On the weekend of November 16th, fans lined up to see more of the magical universe J.K Rowling created in The Crimes of Grindelwald directed by David Yates – the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. With a rotten tomatoes rating of 40%, many admirers of the Harry Potter universe did not enjoy this movie. The film has gained harsh critics along with mesmerized enthusiasts. I had the chance to view the movie its opening night, and I can definitely say that I enjoyed every moment.

The film was full of beautiful design features along with an exciting plot. The film brought nostalgia to viewers by including scenes that take place at the beloved Hogwarts and displaying a young Dumbledore. Many of the characters that we heard about from the previous movie were also included; along with new ones like Letta Lestrange (played by Zoe Kravitz), young Albus Dumbledore (played by Jude Law), Theseus Scamander (played by Callum Turner), Nagini’s human form (played by Claudia Kim), and the antagonist – Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp).

While Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them created an image of the American wizarding community, this movie mainly takes place in Paris and London, which takes us back to the classic European wizarding world that we learned to love through the Harry Potter series. It also provides insight on many of the characters who were first introduced in the book series, such as the history of Voldemort’s snake companion – Nagini. We get to learn more about Gellert Grindelwald, who was introduced in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as a dark wizard from Dumbledore’s youth. During their years at Hogwarts, Dumbledore and Grindelwald were close companions, and it is hinted that Dumbledore might have thought of him as more than a friend.

The film is centered around the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, who attempts to gather pureblood wizards that wish to restore a society in which powerful wizarding families have superiority over the half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and muggles. He plans to try to gain the support of Credence Barebone, who is trying to discover his own identity. The protagonists of the film are determined to prevent his attempt to charm not only Credence but the whole wizarding community to join his fight. The film continues to explore the theme of good vs. evil that was found throughout the entire Harry Potter series.

Much of the criticism of the film argues that the plot had too many elements that made it hard to follow. It is also claimed that the main characters, Newt and Tina, can get a bit boring to follow. The enjoyment of the film mainly stems from the whimsical creatures and other captivating elements of the magical world that make the watcher feel as if they’re transported to this universe. Although I enjoyed the film, I will agree that it has flaws and doesn’t compare to the amazing universe created by Rowling’s book series. This movie, in my opinion, was much better than its predecessor – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The movie left me on the edge of my seat, excited to see what the next installment will bring.