The second film in the proposed 5 picture epic is notably more relaxed in its storytelling than its predecessor but that same plotting is what ultimately sinks the picture from really gaining any traction. W/a great opening sequence of Johnny Depp's villain's escape, we soon settle into the main thrust of this yarn where Dumbledore has enlisted our intrepid man of beasts to hunt down a nemesis who threatens both the existence of wayward magicians not in his thrall but the lives of all muggles as visions of an impending genocidal war preoccupy his visions of the future. We never get a sense as to why this particular reluctant hero is needed for this mission since his forte only comes in handy in a last clutch effort than in something which would give the bad guy any sort of competition (I felt his brother, already a member of the wizarding guild, was a more apt nominee). To further hinder the forward momentum of this film's flow is the insistent introduction of new characters or really redundant returning ones (did we really need Dan Fogler's American muggle to join in on the fun, what did he bring to the party eventually?) that obfuscate rather than elucidate things. Also I love CG as much as the next guy but even the next guy was begging for mercy to temper the onslaught of magic which bombarded nearly every other scene. We're 2 films in folks, even the second Potter movie improved drastically over its uncertain original's debut.