So much misdirection! As an audience, there is a special enjoyment in film that comes from sifting through clues to discover truth. When this energy is wasted due to blindsides by the filmmakers, the enjoyment diminishes. This is what happened in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

At its core, this film is a filler piece. The purpose is to move the plot away from Newt and to focus more on Grindelwald and Dumbledore. While it essentially accomplishes this task, there are far too many subplots and red herrings to maintain interest.

Characters were introduced with little to no explanation, the plot was disjointed and there was minimal third act payoff. I enjoyed the "For the Greater Good" rally and the brief, few minutes at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, this film is at the bottom of the entire franchise.

Additional Note: The Mirror or Erised scene was ridiculous. It contradicted everything about his arc from Sorcerer's Stone to Deathly Hallows.