Fantastic beasts II carried the charm of Harry Potter in the way that hand soap carries the scent of actual fruit, indulge yourself on either and you'll be left with bitterness. The style of the film was well done, and its nostalgia factor was more than enough to keep one engaged. The score added to its allure, but was hardly anything original. There isn't much of a reason for the beasts to be in the film if you think about it, but it's a good thing they are because the heart of the film would sink without them. The development of the most important characters was good, and Newt Scamander ranks up there with some of the classic Harry Potter characters after this movie. While the style is undeniable, the plot was muddled enough to lull the casual fan to sleep, and canonically distorting enough to infuriate the diehard fan. You'll walk out of this film and try and recant what you just watched, and you'll find yourself lost for words, not out of awe but because, well, nothing really happened. The first film succeeded by adding to the Harry Potter universe without detracting from the magic of the originals; this one went out of its way to taint their good name. With a few sequels to come, this movie wasn't irredeemable, but it sure is close.