About the film (courtesy of Warner Bros.):
Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?

The third time is not quite a charm as David Yates goes deeper in exploring the Harry Potter prequels. Having helmed the first two entries, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), Yates continues to hitch his carriage to whatever J.K. Rowling is publishing. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is now the seventh adaptation of hers that Yates has directed. That is an impressive tally, and crazier yet is the fact that he’s also in line to direct at least two other future films of the franchise.

Let’s forget all of the future talk and simply focus on The Secrets of Dumbledore. There’s really no need to rehash anything as far as the main players in this chapter, as pretty much everything is rather status quo, with one lone exception. Mads Mikkelsen has been brought in to replace the embattled Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald. After appearing in each of the first two entries, Warner Bros. decided it was best part ways with the veteran actor as he deals with his own off-screen drama. Mads Mikkelsen is a more than capable talent that steps right in and looks as though he’s been there the entire time.

Eddie Redmayne is just as quirky as ever reprising his role for a third time around. And Jude Law is just as regal as ever in his earlier days of Albus Dumbledore, prior to becoming the white bearded Headmaster that’s full of wisdom and foresight. The relationship between Albus and Gellert is an interesting one that helps provide emotional depth into both characters. There is a lot to unpack with each of these characters. And one luxury that The Secrets of Dumbledore has is that it can pretty much forego any introductions of characters since, as stated earlier, these are mostly ones you’re already familiar with, at least in part. This should allow for better, deeper storytelling in other areas…emphasis on SHOULD.

The pacing of The Secrets of Dumbledore is not where I’d ideally want it. Not needing to rehash or introduce too, too much, the feel of this third entry could have been that of a quicker sprint. Instead, however, audiences will be treated to a methodical overly explanatory process that dulls the senses far too often. There’s just not enough going on during its heavy 142 minute runtime to appease everyone. While some audience members will appreciate the story being painted and how methodically content is shoved in, I’d rather drop that and bring a little more liveliness to the story.

One aspect that deserves high praise is the beautiful presentation given by The Secrets of Dumbledore. The scenery on its own is astounding and once enhanced with CGI creatures and other effects, it truly is a treat for the eyes. And during the city scenes, you’ll actually feel as though you’ve been transported back to something like the 1940s.

Despite the treat for your eyes, The Secrets of Dumbledore does not do anywhere near enough feed the adventurous and action-craving side of audiences. You get a little here and there with a lot of dialogue in between. This is not a bad movie or anything, it just doesn’t fully captivate its audiences. Regardless of everything else, if you’ve seen the others, this is another that you’ll need to add to the list. It’s just a question of whether you want to pay top dollar, opt for a matinee screening or simply wait a few months and check it out at home. That’s totally your call depending on your already built-in fandom for the franchise.

You can get a head start on Easter weekend if you’d like. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is playing in theaters everywhere starting this afternoon. Grab your wands and maybe some concessions and get to the theater if this is your kind of movie.