Newt Scamandar (Eddie Redmayne) is asked by both the Ministry of Magic, and by his old headmaster Dumbeldore (Jude Law) to head to Paris to try and discover the location of the powerful and troubled Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) before he falls into the clutches of the escaped zealot Grindlewald (Johnny Depp). In doing so, Newt reunites with his childhood sweetheart, Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz) but also with Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) who Newt has developed feelings for since their New York Adventure.

Though I can see the flaws, I really liked "Crimes Of Grindlewald". As a film, in and of itself, it's fair to say that doesn't really work. There's little genuine arc or story to it, unlike the first film that was an introduction to the characters but also a self-contained adventure. Here we're genuinely in part two of five territory, it's is almost all about characters choosing their sides for the upcoming civil war that may be in the offing. Particularly, it's about Newt's initial choice to remain neutral and his ability to see the good in any monster, and what it will take to shake that. As a result, the film is a lot of "lore". Trips back to Hogwarts, chances to see Newt and Leta during the school days, the history of Grindlewald and Dumbledore as even younger men and the reasons that Dumbledore won't stand against him now, even at the request of the Ministry.

It works for me, I'm probably right around the ideal target audience for the film. I've seen all the films but not really read the books, so I know enough about the backstory to catch most of the references, but not enough to get upset by the idiosyncrasies or contradictions that the film creates. I was mentally prepared that this film might not have much of its own pay off, and I know I'm going to see the next three anyway, so that didn't bother me. It's a bit too wordy at points for its own good - there's an explanation scene that rolls into the ending of the film that even I was struggling to keep up with and I'm sure some characters turned up in that scene without us seeing it. I'd also argue that it would benefit from focussing more on the four returning characters from the first film, rather introducing a dozen others to try and follow along with.

Effects, costumers and set dressing are all excellent. And this story has a darker edge than anything we've seen in the "Potter-Verse" before. Could it be a better film, absolutely, but if you've any interest in the "Wizarding World" already, then you should definitely make the time.