Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (4.9/10)

I was really hoping this sequel would be better than it turned out to be. Instead, it felt like an obvious setup for the third movie in the franchise rather than a satisfying story on its own. The visual effects were underwhelming, and the overall story didn't come close to matching the quality of the first film. The introduction of Dumbledore helped make the direction of the series within the Harry Potter universe much clearer, and that was one of the movie's stronger elements. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to make up for the weak pacing and lackluster storytelling. If the third movie doesn't significantly improve on what this sequel delivered, I don't think this series is worth continuing."In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans of raising pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world."