PG-13 2 hours 14 minutes
This movie could have been better, but (as a long time fan of HP) I was entertained. I have a feeling that this movie's major problem was series-its. I base my assumption on news that there will be 3 more of these in our future. So Warner probably took 3 square pegs (aka sensible scripts not an ancient tv show) and pounded them into 5 round holes (aka we need to build an addition at Wizarding World). And as for the Star Wars prequels being better than we thought, 2 words: Jar-Jar. Let's not forget Anakin's problem with sand (and personal boundaries).
I enjoyed Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes of Grindelwald. While not my favorite movie, I was not bored or checking the run time. I think the problems started, not with the Director, but with the format. The Fantastic Beasts series is scheduled to be (total) 5 films. I think what we just saw was the "sophomore slump" or using another analogy, an early move in a long chess match. While I would rate this movie as Fresh (Rotten Tomatoes), I could not in good conscience recommend this film to someone unfamiliar with the books and movies of this world so maybe my fandom is affecting my rating.
I enjoyed this movie, admittedly not as much as the Harry Potter movies or even the 1st Fantastic Beasts. I think the problem probably began with studio instructions to expand Fantastic Beasts to 5 parts (aka movies and/or cash-grabs). The truly scary (and muggle) thought that occurs to me is that if next 3 are even a moderate success, will the studio order more screenplays further diluting this world? Ironically that would be the opposite of the definition of (slightly magical) concept of alchemy (making ordinary metal into gold).
While I was entertained (no time checks) I can see this movie's flaws, too many people, too many subplots, too much action/exposition and not enough magic. I wonder if the decision to make this series run 5 films was the studio's idea? Possibly it also was the studio's idea to throw in all that exposition. Sadly (or perhaps through greed) they do not want to "force" people to allot the time to read the Harry Potter novels and to watch all the Harry Potter movies. Those books (and movies) not only had magic as a theme, but made me long for a real-life Hogwarts (and I did not even want to go to sleep-away summer camp). May the magic return in part 3 (and 4 and 5).
This panel said it, without the assistance of books absorbed into our brains, it is hard to follow the logic concerning some of the plot and characters. With 5 films (and potentially having no magical abilities) we are left in the middle of a journey without GPS only our trust in J. K. Rowling. I will continue on the journey, but many may not.
No extra scenes in closing credits, just some animation.
No zinger, short scene at the end of closing credits.
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