the wizarding world facing the rise of populism

The third opus of the spin off ofHarry Potter, Fantastic Beastsis in theaters this Wednesday, April 13 with Dumbledore’s secrets. After New York and Paris, Norbert Scamander sets down his famous suitcase in Berlin. And as for the previous opus, it is Albus Dumbledore who sends him for a very particular mission.

Let’s resume: the professor of the most famous school of magic learns that Gellert Grindelwald is at the head of a populist movement and aims to take power of the wizarding world, by hook or by crook. Unable to fight the evil mage alone, he calls on the magizoologist Norbert Scamander. Accompanied by a troop of wizards and witches with 1001 talents and his faithful baker friend, the specialist in magical creatures must once again save the world.

As with the previous one, the third part of the Fantastic Beasts assembled a five-star cast. If the main actors of the two previous films have put on their wizarding capes again, Johnny Depp has left the franchise:vinced after having lost his defamation lawsuit against the tabloid The Sunthe actor is now replaced by mads Mikkelsen.

An announcement that had worried the potterheads (nickname given to Harry Potter fans) who had become attached to the enigmatic game of its predecessor. Challenge met for the Dane who manages to combine coldness, elegance and seduction. HAS the release of the session – a preview dedicated to amateurs, screened at the Grand Rex in Paris -, there is no doubt: fans embraced it.

I saw #SecretsOfDumbledore it’s the best of the 3 but still not the big thrill. I had a good time watching the movie.

Mads Mikkelsen in Grindelwald is perfect, he looks good for the role… limit, I prefer him to Johnny even if Jon is perfect too pic.twitter.com/yHytNmBkT8

—Fireburn-Sama (@Fireburn75) April 12, 2022

It must be said that they are somewhat accustomed to change. Of the eight films in the Harry Potter franchise, twelve characters have changed performers, including Dumbledore initially camped by Richard Harris, then Michael Gambon and more recently Jude Law.

Let’s go back to the episode Dumbledore’s secrets. If the arrival of mads Mikkelsen makes it obvious, some central characters seem little exploited in this new opus. Among them, that of Belief. While he was at the heart of the plot in the last two films, here he leaves more room for the enemy duo Dumbledore-Grindelwald. A choice that surely corresponds to the ambition of Dumbledore’s Secrets to shed light on certain gray areas of the professor’s past – which the Harry Potter saga had not clarified -. But is it enough to justify the decline of the endearing Norbert Dragonneau, who has become almost secondary?

Much closer to the first part of the series, Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets is undoubtedly more accomplished than the previous one. Less dark, the subject of this third episode, which is anchored in a Hitlerian context (and setting), remains serious. However, director David Yates manages to slip in fun and magical sequences that bring a certain lightness.

A freshness that we also owe to Jacob Kowalski, Muggles (person without magical powers) interpreted by Dan Fogler, and to the magical animals, fruits of the inexhaustible imagination of JK Rowling. For this last film, we let ourselves be surprised by new species and legends that are ever more surprising and wondrous. Among them, the Qilin, a creature taken from Chinese mythology that is a bit like a deer and a horse. Even more amazing, its body is covered with a mixture of fur and scales. And his power in this political intrigue turns out to be very useful…

On the scenario side, it is sometimes difficult to find your way around as the narration is dense, even when the universe of Harry Potter is familiar to us. The brief summary of the previous opus stated at the beginning of the film is also very useful to taste an adventure faithful to the spirit of the magician of Hogwarts.

Gender : Fantastic
Director : David Yates
Actors : Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler
Country : United States / Great Britain
Duration : 2h22
Exit : April 13, 2022
Distribution : Warner Bros. France

Synopsis : Professor Albus Dumbledore knows that the powerful dark mage Gellert Grindelwald seeks to take over the wizarding world. Unable to stop him from acting alone, he enlists the magizoologist Norbert Scamander to bring together wizards, witches and a Muggle baker into a fearless team. Their most perilous mission will bring them to face animals, old and new, and the growing followers of Grindelwald. However, when the stakes are so high, can Dumbledore stay in the shadows for long?