Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore
Does Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore cast a spell on movie lovers? The dulcet tones of Dave Lee join Leigh to discuss the third film in the Fantastic Beasts series, featuring Mads Mikkelsen in the role of Gellert Grindelwald alongside a returning Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore. The Secrets of Dumbledore feels like a course correction for the franchise, but is it enough to accio box office success?
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FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE MOVIE REVIEW
Leigh: Let's talk about Mads Mikkelsen as Grindelwald because obviously this was the biggest controversy surrounding this film. The role of Gellert Grindelwald was recast. Mads Mikkelsen was brought on to take over the role after Johnny Depp was removed following abuse allegations. What did you think of his performance as Gellert Grindelwald?
Dave: I thought it was great. I thought he was terrific.
Leigh: I liked him a lot better.
Dave: Yeah, I'm watching thinking, “Why didn’t they just cast him from the beginning?” He's perfect. Johnny Depp, I have loved as a performer for as long as I can remember, but ever since Pirates of the Caribbean, and there's a phrase I use all the time, it's Johnny Depp as Johnny Depp playing Johnny Depp. It's doing some sort of empty shell version of the Jack Sparrow character. Like in The Lone Ranger, Tonto is just Jack Sparrow, but in the old West. His Grindelwald was very much that Jack Sparrow, eccentric… I never really thought that performance worked that well. So I was always on board with, alright, do what you got to do. I think Mads Mikkelsen was the perfect choice. He's legitimately terrifying. I think he adds a lot more substance and depth to this character. It's a character I feel like I want to know more about now, want to see more from.
Leigh: Johnny Depp had this skill of making Grindelwald a complete fantasy character. Not cartoonish, I want to say cartoonish, but it was more fantastical. I like this Grindelwald better because, yeah, Mads feels more menacing, more charismatic, and I feel like he's a better match for Jude Law's Dumbledore.
