‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ review
With the release of the third film in the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise, Samuel Rosenthal ’24 reviews the new installment spoiler-free.
Art by Samuel Rosenthal
“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” had everything against it from the start. Following the critical reception and financial disappointment of its predecessor, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”, the Warner Brothers company delayed the film to hire “Harry Potter” screenwriter, Steve Cloves, in an attempt to correct the franchise. The movie was set to begin filming in March 2020, however, due to a raging pandemic, production was delayed once again.
Later, screenwriter and creator of the franchise, J.K. Rowling, came under fire for her controversial comments on Twitter about the transgender community. These comments soon garnered a lot of flak, as even the Harry Potter reunion did not feature the creator of the series. On Twitter, boycotts against “The Secrets of Dumbledore” were made in protest of both J.K. Rowling’s comments as well as Johnny Depps’ resignation from the role of Gellert Grindelwald. Again, this was another delay for the film. Since 2016, Johnny Depp came under fire due to abuse allegations against his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Due to some later trial verdicts, the Warner Brothers company asked for the resignation of Johnny Depp from the role of Grindelwald, causing further displeasure to the fanbase. With the role of Grindelwald recast and given to Mads Mikkelsen, production for the movie finally resumed. Surprisingly, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” delivers a much-needed revitalization for the franchise.
The franchise seems to have two identities which will work for some but feel all the more disjointed for others.
The story is set in 1932 as Newt Scamander, a magical zoologist, is set on protecting a new-born Qilin – a magical animal that can see into your soul and tell your true nature – from the evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald and his followers who intend to use the creature for certain reasons. Meanwhile, Hogwarts professor Albus Dumbledore assembles a team of wizards consisting of Theseus (Newt’s brother), Jacob (Newt’s close, non-magic friend), Bunty (Newt’s assistant), Lally Hicks (a wizarding teacher) and Yusuf Kama (a French wizarding ally) to thwart Grindelwald’s forces. A short, spoiler-free summary of the story, but a relatively straightforward story nonetheless.
Easily the greatest issue of the previous film was balancing too many subplots, thus distracting from the more engaging, main story. “The Secrets of Dumbledore” fixes this problem incredibly well. At most there were only three subplots, giving the story a far more focused identity. Though the way the characters get to a final destination may be confusing, the story itself acknowledges it. As opposed to the last two “Fantastic Beasts” films, the story’s main character shifts from Newt Scamander to Albus Dumbledore. This is what I wished for in the franchise, but not what it needed. Where one half of the series focuses on Newt catching creatures, the other focuses on the deep past between Grindelwald and Dumbledore. The franchise seems to have two identities which will work for some but feel all the more disjointed for others.
Although the film had everything against it, it made many wise decisions, but missed out on some opportunities.
With the shift to focusing on Dumbledore’s character, naturally, the story would delve into his and Grindlewald’s previous love history, but it barely mentions it. This is because Warner Brothers wished to appeal to the Chinese market, as China is the second-largest box office market in the world behind the United States. China is very restrictive when it comes to LGBTQ+ content or references in media, causing the company to delete some of the movie’s scenes. This action further angered a lot of the fanbase, causing even more boycotting against the film for sacrificing representation for the sake of more money. This is a shame for both character development as well as representation, however, you do still buy the past relationships between these characters.
Mads Mikkelsen’s recasting as Grindelwald is a welcome addition to the franchise, as Johnny Depp’s performance was far more theatrical and campy compared to Mikkelsen’s. The relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald is far more believable than it ever would have been with Depp in the role. You also believe the slyness of the character far more, as there is a scene of animal cruelty near the beginning that is quite scarring and solidifies the character’s evilness. The role of Tina Goldstein -a vital character in the previous two movies- has also been minimized to practically one scene in the entire movie, likely due to the actress speaking out against J.K. Rowling’s Twitter comments. This is unfortunate because one of the most engaging parts of the previous movies was her relationship with Newt. Instead, I believe the role that was supposed to be filmed with Tina was replaced with Bunty, Newt’s assistant. This change isn’t as welcome, however it makes Bunty more interesting, but what could have elevated the movie even further was the developing relationship between Newt and Tina.
Easily the greatest issue of the previous film was balancing too many subplots, distracting from the more engaging, main story. “The Secrets of Dumbledore” fixes this problem incredibly well.
Following controversy after controversy, including Ezra Miller’s recent arrest in Hawaii, this franchise seems to be on the verge of collapse. Following a disappointing opening weekend box office and lukewarm critical receptions, it seems slightly unlikely that the franchise will finish its five-film plan. Even if this is the last of the franchise, it is a relatively satisfying ending, although it will have felt like it was building up to nothing. Even though the film had everything against it, it made many wise decisions but missed out on some opportunities. Overall, for an engaging story, great action, good characters, and a great third act, this film receives three and a half out of five stars, but I can absolutely see why some critics find it to be disjointed. If you love the Wizarding World or it looks interesting then you should check this out once it is released outside of theaters.
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(he/him) Sam Rosenthal is a Senior at West High and this is his second year on staff. This is his first year as a reporter. Samuel loves bowling, playing...
