Fun.

Rating: 7/10 (16 June 2017)

The main point to take away from this review: it was FUN.
And possibly - for me - better than the last 2 movies or so - though admittedly it's been years since I've watched them - which is why the box office earnings seem surprising. It was somewhat easier to understand, in spite of still containing plenty of over-the-top fiction. I mean magic, curses etc are all nice and dandy but they somehow don't fit as well here as they would a film FOCUSED on magic, since there is no world-building, no real explanation of the made-up rules governing them, etc... they're just being served to us and we have to accept them. Personally I don't mind that greatly, though I understand why others might not: it leads to confusion, and even MORE difficulties in keeping up with the already convoluted plots. Either way, this installment was easier to wrap one's head around than some of the previous, at least in my opinion.
And, keeping in mind that this is what it is, a comedic family film, I believe it fulfills its purpose of entertaining, and it does not claim to be anything that it's not.