In hindsight, the real misstep might have come when Warner Bros. Yet even with that contribution and the characteristically impressive production design and effects, “Fantastic Beasts” seldom sparks to life. Having played villains in James Bond, Marvel and now Harry Potter movies, Mikkelsen advances his bad-guy Hall of Fame credentials, and when he sneers, “With or without you, I’ll burn down their world,” he introduces a sense of menace that outshines most everything else in the film.

But other than Jessica Williams’ enhanced role as Eulalie (Lally) Hicks (sporting a ’40s gangster accent that takes some getting used to), they’re a fairly nondescript bunch.įoremost, the latest “Fantastic Beasts” unfolds with no great sense of urgency, sending the gang on a series of adventures and detours building toward an anticipated showdown to thwart Grindelwald’s plans. (The references to their past relationship are relatively chaste, but were apparently still too much for Chinese censors.)īecause Dumbledore can’t directly confront Grindelwald and his minions, he must recruit not only Newt but an eclectic group of wizards and witches, as well as Newt’s Muggle pal Jacob (Dan Fogler). Still, the storyline essentially handcuffs Dumbledore (Jude Law), or at least ties his wand behind his back for too much of the movie, by virtue of his romantic bond with the evil Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen, ably stepping in for Johnny Depp), who – in classic authoritarian fashion – intends to take over the magical world and wage war against Muggles.

Mads Mikkelsen in 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.' Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Dumbledore secrets