“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” directed by David Yates released to theaters on Apr. 15, 2022. As a part of the Fantastic Beasts series, it features characters from previous movies. The movie revolves around Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) working with friends and family to save the world from the threat posed by Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelson).

Fans of the Wizarding World were excited to see a continuation to the Fantastic beasts series. In spite of a considerably large fan base, the Fantastic Beasts movies so far have only been average. They lack a truly gripping plot and have been overall anticlimactic. Through the movie, Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore work with a team to help thwart the threat Grindelwald is posing to society. Grindelwald was a villain similar to others seen in the Wizarding World: he was initially a well respected young man, but time and hardship made him a brutal zealot. The biggest let down of the movie was the final battle. The confrontation between Dumbledore and Grindelwald had been built up through previous movies, and lasted for not more than ten minutes. Yet, there are still high hopes of a more fitting battle between the two in upcoming movies.

While the story itself was subpar, the tremendous cast and elements of humor helped make it a fairly engaging movie. One of the highlights of the film was the casting. The casting and characterization provided contrast that emphasized the underlying themes of the movie. For instance, the contrast between Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s characters as well as the contrast between Kowalski and Queenie’s characters helped emphasize the theme of forbidden love. The director played off of the contrasting characters by using clashing light and color in shots with the respective characters. 

Overall the movie was well directed and cast. It is a fun watch to pass the time, but lacks substance. With the buildup for a final battle, and unanswered questions about Grindelwald, fans of the Wizarding World hope that the next movie delivers.