The Crimes Of Grindelwald is the second installment of the Fantastic Beasts series from the Harry Potter universe.  With the first movie being more about the beasts than anything else, The Crimes Of Grindelwald lets the beasts take a back seat to the uprising going on in the world of magic.  The movie succeeds in many ways.  It often feels as if the world J.K. Rowling has created is part of ours.  It has been a part of pop culture now for over a decade and many of the spell casts have become common phrases amongst fans.  You often see people wearing the Hogwarts scarfs in public as if they are alumni.  Special effects and acting were top notch which helps you stay grounded in a magical world.  The creativity put into bringing this world to life is phenomenal.  The story however is a little hard to follow.  The Crimes Of Grindelwald tries to misdirect you too often.  Instead of telling a good story and letting the characters carry themselves, they try to mislead you in every direction for dramatic effect.  It doesn’t work very well.  Often times you are confused as to how characters play into the story until the third act when everything become apparent.  They could of laid it all on the table and let the characters hold themselves up for the betterment of the movie.  The acting was good enough to do so.

Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander) is back in his quirky role as a magical conservationist who could end up being the founding member of the magical division of PETA.  He does well expanding on his character in this movie by giving you a bit more depth into his life.  His same supporting cast from the first movie is back but don’t add as much to this story as the previous.  The Crimes Of Grindelwald truly expands on the role and purpose of Johnny Depp‘s (Grindelwald) character.  Of course Depp brings his chameleon like abilities to transform into a unique role.  He is a great addition to the Harry Potter universe.  Two other notable performances were given by Zoë Kravitz (Leta Lestrange) and Jude Law (Albus Dumbledore).  Law as a young Dumbledore could not be a better casting.  He brings a kindness to his character that the original series captured greatly.

Overall The Crimes Of Grindelwald is a good movie.  The theatre experience is not diminished by its few faults.  Every movie currently tries to manufacture “gotcha” moments within the plot.  It’s getting a bit tiresome, especially when they are not pulled off as well.  This sequel really ramps up the underlying plot from the first movie and plays well with current events and tone.  With plenty of easter eggs for movie and book lovers alike, all of the Potter fans should enjoy this movie.  A movie for all ages, The Crimes OF Grindelwald is for the whole family.  Whether you are a muggle, a no-maj, a mudblood, or a pure blood, The Crimes Of Grindelwald is a must see for every family that has enjoyed the works of J.K. Rowling.