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| Scene from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald |
Welcome to the sporadic column Trailing Off in which I take a look at a trailer from the past week and analyze its potential. This will be done using an obnoxious amount of analyzing and personal thoughts on the cast and crew as well as expectations. I will attempt to highlight films ranging from new blockbusters to lesser known indies and give them their due. Partially to spread awareness, I do believe that there is an art to the sell and will do my best to highlight why these trailers matter or don't with approval (trove) or disapproval (trash). So please stop by, recommend some trailers, and I will see you next time.
Trailer in Discussion
Directed By: David Yates
Written By: J.K. Rowling
Starring: Katherine Waterston, Johnny Depp, Zoe Kravitz
- Preamble -
I am not sure how much of a controversy it is to say this, but I very much preferred Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when compared to the lengthier, more popular Harry Potter series. It could just be that I have a stronger affection for the books and thus find the adaptations lacking something special. However, I think it comes down to something that I think is more inherently cinematic, even more entertaining. Fantastic Beasts isn't a franchise set around a simple good and evil premise. It's about creating a world that clashes with a society that is unsure of how to handle the titular beasts as they enter the world. More than anything, it shows something more complex than a sweeping saga about teen angst and the struggles to be bigger than oneself.
I also think in general that the Harry Potter movies were limiting in their appeal. There was a universe, but it was condensed into one central location. Maybe it does help that David Yates is a seasoned vet at this point, but Fantastic Beasts has a universe that is compelling and could build the world into something greater than one character. One could hope, at least. I really enjoyed the first movie in this series and one can only hope that what follows is a franchise that is more than a cynical cash grab. In some capacity, it is - given that the source material is more of an encyclopedia than a familiar narrative. There's not really a point to tell all of these stories besides money. But still, I am intrigued.
The sequel promises to be even more expansive and connect to the world of Harry Potter that everyone knows. It will introduce Albus Dumbledore and someone named Grindelwald. What is his deal? Well, the only downside is that he's played by Johnny Depp during one of his greatest lulling periods. Beyond that, there's plenty to look forward to. Maybe there will be even more fantastic beasts to be found, and the world will continue to expand in fascinating ways. J.K. Rowling has definitely hit a landmine in this series, as she can write whatever she wants and have infinite routes to go off of that one detail. It's both exciting and hazardous. The only question now is whether this will be as successful qualitatively as that of the Harry Potter series.
I also think in general that the Harry Potter movies were limiting in their appeal. There was a universe, but it was condensed into one central location. Maybe it does help that David Yates is a seasoned vet at this point, but Fantastic Beasts has a universe that is compelling and could build the world into something greater than one character. One could hope, at least. I really enjoyed the first movie in this series and one can only hope that what follows is a franchise that is more than a cynical cash grab. In some capacity, it is - given that the source material is more of an encyclopedia than a familiar narrative. There's not really a point to tell all of these stories besides money. But still, I am intrigued.
The sequel promises to be even more expansive and connect to the world of Harry Potter that everyone knows. It will introduce Albus Dumbledore and someone named Grindelwald. What is his deal? Well, the only downside is that he's played by Johnny Depp during one of his greatest lulling periods. Beyond that, there's plenty to look forward to. Maybe there will be even more fantastic beasts to be found, and the world will continue to expand in fascinating ways. J.K. Rowling has definitely hit a landmine in this series, as she can write whatever she wants and have infinite routes to go off of that one detail. It's both exciting and hazardous. The only question now is whether this will be as successful qualitatively as that of the Harry Potter series.
- Dissection -
On one hand, it's a far more successful teaser trailer than the original Fantastic Beasts. That was a bit more of a droll, cryptic piece that relied more on Harry Potter name recognition. It was going to get the fans, but they of course were already going to see it. What a good teaser needs to do is provide clues as to what's to come, but have enough mystery around it that it consumes the viewer to wonder what's there. In that regards, The Crimes of Grindelwald is leagues ahead of the first one. It could just be that the cast is greater and that we're dealing with more recognizable characters. It's more of an ensemble this time around, and that allows for the teasing to be more expansive, including for Jude Law's Dumbledore. He doesn't get much time here, but he definitely gives enough of a presence to leave an impression.
What's also present is the spectacle, which is a mainstay of this particular series. It wouldn't be exciting if there weren't fantastic beasts flying everywhere and causing mischief. The allusions to big, epic battles is a must for trailers like this, and certain shots such as a chariot of winged beasts travelling down a skyscraper definitely has a certain striking element to it. It grabs you and makes you wonder what else is there. Even then, it never forgets that the series is centered around Eddie Redmayne, who is back in a smaller role and thus is more of a comedic relief this time around.
As a whole, it works as a piece of marketing for a film that most fans were going to see anyways. It's nice to see the new characters get some moments to introduce themselves. There's even some shots that show grandeur that could be fun to watch. Given how entertaining the first one was, I would hope that this is a good sign of what's to come. I like how it is starting to connect to the other movies and possibly making the universe more inclusive of outside cultures. There's a lot that I am curious to see, especially as Rowling is handling the script this time around. Maybe there will be some of the biggest and best surprises in the entire franchise. Who knows. All that is clear is that everything looks to be fantastic as usual, which is fine by me.
- One Sentence Sell -
It's another Harry Potter movie full of wizards battling beasts and defeating bad guys in big moments of spectacle.
- Trove or Trash -
TROVE
It could just be that I'm a fan of the original, but I think that there's plenty here that's immediately appealing. I like how it expands the universe and gives us a hint of what new characters will bring to the table. It's not the most cryptic/perfect of teasers, but it has plenty going for it that's worth checking out.
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