Loved It, But...

Rating: 7/10 (3 April 2017)

As someone who has loved the Harry Potter books and movies, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, which is visually stunning and delightfully continues the Potterverse. However, viewers who have not read the books -- seeing the HP movies is not enough -- might find themselves a bit lost. Beyond that slight obstacle, I would have liked to have seen the Second Salemers drawn more sharply and sinister from the start, Eddie Redmayne (who I love and was perfectly cast as Newt Scamander) not swallow his dialogue, Graves/Grindelwald and Picquery recast with more energetic and dynamic actors and at the end Picquery, to show her gratitude to Newt and just a glimmer that she "gets it" to have made some gesture to somehow assist in Frank's safe journey to Arizona alone (I don't believe Frank can make himself invisible but if he can that was not made clear). The way things ended between the MACUSA President and Newt fell a bit flat. I think these changes would have made FB even more enjoyable.