New ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movie uncovers the magic of Dumbledore

Photo Courtesy of Variety

Multiple Dumbledores are revealed in “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the latest Harry Potter feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures. The movie is directed by David Yates, and Eddie Redmayne reprises the role of Newt Scamander, with Jacob Fogler as Jacob Kowalski and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore. Additionally, a recast of Gellert Grindelwald brings Mads Mikkelsen to the screen in a stunning performance which brings depth to the relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

Released on Friday, April 15, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” underwhelmed at the box office, only seeing $43 million on opening weekend. In comparison, the first movie in the franchise grossed $74 million and the second $63 million in their respective opening weekends. The polls are still out about the financial success of the feature, but fans say this was another thrilling success of a film for both avid and new fans of the Wizarding World. Although the film primarily focuses on Jacob Kowalski, Albus Dumbledore does make brief appearances throughout the movie with a few secrets revealed not only about himself and his family, but also the nature of his relationship with Grindelwald. 

To many familiar with the Wizarding World, Dumbledore’s sexuality was no secret. J.K Rowling addressed this in response to a fan question at an event in 2007, but now we are finally seeing this plot resolved canonically within the mise-en-scène of the film. Author J.K Rowling has been criticized for adding retroactive continuity to the plot lines of her work. While some fans appreciate the inclusion of this development to the plotline, many criticize Rowling for performative actions, especially after her political stances and anti-transgender sentiment sparked controversy.

Overall, the movie did well with pacing, but it still dragged on in a few places. Those who have seen the Fantastic Beasts franchise before, or just the Harry Potter movies, will be delighted to see both new and returning faces. The film delves deeper into Albus Dumbledore’s back story. If you are not an avid Harry Potter fan, and would like to be, this movie is a great introduction. Watching the first Fantastic Beasts movie before watching this film might give context into some of the plot lines as it pokes fun and alludes to issues with the actual production of the previous two films in the franchise. The film also introduces some new visualizations of tools that we didn’t see in the original seven films, in part to the new generation of computer-generated imagery. 

“The Secrets of Dumbledore” brings memorable faces, beautiful scenery, cinematography and spells to the big screen. This is a great film for audiences of all ages. Do keep in mind, there are a few scenes that had audiences flinching in anticipation.