A magical sequel that will leave Potterheads asking for more - 8/10

Why? Too many characters are thrown in the movie, and some don't really get a chance to shine. The returning cast did a decent job reprising their roles even though I found myself not entirely getting the chemistry that made their relationships work so well in the first movie. As for the characters introduced in this movie, they didn't offer anything memorable that defined their personas. Except for Johnny Depp as Grindelwald. Love him or hate him, the man was for me the highlight of the sequel as he completely disappeared into his role.

Why? As a Potterhead, there is no denying that the story told was interesting to say the least, merging both easter eggs and references, as well as a narrative that left me wanting more. While the first movie threw its focus on building the wizarding world that will host the adventures of Newt, its sequel's emphasis was on developing the menacing character of Grindelwald and set up the events that will take place in later installments. And it succeeds at both. However, as a movie fan who enjoys watching well-written films, I must admit that some elements didn't entirely work for me. For starters, most of the humor, and there's quite a bit of it, didn't land for me and was sometimes included in somewhat serious scenes that would've worked a lot better without that element added in. There's also a fair amount of unnecessary exposition, as well as a couple of scenes that didn't sit well with me (and which I sadly cannot discuss without getting into spoilers). I honestly can't see regular moviegoers getting much enjoyment out of the film's story, but there is no doubt in my mind that fans of the franchise such as myself will absolutely love it.

Why? A huge step forward from the effects featured in the first "Fantastic Beasts". Apart from the always superb looking effects that involve wand action, the magical animals looked a lot more realistic than they did in the previous entry, which definitely added some value to the experience.

Why? As beautifully designed as they were in the first film. The costumes defined the characters that wore them as well as the era in which the film takes place. Grindelwald's look fits his evil persona admirably.

Why? Even though the runtime of the film is a little more than 2 hours, I never felt like the story was dragging. There were a few scenes I would've personally left on the editing floor that were only included for comic relief and that ruined the film's momentum in my opinion, and the narrative did feel a bit chaotic at times with it trying to balance multiple storylines as well as flashbacks, but I can't  say that those problems bothered me much.

Why? If it ain't broken, don't fix it. David Yates yet once again proved why he's been in charge of the franchise since 2005 by offering us an unsurprisingly extremely well-shot film that will please the eyes of anyone who watches it. My only problem with it was that it tonally felt a bit off as this entry, much like its predecessor, was lighter than the last 4 Harry Potter films, which had a much more serious vibe going on that, in my opinion, better fit Yates' way of filming.

Why? Another aspect that was improved in this entry. The score sounded a lot more magical and played well with the events unfolding. Also, I couldn't help but smile when the Harry Potter theme played the second Hogwarts appeared on the screen.