Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Hi everyone!  I think I have turned a corner since breaking my arm.  I just haven’t felt comfortable typing reviews (even though we have seen movies every weekend as usual).  My arms is getting to the point where I have a better range of motion, and typing is not as much of a chore as it was – so here comes my first review since The Batman on March 7!  This is the third Fantastic Beasts movie out of what is supposed to be five.  I was charmed by the first one, didn’t like the second one at all, and thought this one was better, but not great.  When the movies stick with Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, who roams the world looking for fantastic creatures, the movie is enjoyable.  Also, Dan Fogler as the muggle baker Jacob Kowalski is a scene stealer and lights up every scene he is in.  But the rest of the movie is missing something and that is saying a lot when other characters are played by some great actors, namely Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore and Mads Mickkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald.  The plot, involves Grindelwald, who is manipulating people and events to seize control of the wizarding world and ultimately begin a war to destroy all muggles.  There is also a secret Dumbledore child, a cute animal called a quilin (looks like a tiny deer), a bunch of look alike suitcases,  and a new method of traveling by the pages of a book.  This whole Fantastic Beasts franchise doesn’t seem to contain the spark, or whatever you call it, that the original Harry Potter books had in abundance.  Maybe it misses the comradeship and trust of the Hogwarts students and their teachers. Maybe it’s that the plot lines are more murky and even somewhat disconnected and harder to follow. It just lacks that something special that the Potter saga has. Even so, if you liked the first movie, I think you will like this one too.