Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
This is a challenging film made for adults, not children.
Playing a wizard supremacist aiming to win an election and subjugate his wizard opponents, Mads Mikkelsen resembles an ancient version of Donald Trump. Republicans embracing the false claim that Biden’s presidential win was stolen should see this film and contemplate how our democracy dances on the eve of collapse.
Mikkelsen’s portrayal of Grindelwald is disturbingly excellent. You quickly learn that he and his political opponent, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law), had a sexual relationship decades earlier that has left them dedicated to the destruction of a former lover. It’s as if Biden and Trump had hidden the fact that they had gone as a couple to the High School Junior Prom!
In summary fashion, Dumbledore organizes a group of wizards to prevent a Grindelwald victory. They are led by the animal caregiver, Newt Scamander (Eddie Remayne), and his brother Theseus (Callum Turner). Other members who add strength and humor to this film are Dan Fogler and Jessica Williams, who play Jacob Kowlski and the talented witch Eulalie Hicks.
Our team of heroes encounter trouble at every turn. In particular, look for a great scene where Newt has to dance with a large group of killer scorpions so that he can help his brother escape from captivity in a dark cave. They may be killers, but these dangerous little reptiles love to tango!
Complicating our group’s mission is that two former colleagues, Queenie (Allison Sudol) and Credence (Ezra Miller), who have joined forces with Grindelwald. Given that Queenie is Jacob’s former lover and Credence is Dumbledore’s nephew, personal agony erupts on both sides.
At the heart of this movie is the reality that autocrats have gained power in many countries throughout history by convincing decent people to support them. Trump and others like our Florida Governor continue to lurk in the weeds. The question is do we have a Dumbledore to stop them?
