Grindelwald: Innocent until Proven Guilty

A review of Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald by Kimia Faroughi

I had been looking forward to this movie ever since I saw the first installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise almost two years ago. My biggest fear going into the film was that The Crimes of Grindelwald would be a huge disappointment, but I didn’t see any way that this magic-filled epic could be anything less than spectacular.

When reviews started surfacing a few weeks ago and I read about how critics found faults in almost every aspect of the film–from plot, character development and CGI–I was extremely discouraged. But now, having watched the movie twice, I was not disappointed at all. I thought it was very enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone, especially people who are as enamored as I am by the world J.K. Rowling has been building since 1997 when the novel Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone came out.

The Crimes of Grindelwald follows the stories of several characters, both new and familiar, as they are forced to pick a side when the notoriously dangerous and conniving wizard, Gellert Grindelwald, begins to gain power and a following for his cause: to help wizarding kind achieve dominance over non-magic society. This film is the second out of five projected installments in the Fantastic Beasts film series that documents Grindelwald’s ascension to and fall from power during the earlier half of the 20th century, before the Harry Potter series took place. For Harry Potter fans, this series is extremely important because it dives into many aspects of the wizarding world that were merely glossed over in the original Harry Potter series.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed the film is because of how familiar it felt to the original Potter narratives and movies. Not only because the storylines explored in this movie were mentioned in the Harry Potter books and movies, but also because this movie felt like it was an installment of a series or a piece of a larger storyline just as how all of the Harry Potter movies were.

Most of the narratives in the Harry Potter books and movies involve a conflict brewing in the distance and the eternal magical struggle between good and evil, and The Crimes of Grindelwald operated in a similar way. Additionally, some of the settings and characters in the original Potter books and movies made appearances in this film, such as Albus Dumbledore, Nicholas Flamel, Gellert Grindelwald, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the British Ministry of Magic, and more, which allowed for The Crimes of Grindelwald to feel closer to home. This is one of the reasons I think that the movie is worth watching: it feels so familiar and yet is a completely new storyline.

A major issue that some critics had about the film was how the villain, Grindelwald, came across. Many of them felt that Johnny Depp’s portrayal of Grindelwald was dull and very different from how the eminent dark wizard is supposed to be in the flesh. I definitely disagree with this as I thought that the character came off as persuasive, clever, and powerful as he should have been. The most important aspect of Grindelwald and his rise to power is that his message is very seductive to witches and wizards who are tired of being in hiding and who feel as though muggles are destroying human society.

The scariest thing about Grindelwald is that what he is saying actually makes sense to many magicians. This is extremely apparent in the film, which satisfies many of my qualms about how The Crimes of Grindelwald could have betrayed the information and developments established in the original Harry Potter series. In general, all portrayals of the characters in this film were consistent with any preconceived notions or expectations we had about them.

The film’s plot was neither dull nor flat. It really highlighted how, in times of crisis such as the one the wizarding community faces with the rise of Grindelwald, ordinary people’s lives become extremely polarized and dangerous. Throughout the film, characters are being forced to interpret what Grindelwald’s message means to them and are compelled to pick a side of history that they want to be on. The film’s climax is extremely captivating and does a good job of displaying this conflict and showing how fractured the future of the wizarding world will be.

Another major reason why this film was so enjoyable was because of its magical moments. The use of magical creatures and other elements unique to the wizarding world makes it worth watching. Many critics complained about the film’s use of CGI, but I thought that these moments were very enjoyable and left you in awe. I also think that finding faults about the overuse of CGI and special effects in a film that is literally about magic may be too harsh of a judgment.

Now for the less fantastical elements of the story. Yes, there were too many storylines to follow and the plot was extremely convoluted, which, as a result, made the development of the plot and characters feel inadequate. However, for better or for worse, it is important to note that this film is the second out of a five-film story arc and there is so much more story to tell.

Many elements of the film, which I will not reveal because they are definitely spoilers, have caused a great deal of outrage among fans, but I think that we should allow ourselves to find out more about the story before judging them so harshly. Because we do not have an existing storyline to follow outside of the films, as we did with the Harry Potter series, everything seems like a big question mark right now. I think it is important to see how all these questions will be answered before making these sorts of judgments about the series.

That being said, the film has many more flaws, such as the fact that it may be difficult to watch and not be confused by what is going on if you do not have some pre-existing knowledge about Harry Potter lore. I realize that The Crimes of Grindelwald is not a fantastic cinematic achievement and probably does not even come close to being a great achievement.

I can definitely see how critics are disappointed; however, I feel that the movie is extremely interesting and draws you into the wizarding world that many are fascinated by and long to learn more about. Bias may be clouding my judgment, but I definitely think that the movie is worth seeing. If not for general enjoyment then just for that one shot of Hogwarts while the original John Williams theme played because that was truly magical.