A fantasy adventure film in which a dark wizard hatches a plan to subjugate all non-magical beings.
Rowling’s universe just got bigger and more complex, but Yates never forgets to sprinkle stardust on top.
Attempts to bedazzle the audience to paper over the cracks.
JK Rowling’s creative imagination is as fertile as ever, and newcomers Law and Johnny Depp impress, but the second film in the series is bogged down by franchise detail.
The Crimes of Grindelwald is rich and intriguing fare that will leave viewers impatient for the next sequel (if only so they can make more sense of what has been going on here.)
An enjoyable foray into J.K. Rowling’s imagination, bolstered by a more appealing Eddie Redmayne, but you can’t help feeling The Crimes Of Grindelwald is still treading water until future chapters.
Looks wonderful but is weighed down by exposition and arcane back stories.
A wizard in the shape of a script editor is needed to tighten the plot and sprinkle a few more handfuls of fairy dust. More than franchise-bound that spellbinding.
This sequel to the Harry Potter prequel is a tad heavy-handed and its racial politics don’t always hold up, but it’s more tonally assured than its predecessor and exploits the Potter nostalgia fruitfully.
General release. Check local listings for show times.
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