Newt Scamander And The Exposition Of Doom

“You’re too good, Newt. You never met a monster you couldn’t love.” ~ Leta Lestrange

“Their arrogance is a key to our victory.” ~ Grindelwald

“I can’t move against Grindelwald. It has to be you. In your shoes I’d probably refuse to.” ~ Albus Dumbledore

“You want me to hunt him down? To kill him?” ~ Newt Scamander

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald is the second chapter in a five film series that predates the Harry Potter franchise by decades and follows an unassuming young wizard through misadventures and the rise of darkness. Following the world building first film and taking off from its ending, this film falters a bit and spends time in heavy exposition. It also brings back a familiar name from the original films, in a younger body played by a new actor, while reuniting cast members from the original. Director David Yates returns, while the creator of this magical world, J.K. Rowling, again provides the screenplay.

In 1927, a year after the capture of the dark wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who had spent the events of the previous film impersonating another character, the man himself is being held prisoner by the Magical Congress of the United States of America. When we’re catching up to him as the film starts, he’s looking like Billy Idol on a bad day. About to be transferred to Britain, he escapes with the aid of one of his followers, with his own plans for the future yet to unfold. As he’s the villain of the series, none of those are good.

Three months later, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) finds his path crossing with familiar faces- witch sisters Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) and Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol), the Muggle and comic relief Yank of the first film Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), his own brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner) and Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz), Theseus’ fiancée, with whom Newt has a complicated past. Add in Hogwarts professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law, making his debut in the role) and the return of the wild card character Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), and the story takes the characters into Europe and an inevitable confrontation with Billy Idol… I mean, Grindelwald.

Already before the first film came out, there was talk of a trilogy, and then a five film series. David Yates, who’d had a hand in the Harry Potter franchise, directing the last half of the eight films, signed on for the first two films of this series (plus whatever’s to come). J.K. Rowling, who created the boy wizard in her novels and name dropped the Fantastic Beasts book as a textbook at Hogwart’s, was behind the development of the Fantastic Beasts film franchise, writing both scripts. The first film, which took the action out of Britain and into North America, takes things in another geographic setting this time out, with much of the action set in Paris.

The script does tend to delve too much into expository dialogue and the world building of sequels beyond this, which does end up being the weakness in the film. But it does fit into the previously established Potterverse, which nods of what’s to come- Grindelwald being something of a precursor to the darker threat that is Voldemort, the names of families with deep ties to magic, and even a character who shifts from human to snake and will one day be cursed to remain in snake form- a snake already established as Voldemort’s companion.

Where the previous film took a certain glee in presenting unusual beasts of the magical sort, this film deals less with such critters (mostly confining appearances to a magical circus of sorts run by a thoroughly unpleasant wizard) and more with the growing threat of a dark wizard with ambitions and the tensions between wizard and Muggle dynamics. With these, there is the difference of two approaches: a set in our way official government policy of wizards and witches staying away from Muggles, while the dynamic Grindelwald seeks is supremacy over the world for magic.

Filming was done in Britain and France, part of that in studio, other parts on location, with extensive work involving CGI and physical effects, already well established through the previous films and the Potter franchise. So the sight of magical spells being unleashed in small or big ways is familiar to our eyes, and handled well. Yates is, as noted, well familiar with this magical world through his previous work, and the pace of the film only falters when the story calls for expository dialogue and some of that sequel setting up. I do like how Yates makes full use of Paris as the movie’s action goes there. Also welcome is the return of composer James Newton Howard, who composed the score for the previous film and returns for this one, building on what has come before.

The cast, returning players and new, are of course well selected, the strength of the film. Johnny Depp has spent too much time as eccentrics in his choices of film roles in recent years, and his personal life has been something of a mess. He dials down the eccentricity in playing Grindelwald, a character he debuted in the first film as a cameo appearance. His take on the character is a mix of ambition, charm, and malevolence, a dark wizard for whom the ends justifies the means. He believes in wizard supremacy, and his actions are driven by that.

Albus Dumbledore has already been played by three actors in the Harry Potter series. Richard Harris debuted the wise headmaster of Hogwarts in the first two films, with Michael Gambon taking the role after the death of his predecessor. Toby Regbo played a younger Dumbledore in flashbacks in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part One, and returns in flashbacks as the character this time out as well. Now Jude Law takes the part of a young Dumbledore, decades before the older but spry headmaster we first met, but a bright professor at Hogwarts in his own right. His Dumbledore is a bright and highly respected academic and wizard, protective of students, with a principled character and a quiet strength. He plays his cards close to the vest though- a broken bond with Grindelwald from teenaged years is hinted at, as well as the reasons he cannot intervene personally in the hunt for the criminal. Law plays the character’s integrity, loyalty, and resolve in a way that fits in naturally with the Harris and Gambon takes on the character.

Ezra Miller returns as Credence, the abused and disturbed young magician we met in the first film, who was apparently destroyed, but not quite. Here he continues to be a wild card in the mix, unstable and caught between two sides of a growing rift in the world of magic. On the one hand he makes a connection with a fellow misfit, one that might point him to a different path, and on the other is a continuation towards the wrong way. The character is also the subject of a twist before it’s all said and done, and the actor plays to that. Claudia Kim plays Nagini- a familiar name to Potter fans, and she’s the other misfit in question. She’s the main feature of a magical circus, a woman who’s a Maledictus- capable of changing into an animal, in this case a big snake. But she’s also under a blood curse, knowing that one day the change will be permanent, and she won’t come back to herself. Fated to one day be the serpentine companion and Horcrux of Voldemort, Nagini is more sympathetic than you might expect, which the actress bases her performance on, and ultimately tragic when you know where her final fate will lie.

William Nadylam turns up as a French-Senegalese wizard, Yusuf Kama, who has his own reasons to be looking for Credence, and who gets caught up in unfolding events. The actor gives the role a steadfast quality, playing his cards close to the vest. Callum Turner debuts as Theseus Scamander, Newt’s older brother, an Auror and wizard who happens to be a World War veteran, a hero in and of his own right. The two brothers get along, even if they don’t quite understand each other, and even if Newt might feel a bit overshadowed in his presence. There’s also the issue of Leta. Zoe Kravitz plays the part, and there’s a previous bond between she and Newt, but now she’s engaged to Theseus (this would, of course, make get togethers a bit awkward. Given that she’s from the pure blood Lestrange family, well established in the Potter books as on the dark side of things in the ways of magic, Leta is complicated, and you’re never quite sure of where her loyalties lie, but it makes her a compelling character to watch.

Jacob Kowalski served as comic relief in the first film, something that actor Dan Fogler played to in his performance. The character, a human with no awareness that wizards and witches were in the world, is a World War One veteran and bakery owner who crossed paths with Newt in the first path, found himself faced with the astonishing, and managed to survive the film. While the previous film ended with a memory spell cast to wipe the memory of New Yorkers about the events of that film, it didn’t quite happen with Jacob, who gets caught up in things again, particularly with the woman he’s fallen for in the mix.

Queenie Goldstein is once again played by Alison Gudol. A witch with a vivacious, friendly, and outgoing personality, there was a spark between she and Jacob which has persisted (despite knowing she’s violating a rule about not having relationships with non-magical people). The actress continues to play that aspect of the character, as well as the divided loyalties she’s feeling between the world of magic she knows and the man she’s come to love.

Katherine Waterston returns as Queenie’s sister Tina. An auror after the events of the previous film, she’s on a quest of her own in Paris, and the actress plays her as determined and headstrong, courageous in the face of danger. It helps that there’s a good spark between her character and Newt. She’s sensible, down to earth, and likable, which are all good qualities in a leading character.

The first time I saw Eddie Redmayne in anything, it was a supporting role in Les Miserables (aka two and a half hours of Why Won’t These People Stop Singing). I disliked the character and the performance, but as noted in my review of the previous Fantastic Beasts, that viewpoint was likely influenced by my dislike for musicals in general. I liked his work in the previous film, and that status quo remains in place here. Newt is a soft spoken, shy sort who doesn’t particularly want to get involved, who’d like to stay neutral and just do his thing, but who rises to the occasion and comes into his own. He does the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do (if only more people had that quality), and that’s something to respect in a character. Newt might have a disregard for following orders, which he shows repeatedly, but he’s the sort of character you can count on in a crisis, and that’s what Redmayne plays to.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald doesn’t have the same energy as the first film, which brought a new dynamic to the world of magic J.K. Rowling created. The script tends to wander a bit too much into exposition and setting the stage for sequels. But the cast more than compensates for that issue, playing their roles with energy and conviction. What happens next is yet to be seen, but it’s not likely to involve Gellart “Billy Idol” Grindelwald singing Rebel Yell at midnight to a bunch of Muggles. 

What Kind Of Name Is Steppenwolf?

“No protectors here. No Lanterns. No Kryptonian. This world will fall, like all the others.” ~ Steppenwolf

“I miss the days when one’s biggest concern is exploding wind-up penguins.” ~ Alfred Pennyworth

“A strong man is strongest alone, ever heard that?” ~ Arthur Curry

“You wanted me to be a leader, but leaders get people killed.” ~ Diana

“Superman was a beacon to the world. He didn’t just save people, he made them see the best part of themselves.” ~ Bruce Wayne

And so the DC cinematic universe carries on, trying to play catch-up with the Marvel cinematic universe in the fifth entry in the franchise, if one counts the shared continuity that started in Man Of Steel, followed in Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, Suicide Squad, and Wonder Woman. That last film, a highly successful and entertaining origin story that hit theatres in the summer, finally got the DC universe right in this continuity. Justice League picks up where Batman V Superman left off, with Bruce and Diana’s organizing of the superhumans we got a glimpse of in that movie into a team. Zack Snyder directs the film (with a designated pinch director, yes, that is a term, now, in the form of Joss Whedon) after helming two of the previous films in the franchise.

A prologue set deep in the past finds Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds), the big bad of the film, accompanied by an army of Parademons (ugly bastards from another world, just like their boss) trying the old conquering the world ploy on Earth, only to be stopped by an army of Amazons, Atlanteans, Olympian gods, humans, and Green Lanterns. Their technology, called Mother Boxes, are dispersed around the world. In the present day, months after the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Steppenwolf returns to have another go at world domination in an attempt to get back on the good side of his master. All that stand in his way are five heroes (plus a sixth late in the game): the Justice League. Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) bring together Aquaman (Jason Momoa), the Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher).

Justice League has been in the making for years, going back to the time when Christopher Nolan was making his Dark Knight trilogy (which are an entirely different continuity and were outstanding films, not reflecting the issues that the current DC cinematic shared continuity have had). It had long been stalled in the production process, until Snyder came along with Man of Steel, a film the studio wanted to be the start-off for further continuity. Snyder would return for the bleak Batman V Superman, and also directed the bulk of this, until a personal tragedy caused him to step away from post production and reshoots. Joss Whedon, who was involved in the screenplay with Chris Terrio, stepped in to cover the bases on that. There is a bit of a stilted feel of things at times though, and perhaps that has to do with two directors- two different styles are stitched together.

Terrio’s screenplay, with light humour mixed in from Whedon’s side of things, is a sprawling epic that plays off of what has come before- character dynamics, the history of the DC universe, the previous films- and takes it in a new direction. Steppenwolf might be a strange name for a villain, but he’s previously established in the DC universe as a forerunner for someone who’s even worse, and the parademons are also as well established as a formidable threat. The story has to bring these heroes together (even if some of them would rather stay right out of it) to face a threat that can’t be solved by one person- a good reflection of the prologue, which brings a disparate group to fight together against the same threat. The story, as things go along, certainly is lighter in tone than the utter bleakness of Batman V Superman or the lunatic energy of Suicide Squad.

The production values certainly look good. Parademons and the look of Steppenwolf, for instance, are well rendered and menacing. Amazonians, Atlanteans, Olympians, and the Lantern Corps all come across as you’d expect. New characters have been designed in a way that both fits a movie reality and their comic book origins. Cyborg, a mix of human and machine as a result of an accident, looks much like he would in the comics, only with more technological detail. The Flash, the scarlet speedster, ends up with a costume that takes his abilities into consideration, but still rings close to what we see on the printed page. Aquaman, a character who’s often been belittled (mostly because of a cheesy 70s animated show) looks quite different- instead of a blond haired man with a yellow shirt, we get an exotic looking ferocious warrior with scale armor and a trident, looking like the last person you’d want to irritate.

The cast is fairly well chosen, some of them new, others returning from previous films. Ciaran Hinds is one of those character actors you’ve seen in movies and television shows down through the years- Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2, Amazing Grace, Road To Perdition, The Sum Of All Fears, Munich, The Woman In Black, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Nativity Story are among his extensive resume. Much of the role he plays here is a combination of motion capture as Steppenwolf. The character is a scheming, ambitious villain, but tired in other ways, seeking a way out of the servitude he finds himself in. Hinds gets to chew the scenery throughout like a megalomaniac, which you expect out of the Big Bad in one of these.

J.K. Simmons comes on board as Commissioner Gordon, a mainstay of the Batman mythos- with some of the same dynamics the two characters share in the comics and previous movie incarnations, partners of a sort who meet on rooftops and conspire together. Simmons, who’s one of those marvelous character actors who just make a movie more interesting by being around, has been in the comics adaptations before, having had played the grouchy J. Jonah Jameson in the three Sam Raimi Spider-Man films (one halfway expects Gordon to bark “Parker!”).  Diane Lane and Amy Adams reprise their roles from previous films in the DC continuity as Martha Kent and Lois Lane, this time finding themselves stunned by a turn of events that strikes close to home, and both actresses play to that. Jeremy Irons returns as Bruce Wayne’s faithful butler Alfred, still bringing a dry, sardonic wit to his take on the character.

Ray Fisher appeared briefly in Batman V Superman as Victor Stone, the young athlete whose life is shattered in an accident and whose scientist father Silas (Joe Morton, returning again as the sympathetic genius) has managed to keep him alive, though as more machine than man. As Cyborg, the character has multiple technological advantages, including flight, weapons, and technological manipulation, and the actor, playing at least in part through motion capture, conveys the notion of a young man trapped forever in a metallic shell, likely to never have a real life of his own, but still holding onto his humanity.

Ezra Miller is another young character, Barry Allen, already established in a cameo from Batman V Superman as having super powers as the Flash, helping people out in swift, but unheralded ways. The character is a university student quietly trying to live his life, being drawn into a much bigger world than he would have been prepared for, but he comes into his own as the story unfolds, and the character has a light, funny touch, particularly in how he interacts with everyone else around him.

Jason Momoa gets a fun role as the gruff and fierce Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman. The Atlantean warrior and royal is a metahuman whose great strength comes from his Atlantean biology, and he divides his time between ocean and the seashore. He’s dismissive and standoffish at first, feeling his loyalties must be to Atlantis, but circumstances bring him to accept a place in the wider world as well. The actor gives the character an intensely physical quality, a ferocious energy, and seems to be having fun as he goes along. It also helps that he’s got good chemistry with Mera (Amber Heard); the two characters will be back in a solo film in the not too distant future.

Henry Cavill returns as Clark Kent, otherwise known as Superman, after his death in Batman V Superman (death doesn’t really last in the comics, so why should it in movies?). How that return plays out is a bit convoluted, but Cavill plays the character in a different way than we’ve seen before: initial confusion at first, a natural reaction to a contingency measure of sorts secondly, a seeking out of who he is thirdly, and a return to glory when it really matters.

Gal Gadot impressed a lot of people with Wonder Woman during the summer, and she was the best part of Batman V Superman as well, and her return here as Diana is welcome. She’s spent a century after the events of her origin film on Earth as an immortal, quietly staying out of the way of humanity, apart from her mother and her Amazonian people. With the close of Batman V Superman, Diana has had to accept that she has to come back into the world, working with Bruce Wayne (and bantering and bickering a bit too) to forge a team to meet overwhelming threats. The actress plays her as someone of strength, principle, integrity, and will. emerging from the shadows and rising to the occasion.

Ben Affleck returns (though will he return again, that’s the question) as Bruce Wayne, the cranky Dark Knight who’s spent years as a vigilante in the darkness of Gotham City and who picked a fight with Superman in the previous film, well, just because the story told him to, before realizing that he was fighting the wrong person. His take on the character is lighter than it was in that film, where he certainly went for the grim and gritty. He’s still world weary, a non-powered human being with a brilliant mind, a lot of money, and an iron will who’s become more willing to trust and work with others to counter threats. He may not be a metahuman like those around him, but Affleck still plays the role as someone you don’t want to annoy.

Justice League still bears some of the marks of a problem for the DC cinematic universe: in trying to catch up with the Marvel cinematic universe, which hasn’t stumbled, the DC universe stumbles a bit. This happened with the previous films (with the exception of Wonder Woman), and it does happen here. Rather than just let the films tell themselves, the studio seems obsessed with playing catch-up. Two directors, with very different styles, end up creating a tone of inconsistency at times. That said, however, it is entertaining, giving the new characters a chance to shine and for the audience to get to know them. It also tells a sprawling epic that builds off of what’s already come before, gives us characters who mesh fairly well together, and which points ways to the future for all of them.