MOVIE REVIEWS Kids: The Secrets of Dumbledore Parents: The Batman

BY BONNIE L. HARRIS

Although The Secrets of Dumbledore holds a lead in box office profits, this prequel in the Fantastic Beasts franchise falls somewhat flat with a tedious running time that’s way too long and a far-flung, convoluted narrative. Saved only by the impressive, but sporadic, special effects and some fiendishly imaginative creatures, this film promises “a return to the magic,” but fails to deliver the charming spectacle of the Harry Potter world that we know and love. Part of the problem stems from J. K. Rowling’s decision to create five prequels out of just three, which turned The Secrets of Dumbledore into a steppingstone movie rather than the exciting finale that was its original intent. But enthusiastic HP fans still want to know how Albus Dumbledore became the wizard he was, and some of his very personal secrets are revealed in this good vs evil tale of an unlikely team of wizards on a journey to prevent a muggle/ wizard war. As a young man, Albus made a blood pact with Gellert Grindelwald, who now has a powerful wizard army and is intent on world domination. They cannot attack each other, but instead send their followers around the globe to disrupt a once in a lifetime ceremony to elect the new head of the International Confederation of Wizards. Newt Scamander, magizoologist, leads Dumbledore’s team, and thank goodness, he keeps the film interesting with his endless parade of oddly adorable creatures. Parents be warned, however, there are disturbing scenes of horrific monsters devouring prisoners and a mob of dancing scorpions intent on eating Newt alive in the dungeons of Erkstang prison. The Secrets of Dumbledore targets an older audience and there’s quite a lot of dramatic downtime between action scenes. Kudos to the set designer, costumer, and cinematographer, but again, somewhat exhausting for the audience. ✦

Warner Bros Pictures, Rated: PG-13, Streaming on Amazon A promise that binds Albus.

FIVE DIFFERENT FRIENDS insisted I had to see the latest Batman reboot starring Robert Pattinson, but I avoided it because I dreaded sitting through another worn-out retread of a superhero origin story. But when that fifth friend said, “Fine, you’re missing the best film of the year!” I had to reconsider. Many thanks to director

Matt Reeves, who also co-wrote and co-produced an incredible movie experience that I plan to see again and again for the clues I missed the first time. Dark, sinister, mysterious, twisted, creepy, thrilling, and inspiring, this version of The Batman story mixes murderous intrigue with political corruption and weaves it into an edge-of-your-seat story of a city in hopeless turmoil. The Batman, aka Vengeance, prowls the decrepit streets trying to make a small difference against rampant lawlessness. All the well-known characters are here: The Riddler,

Penguin, Cat Woman, and of course, The Joker, but they’re entirely reimagined and nuanced into full-fledged dramatic personalities. Aided by Lt. Gordon, the Batman unravels a plot that involves his deceased father, Thomas Wayne, and a notorious underworld boss. Be forewarned, the violence and gunplay push the PG-13 envelope, but aren’t gratuitous. And I predict we’ll see the costuming, set design, cinematography, and sound design up for Oscars.

Unlikely allies.