The second chapter of the series finally arrives in the cinema Fantastic animals, The Crimes of Grindewald, born from the indomitable imagination of JK Rowling, author of the phenomenon series of children's books by Harry Potter.
"As part of the Fantastic Beasts series," - says the writer and screenwriter of the film JK Rowlng - "I tell a story that has only been hinted at in the Harry Potter books: the rise of Grindewald, the dark wizard predecessor of Voldemort who has deeply threatened both the wizarding and muggle worlds (non-wizards) and its antagonist / lover Albus Dumbledore, who will become a key character in the Potter saga. "
Initially the dark wizard was only mentioned inside in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and he returned to be mentioned only towards the end of the saga, in the midst of the war of the protagonist wizard against the forces of the dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
At the end of the first film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), set in 20s New York, Grindewald (Johnny Depp) is captured by the Aurors, also thanks to the help of the clumsy magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). However, the Dark Wizard manages to escape detention and flees to Paris, where he begins to rally followers, most of whom are unaware of his true intentions: to dominate both the magical and non-magical worlds. In an attempt to thwart Grindewald's plans, Dumbledore (Jude Law), Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, recruits Newt to thwart the plans of the archenemy. Aided by trusted friend no-maj Jacob (Dan Foegler), Scamander will travel to the French capital in search of Credence (Ezra Miller), the obscurial who brought chaos to New York two years ago and who will be the key to the plan of domain of Grindewald.
David Yates (former director of the last three Harry Potter films and the first Fantastic Beasts) directs the new chapter of this saga (which will include five films) set in the fantastic wizarding world, accompanied by a choral cast of old and new characters: the prize Oscar for La Teroria del Tutto (2015) Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterson (Tina Goldstein, love interest of the protagonist), Dan Foegler, Alison Sudol (Tina's dizzy sister and Jacob's girlfriend, Queenie), Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz (Leta Lestrange, Newt's childhood friend), Callum Turner (Theseus Scamander, Newt's brother and Leta's betrothed), Claudia Kim (the cursed Nagini, who will become Lord Voldemort's faithful companion years later), Jude Law and Johnny Depp.
The Crimes of Grindewald is a welcome return to the familiar world of magic, made of lights and spells, dream places and creatures, also opening an interesting parenthesis on the magical world outside Hogwarts and England: from the America of the Roaring Twenties, to the Paris of lost youth, wounded in body and spirit from the repercussions of the Great War, both for wizards and muggles, each with a system of values, seats and rules perfectly outlined by the genius of Rowling. This second chapter raises the bar of history, presenting, against the bizarre adventures of the first chapter, an authentic climate of danger and fear, where peace and balance between worlds hangs in the balance due to the ambitions of Grindewald, whose tactic of fear and demagogy (which makes echoing Hitler's early Nazism) could not be more relevant.
There are many noble ambitions of this second film, but they fail under the pressure of being able to tell everything quickly in a hasty prelude to the following chapters: what we regret to point out (and this already from the first film) is JK Rowling's unfamiliarity with writing for the cinema, which damages a surely compelling story with false dialogues, plot holes and a crumpled unfolding of history. The promises, then, of a new villain, capable of enchanting only with the power of his words and less than with the power of his wand, are broken by inconsistent scenes and mediocre jokes, despite Johnny's great commitment and undeniable ability. Depp
The Crimes of Grindewald is the usual and precious feast for the hearts of young and old, minus the story and characters that made Harry Potter's mother author a world treasure. It would be the case, given that a scheme has been established, that Rowling, as regards the role of screenwriter, passed the baton.
