Video Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
In the last two years after the release of the first out of five Fantastic Beasts Film, the Pottheads become more and more like Sherlock Holmes each day researching and predicting things that might be shown in the second film.
On November 8, 2018, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald premiered first in Paris. Those who watched it had this hashtag #ProtectTheSecrets circulating in the Twitter world. J.K. Rowling is grateful for the fandom that they respect and look out those who haven't seen the movie yet. It was then on November 16, 2018, its world premiere, although the movie was already showing in some of the cinemas in the Philippines on November 15.
I entered the cinema house with excitement and some questions. When I left the cinema, I have tons of added questions, the whys, and hows. I am really intrigued and the mysteries are on point and it keeps on bugging me this whole time. And I think J.K. Rowling wants the viewers to feel that way.
Then a friend of mine asked me to rate the Crimes of Grindelwald. It made me realized that the ratings will depend on who you are, whether you're a Wizard and a Witch or a No-Maj. The movie received mixed reviews, some praised the film and some said that it's a low-stakes plot.
Read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Heroes of the Olden Days
OVERVIEW
Image Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures' Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a 2018 fantasy film directed by David Yates and written by J.K. Rowling. It is the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them and the second film out of the five all-new adventures of the Fantastic Beasts film series.
At the end of the first film, Gellert Grindelwald was captured by the MACUSA with the help of Newt and Swooping Evil. After 6 months of imprisonment, Grindelwald escaped and is determined to gather his followers to achieve his true agenda: to rule over non-magical beings by raising pure-blood wizards.
Gellert Grindelwald is considered to be a powerful dark wizard in his era, and his opposite equivalent is the famous and powerful Hogwarts Headmaster in the Harry Potter film series, Albus Dumbledore. Unfortunately, Albus defies the order to fight Grindelwald. Instead, he seeks his former student Newt Scamander to fight Grindelwald on his behalf and find Credence before Grindelwald finds him.
In my previous blog, I mentioned that J.K. Rowling said Fantastic Beasts film series is neither a prequel nor a sequel to Harry Potter. It has its own original story, but, it's also a spin-off to Harry Potter film series. Meaning, it has still its connections to Harry Potter film, after all, Fantastic Beasts is part of the Wizarding World J.K. Rowling created.
THE DEATHLY HALLOWS
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The Deathly Hallows consist of three legendary objects: The Death Stick, The Resurrection Stone, and The Invisibility Cloak. Acquiring these three objects would become the Master of Death. Grindelwald is fascinated with the Deathly Hallows. After his expulsion in Durmstrang, he became friends with Albus Dumbledore, together they make plans to find the Deathly Hallows and lead a Wizarding revolution.
In the first film, Graves gave Credence the Deathly Hallows pendant, which was a big hint dropped to the viewers to conclude that Graves is somehow connected to Grindelwald. It was then on the last part that Grindelwald that Newt and MACUSA learned he disguised himself as Graves.
THE ELDER WAND
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The Elder Wand is one of the three legendary objects of Deathly Hallows. It is named as the Death stick but in Harry Potter, it is known as Albus Dumbledore's Wand. Grindelwald and Dumbledore's friendship fall out due to the accidental death of Ariana Dumbledore. Alone, Grindelwald delved into his research and uncovered the location of the Elder Wand. To become the rightful owner of this wand, one must defeat the previous owner, either to kill him or to make him surrender.
In the first part of Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Grindelwald stole the Elder Wand from the Wand Shop owner.
NICOLAS FLAMEL AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
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Nicolas Flamel is a French wizard and a well-known alchemist. He magically extends his life for over six centuries. He's also known as the creator of the Philosopher's Stone which became an important item in the first book series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
In the Fantastic Beasts, the Philosopher's stone made a minor appearance on the screen while Flamel grabbed a magical book with a Phoenix on the cover on his cupboard. In the book, there’s the portrait of the Dumbledore Family. Also, as Flamel flips pages, he talks to a young Professor at Ilvermorny, Eulalie Hicks. Then, Flamel plays a huge role in partially defeating the blue dragon flame created by Grindelwald.
NAGINI
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Nagini plays an important role in the Harry Potter film series and infamously known to be the Horcrux of Lord Voldemort. We only have known Nagini as a snake and the beloved pet and Horcrux of Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter film but, in Fantastic Beasts, we get to know that Nagini is a Maledictus, a blood cursed female that would eventually lead her to turn into a beast permanently.
Before she became a slave to Lord Voldemort, Nagini is a close friend of Credence and helps him to find his true identity. Later on, Nagini declines to be part of Grindelwald’s followers and decides to join with Newt.
ALBUS AND GRINDELWALD BLOOD PACT
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It was on one of the interviews of J.K. Rowling that she said Albus is a gay. It was not shown in the Harry Potter film but, in the Crimes of Grindelwald, there are some hints dropped. First, when the MACUSA apparates to Hogwarts, they ask Albus to help them defeat Grindelwald. Albus refuses it and then accused that his intimate relationship of Grindelwald forbids him to fight against Grindelwald.
Second, Dumbledore goes near to The Mirror of Erised where it shows Gellert Grindelwald. And, according to Albus in the Harry Potter, The Mirror of Erised shows the deepest and the most desperate desires of the one who is looking through it. Also, it shows that the young Albus and Grindelwald performed a blood pact in a barn where they swore an oath never to fight each other.
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However, Ariana died in the middle of a three-man duel of Albus, Grindelwald, and Aberforth. How could there be a three-man duel when Albus and Grindelwald already performed the blood pact before the incident happened? This becomes partly a clue as to what and why Albus refused to help the MACUSA.
In the last part of the film, Niffler retrieves the blood pact from Grindelwald amidst the battle and Newt gives it to Albus to destroy the blood pact. The film set is on the year 1926 but it was mentioned in Harry Potter film that Albus defeated Grindelwald in the year 1945. Meaning, it will take almost 2 decades to nullify the blood pact.
THE OBSCURIAL SISTER
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Ariana Dumbledore is the youngest among the three Dumbledore's siblings. She was bullied and harassed by three no-Maj boys for seeing her doing magic. Traumatized, this led Ariana to suppress her own magic making Ariana an Obscurial.
It was mentioned by Newt that young wizard or witch who tries to suppress their magic through psychological or physical abuse will become an Obscurial. An Obscurial develops a dark parasitical magical force, known as Obscurus, resulting from their strong emotions of distress.
Aberforth told Harry that his sister, Ariana, died in the middle of a three-man duel. Albus tried to stop Grindelwald to pull the Cruciatus Curse to Aberforth. Because of the incident, the relationship Albus and Grindelwald once had, was torn apart.
CREDENCE AS AURELIUS DUMBLEDORE AND THE PHOENIX
Credence Barebone as Aurelius Dumbledore is definitely the highlight and shocking revelation that stirs my mind for how long it will be. Harry Potter fans turn instantly to Detective Conan or Sherlock Holmes.
In the last part of the film, Credence willingly turns over himself and be one of the followers of Grindelwald. Grindelwald is a scheming liar and he will do anything to get what he really wants so we can say that Grindelwald might be lying. However, the phoenix appears in front of Credence while Grindelwald tells him his identity that he is Aurelius Dumbledore. The Phoenix is an immortal fire creature passed down to the Dumbledore Family. In the Harry Potter and The Order of Pheonix, we have seen Dumbledore’s Phoenix in his room died and reborn again, but, in this film, the Phoenix is nowhere to be found.
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Percival and Kendra Dumbledore were known to have three children only, Albus, Aberforth, and Ariana. Ariana was bullied by a group of No-Maj boys which turned her to become an Obscurial. Percival attacked the three No-Maj to get revenge for what they did to his daughter. He was sent to Azkaban and died not later than 1890. Then, Kendra got killed in the year 1899 when Ariana was out of control.
Meanwhile, Credence is born in 1901 which is somehow contradicting to the death of Percival and Kendra. It’s impossible to think that Credence is a son of Percival and Kendra. But, almost everyone is thinking that Ariana’s Obscurus is within Credence. As what Newt revealed, Obscurus will survive even without its host. It could possibly mean that Grindelwald is partly lying to Credence in a sense that he’s making up a name to Credence, Aurelius, but somehow he is telling to the Obscurus residing in Credence that it once resides to a Dumbledore.
Image Credits: Screen Rant
ON THE LAST THOUGHT,
The Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is full of significant conversation and mind-blowing revelations. It’s preparatory for the upcoming battle that might be either on the next three Fantastic Beasts film. Every revelation is a stirrer to one’s mind. For someone who only watches the first Fantastic Beasts film, the Crimes of Grindelwald could be confusing. There were lots of connections in the Harry Potter. Some of the conversations happened in the Harry Potter was discussed in this film.
If I rate this based on the story alone, I will give this a perfect 5 even though I was bemused and taken aback by the appearance of Prof. Minerva McGonagall. Hearing Albus mentioned Prof. McGonagall ignites the flame within me. I was determined that it was definitely Minerva, the Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter. But, as I think deeper, I realized that Minerva isn’t supposed to be on that era either her mother since her mother is not yet married at that time too. I couldn’t agree more if it was just a mere fan service that seriously destroys the Wizarding World timeline or it could be something else and I just need to wait for J.K. Rowling to explain it further in the next three films.
Without doubts, J.K. Rowling is indeed the master of the world she created. She did a great job in stirring the viewer’s mind. The story leads to lots of possible theories that fans might hold onto until the next Fantastic Beasts on Nov 2019.
Video Credits: Screen Rant
Tell me your thoughts about The Crimes of Grindelwald.
THANKS FOR READING!
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CARYL KEEN
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