Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (12A)

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (12A)

Director: David Yates

Runtime: 2h 22m

Cast: Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, William Nadylum, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, Victoria Yeates, Poppy Corby-Tuech, Fiona Glascott, Katherine Waterson, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Richard Coyle, Oliver Masucci, Valerie Pachner

Synopsis: Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald  is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ce6KlKz7kg

Directed once more by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling & Steve Kloves, based upon a screenplay by J.K. Rowling,“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” is the third film in the Harry Potter spin-off series that started with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.(2016) Set several years after the events of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), it continues the adventures of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). Caught up in the war between Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen), Scamander and his friends have been tasked with a mission to prevent Grindelwald from seizing control of the wizarding world.

The film features an ensemble cast, including Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne [The Theory of Everything (2014)] two-time Oscar nominee Jude Law [Cold Mountain (2003), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)], Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, William Nadylam, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, Victoria Yeates, Poppy Corby-Tuech, Fiona Glascott, Katherine Waterston, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Richard Coyle, Oliver Masucci, Valerie Pachner, and Mads Mikkelsen.

Visually impressive the film takes us to the world of 1930s Europe and Weimar Berlin; Grindelwald happens to be in prison and is planning to gain absolute control of the wizarding world when he gets out. Newt and Grindelwald have each captured a vitally important fantastic beast that will play a key part in the voting process.

Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald who he confesses that he was once in love with, is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards and witches and down-to-earth New York baker Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), in the hopes of halting the rise of charismatic Grindelwald. But they soon encounter an array of old and new beasts as they clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers, including the bitter Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), and friends in high places when just in time for an election, he is promoting himself as the voice of the people. Will a Qilin – a Bambi-like unicorn with a famed ability to see through lies – help or hinder Gellert’s wicked plans?

The Secrets of Dumbledore is another entertaining and spectacular looking fantasy, magical adventure with some great production design and visual effects.

Mads Mikkelsen [ Another Round (2020)] artfully steps into the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald and gives a subtle and convincing performance.

With some exquisite CGI visual effects from Christian Mänz and photography from George Richmond, production design from Stuart Craig lavish costumes from Colleen Atwood and  great score from James Newton Howard all help to transport to the imaginative magical and muggle worlds.

With JK Rowling engaged to create a five-film prequel series which focused on key wizarding events in the first half of the 20th Century fans can look forward to two more films in the  Fantastic Beasts franchise.

In cinemas

Images courtesy of: Warner Bros