'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' review: The magic is still hanging on

MANILA, Philippines — The Wizarding World continues to grow even larger—even during a time way back when—with the release of "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore," the third installment of the "Harry Potter" prequel series.

 

Following the events of "The Crimes of Grindelwald," Jude Law's Albus Dumbledore assembles a team led by 'magizoologist' Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), as his former colleague, the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen, replacing Johnny Depp), moves further to conquer the magical world.

 

Accompanying Newt in this global mission are his brother Theseus (Callum Turner), his Muggle confidant Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), his assistant Bunty (Victoria Yeates), the wizard Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam), and Ilvermorny's Charms professor Lally Hicks (Jessica Williams).

 

Meanwhile on Grindelwald's side, in his quest to wage war on non-magical folks are his trusted follower Rosier (Poppy Corby-Tuech), Jacob's lover Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol), and Ezra Miller's Credence Barebone who carries the name Aurelius Dumbledore as he seeks revenge on his family.

 

The film itself was marred with issues, starting with Warner Bros. dropping Depp and finding a replacement in Mikkelsen. Another issue was "Harry Potter" author and credited screenwriter J.K. Rowling's controversial comments on transexuals went viral, and most recently, Ezra Miller's disturbing outburst in a Hawaiian karaoke bar caused a stir.

 

"The Crimes of Grindelwald" received very mixed reviews particularly for its runtime and story. While this new sequel repeats the equation, it can be considered a steady improvement.

 

Mikkelsen is a worthy and excellent Grindelwald, flexing a demeanor and attitude so subtle that it still comes off as menacing. Opposite Law, the two create a very sharp and tense chemistry that cuts like a knife, especially the series finally acknowledges just how close the two characters' relationship really is.

 

Even with the addition of Mikkelsen, Folger's Jacob continues to be a joy to see onscreen alongside his magical counterparts. But Redmayne and Law's natural charm cannot be undermined, of course.

 

 

The film appears flat for long periods of time, spiking in several sequences like the opener between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, spending more time inside Hogwarts, and absolutely hilarious prison escape— which by far is the best scene in the movie.

 

The "Fantastic Beasts" in the title now really feels like an attachment rather than a core element, with magical creatures just randomly inserted in order to push the story forward.

 

Even audiences who aren't fans of "Harry Potter" will notice the historical parallels between Grindelwald and fascism, especially during this period of time when the movement was rising in Europe.

 

A particular plotline in the movie hits close to home for the Philippines' current situation, with an election determined by a creature who sees if a person has the good heart to be a leader— but even a dark wizard like Grindelwald will find ways to guarantee favor.

 

Overall, the film and the series as a whole, now clearly seems to be gearing toward the climactic battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, so it begs the question how much more involved Redmayne's Newt and Miller's Credence/Aurelius will be in the planned two last films.

 

But like all fans, anyone who loves the "Harry Potter" franchise will always have a reason to come back to it, and this new entry will be hard to resist.

 

RELATED: 'Harry Potter 20th Anniversary' reuploaded after Emma Roberts shown instead of Emma Watson