“SKumm’s Thoughts”
FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE
CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD (2018, PG-13, 134 minutes, HEYDAY FILMS/WARNER BROTHERS)
I hate to admit it, but there came upon me a moment when watching this
sequel to 2016’s FANTASTIC BEASTS in which I hoped Johnny Depp would look
directly into the camera and break into his Captain Jack Sparrow routine.
Granted, there are a few moments when that slightly rolling voice comes
through, as though he’s egging you on a bit.
Like at any moment he could cry out “mun-key!” in fear and a slightly
drunken repose. But he doesn’t. Which kinda sucked.
CRIMES follows the basic Hollywood sequel setup, in that it adheres to the
formula set forth by THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK; secrets are revealed, some
questions are answered, and the bad guys have a field day. Seeing the fugitive wizard Grindelwald (Depp)
in action can be quite the nefarious spectacle.
His power is obvious, his intentions are honestly blunt, and his
ideology is skewed yet rational in a sympathetic kind of way. He wants all pure-blood witches and wizards
to rule the world, and he nearly has the means to do so. Those means involve winning Credence (Ezra
Miller) over to his side. Where
Grindelwald is stalwart in his resolution, Credence is coming into his
own. He still shies away from human
interaction, but his conflicted emotions have evolved into a quest for
identity—one which, sadly, is not explored quite enough here. Neither is that of Nagini (Claudia Kim), who
eventually grows up to be a really evil snake.
In fact, there are several characters here that need more fleshing out,
and more time to simmer. You get the
distinct impression that there is a longer, more character-friendly film here
somewhere.
It is certainly possible that they will all evolve more over time; this is,
after all, only the second in a planned five-film story. But there are a whole lotta people on display
here, and it seems an injustice to not let these characters develop more
naturally.
My other gripe lies with either J.K. Rowling’s script or Mark Day’s
editing; there are jumps in the storyline that are wholly out of place for a
film set in the “Wizarding World” universe.
Scenes cut to other characters suddenly further along than you last saw
them, which goes against the typical storytelling of these films. It is especially bothersome when it concerns
characters we care about. Speaking of
which, the early standout for me in this film was, once again, Dan Fogler’s
Jacob Kowalski. His humor and presence
show an almost uncanny depth, making him the most relatable character in the
movie—well, for part of it, anyways.
Eddie Redmayne is just as effective as he was the first time around, and
this time he is allowed to better plumb the depths of his social anxieties and
self-doubts. Newt Scamander really is
one of the most complex characters writer J.K. Rowling has ever created, and
I’m including Severus Snape in that mix (Slytherin forever, beotches!).
And please don’t think that I hated this sequel; on the contrary, it was
enjoyable. Some of the effects are
stunning, and the set detail was delightful.
The graveyard was especially effective as a mood setter, although that
was also one of the parts which felt a bit rushed. Phillipe Rousselot’s cinematography is
wonderful, in that he sets up some shots that linger in your head well into the
next scene. Some of his work may seem
unconventional for a Wizarding World film, but it is a great visual tool in
director David Yates’ arsenal.
There are other things which bothered me (and some things about the story
that I loved), but to divulge them goes against my “No Spoilers! Rule”. If you’ve seen the trailers, you know what
the film is about. And no, it isn’t
about Jack Sparrow getting the Black Pearl back. No matter how badly you want that sly wink
and a “mun-key!”.
Film Grade: B-
- T.S.Kummelman
No comments:
Post a Comment