The past cannot be changed. What about the future instead? Emmett Brown, in Back to the Future, taught us that altering the space-time continuum is very risky. But does it also apply to magicians? Definitely not a problem for writers as well JK Rowling he knows: it arrives in Spanish cinemas the 15 November the second chapter of Fantastic animals, Harry Potter prequel saga that chronicles the adventures of the Potter universe long before the wizard with the lightning-shaped scar arrived at Hogwarts school.
Past and future, we said. From the figurine dedicated to Albus silente, which Harry Potter finds in the Chocolates in the main saga, we know that the illustrious professor defeated his great rival, Gellert Grindelwald, in 1945, in a clash that became legendary. Initially friend, then "much more than brother", Grindelwald sought the Deathly Hallows with Dumbledore, with the aim of becoming Masters of Death and ending the International Statute of Secrecy of Magic, creating a new world order led by powerful wizards. . But great powers come with great responsibilities, and Grindelwald soon revealed dangerous intentions, creating an irremediable rift with Dumbledore. This premise is essential to summarize the emotional climate of Fantastic Beasts - The Crimes of Grindelwald: the film by David Yates it tells of a conflict whose resolution is already written (or maybe not?) and whose cardinal points have already been established years ago. So how can we make a story of which we already know the end exciting? The solution is to focus on the protagonists, on the fears that devour them, on remorse, inner conflicts and above all on their choices.
Dumbledore vs Grindelwald: the fascination of evil
Magic can be found everywhere: in the eyes of those we love, in the mantle of fantastic creatures, in the thirst for knowledge. But if you are actually able to control the elements of nature and the laws of physics to your heart's content, the game definitely gets more interesting. It's dangerous. In The Crimes of Grindelwald we find ourselves in 1927 and the action shifts from New York and London to Paris, where the dark wizard, escaped from prison thanks to a spectacular escape (the opening sequence of the film) is in search of Creedence Barebone (Ezra Miller), Obscuriale who tries to recruit in the fight against Dumbledore. Seductive, convincing, gifted with great charisma and skilled with words, Grindelwald is the embodiment of the danger of evil: he looks fascinating, he seems to have all the solutions, but in the end he only manipulates people and events to his advantage. Despite being moved by a desire for power and revenge, as well as by an evident contempt for all Muggles (human beings without magic), he manages to convince many, even the most unsuspected, of the validity and goodness of his intentions. Played by a Johnny Depp majestic, who almost seems to find a personal redemption thanks to this character, Grindelwald is the villain par excellence, so charismatic that you can cheer for him. Now we understand why Dumbledore is so attached to him.
Newt Scamander: the difficulty of making a choice
If Johnny Depp is the black heart of The Crimes of Grindelwald, the Silent di Jude Law is the perfect counterpart with a luminous aura: smiling, with a flash in his eyes, equally endowed with charm, this young Albus is a man who, like his rival, knows his influence over others, but decides to use it for a good purpose , even if, for the moment, he refrains from taking the field personally. To counter the ex-friend's rise to power, Dumbledore asks a Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), protagonist of the first chapter of Fantastic Beasts, to track down Creedence before Grindelwald gets to him. More and more awkward and shy, this time Scamander gives way to the two great wizards, having to face his own inner torments: always fascinated by creatures and uncomfortable with people, so much so that he cannot even hug his brother, Newt is a romantic, who dreams of a world without conflict, in which all living beings are in harmony with each other. His inability to take sides, to choose, is another of the cornerstones of the film. In fact, in order for evil to win, it is essential that good men and women do nothing: and for the moment Scamander is a spectator, like most of us.
The specter of World War II: learning from the past
By putting the spotlight on the need to act, on the moral duty to make a choice when what is right is threatened, JK Rowling returns to touch upon the issues that made life great. Harry Potter saga: contextualizing the story of Fantastic Beasts in a precise historical moment, that of the birth of totalitarianisms, with the specter of the Second World War around the corner, The crimes of Grindelwald it speaks of the past but seems to shout at us to be careful in the present. Very attentive to language and communication, the English author is among the major critics of the President of the United States Donald Trump on Twitter (along with another great writer, Stephen King) and of all those who use words to manipulate reality own advantage. The marginalization of those who are different, the feeling of being alone and therefore desperately trying to belong to something, the manipulation of those who are ready to do anything to carve out a piece of happiness: these are universal, eternal themes, but which never before need to be addressed. , to ensure that the painful teachings of the past do not fade away like a broken spell.
New (infinite) horizons for the Potterian universe
Ambitious and very dense, the second chapter of the Fantastic Beasts saga, which aims to make five films in total, is a very particular creature: it is the first time that it comes heavily into contact with the Harry Potter mythology, having the responsibility of respecting its importance but at the same time not being crushed by it (and not always succeeding), he has to manage a considerable amount of characters, who do and say things often understandable only to JK Rowling fans (attention to detail : someone could open a cabinet and bring up fundamental objects!), all while increasingly intertwining their destiny with historical events that really happened. Definitely a passing chapter, which prepares the ground for decisive events, Fantastic Beasts - The Crimes of Grindelwald shines less than the first chapter in terms of directing (David Yates confirms himself more and more a performer than a real author), but gives the saga a gravitas important, even oppressive: it is no coincidence that the shots on the characters are often almost claustrophobic, as if wanting to enter their minds. If there's one thing the movie can do (even if someone might get lost in one storyline particularly intricate, especially thanks to the different twists of the finale, launched almost like weapons) is precisely that of entering the minds of the spectators: the clues are many and crazy, rather than giving answers they create new questions and open the way to infinite possibilities. Once again JK Rowling has worked the magic: she has cast a spell on us that can make us puzzled between now and the next film.
Comment
Resources4Gaming.com
7.0
Fantastic Beasts - The Crimes of Grindelwald has the task of merging the Fantastic Beasts saga more and more with the mythology of Harry Potter, while trying not to be crushed by it. Leading the way in a transitional film, which sets the stage for important events that will take place in the next three films, are the masterful interpretations of Johnny Depp and Jude Law as Grindelwald and Dumbledore respectively.
PRO
- Johnny Depp and Jude Law are perfect in the roles of Grindelwald and Dumbledore
- Harry Potter fans will enjoy the many quotes
- The new creatures, Zouwu and Kelpie above all, are beautiful
- It is a transitional film: the ending is therefore very open
- Those unfamiliar with the Harry Potter universe might get lost in an intricate plot
- David Yates as director is more of a performer than an author
