is a spin-off as it is still set in the world of Harry Potter.

There was no mention of Harry Potter though. The tale takes place in 1926. There are connections if you look hard enough. Newt Scamander is one of them. He set out to write the book, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’ It was required reading for Harry’s first year at Hogwarts.

(There’s a quick glimpse of the book’s release in the new movie.)

Fantastic Beasts managed 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and over $814 million worldwide. It is the first of an intended five-movie series.  

The Crimes of Grindelwald (a wizard with another Potter connection) struggled as a follow-up. Grindelwald hit a measly 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and finished at $653 million worldwide. While it is a much bigger haul than a movie like Creed II, the result is the lowest of the Wizarding World films.      

The story shifts to 1927. Rowling returned as writer and David Yates as director. Most of the ensemble came back with some newbies. There’s Johnny Depp, Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo and Poppy Corby-Tuech.

TAKE

Would I buy this film? Yes.

If you had zero interest in Harry Potter up to this point, then I would say no.

Like Creed II again - The Crimes of Grindelwald is a sequel. You might be able to dive in here, but it is probably more enjoyable if you are already familiar - and liked - the other movies. Do you start buying something that is meant as a second part? I don’t think it’s the suggested way to go.

And unlike Rocky and Creed, I do own the Harry Potter books and most of the movies.

Is this J.K. Rowling at her best? Probably not. I mean Harry Potter is a tough contender. Crimes of Grindelwald has a lot more characters introduced. It translates to less screen time for some introduced in the first Fantastic Beasts movie. There is a lot more information to take in as well.

The opening and end moments have the biggest action sequences of the whole movie. The beasts and visuals are well done. While a lot of the film is more dialogue driven. Johnny Depp's big speech near the end, feels quite chilling, in a good way.

Overall though, the story seemed like it was moving pieces to set up the next chapters. If the Harry Potter books are any indication though, Rowling has a plan. According to the special features, she has an entire backstory for how Newt met his assistant Bunty. It never gets mentioned in the movie.   

There are more connections to the Potter series with a return to Hogwarts. There's mentions of Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Nagini and Nicholas Flamel.

If you are a serious Potter fan, or more casual, will depend on how much those words above make an impact on you.

And the ending will depend on the type of fan you are. No spoilers here. But you may be surprised, confused or won’t make much difference to you.

(I’m in the surprised/confused category.) It certainly makes me intrigued to find out what happens in Fantastic Beasts 3.  

SPECIAL FEATURES OVERVIEW

There is over an hour of special features. There is probably a little bit something for the super fans and more casual.

J.K. Rowling: A World Revealed (10 minutes, 15 seconds.)

- J.K Rowling discusses Harry Potter and why she set out to do the Fantastic Beasts movies. As for the ending - she says don’t jump to conclusions just yet.

Wizards on Screen, Fans in Real Life (19 minutes, 12 seconds.)

- In the words of Ezra Miller, who plays Credence - this is the more ‘nerdy’ feature. It’s Miller’s and Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter movies) offering commentary and questions on certain scenes. They spend a few minutes of Miller reading passages from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Which may help jogged some fans memories - like mine.

Distinctly Dumbledore (9 minutes, 31 seconds.)

- Discussion of the casting of this younger Dumbledore with Jude Law. Also of Richard Harris and Michael Gambon’s portrayal. J.K Rowling even offers her own thoughts on the Dumbledore and Grindelwald relationship.

The Unlocking Scene Secrets section spans 49 minutes altogether. This is the behind-the-scenes analysis of making the movie. There’s the Hogwarts sequence and why Dumbledore’s classroom may look so familiar. How Newt’s menagerie was developed and also that Bunty backstory. Some insight into Credence, Nagini and why a Circus is worth noting. The construction of Paris - which took builders 9 months before filming even started. How much of the Ministere des Affaires is actually a real set and more about Grindelwald.  

Unlocking Scene Secrets: The Return to Hogwarts

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Newt’s Menagerie

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Credence, Nagini and the Circus Arcanus  

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Paris and Place Cahee

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Ministere des Affaires Magiques

Unlocking Scene Secrets: Grindelwald’s Escape and the Ring of Fire

Deleted Scenes (14 minutes, 23 seconds.)

- They offer some interesting insight but would have added more to the 134 minutes run time. There were also details explained in other parts of the movie. 

Warner Brothers Home Entertainment