Fantastic Beasts - The Secrets of Dumbledore (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers
Release Date: June 28, 2022
Rating: PG-13
Film: 3/5
 
Plot
Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?
 
My Thoughts
This is the eleventh film in the Harry Potter universe and maybe it’s time to put it on the shelf for a while. J.K. Rowling graduated from novels to feature film writing with the first Fantastic Beasts film, which was a resounding success. Unfortunately, the follow-up was a middling affair that didn’t leave many fans—especially die-hard HP fans—waiting in anticipation for the third film in the saga. Needless to say, the film disappointed at the domestic box office and didn’t even hit $100 million, although it’s worldwide total of $400 million probably allowed the studio to eke out a profit, albeit a small one.
 
There was a lot of negative coverage in conservative press about the screenplay’s depiction of Dumbledore’s sexuality and how it didn’t really need to be front and center in the film. While I didn’t find it personally upsetting, I’m not sure how you’d explain it to a sheltered 10-year-old kid. In reality, it didn’t add anything to the film one bit. Two friends could have made the same pact and sexuality didn’t have to enter into the story at all.
 
Do I think this harmed the box office? Yes. Was this the reason the film bombed domestically? No. It didn’t do well because it’s not that compelling of film. In the end, there are too many characters, and you don’t feel anything for them. I didn’t hate the film but didn’t love it either. I plodded through the first two acts waiting for the action-filled conclusion, that’s about it.
 
Overall, the presentation was very good, but I found the 4K to be a bit dim and flat. Upping the Tone Mapping on my projector from Medium to High helped a bit, but it’s the first movie I’ve had to do this with since JVC updated their firmware. Part of the complaint is the movie is extremely dark and dim in both tone and look. Black levels are quite good and the VFX work is top-notch. The audio doesn’t disappoint at all and the Atmos is very enveloping from beginning to end.
 
Video 8/10
 
Audio 9/10 (Dolby Atmos)
 
Special Features:
 

• The Dumbledore Family Tree
• Dumbledore Through the Ages
• Magical or Muggle
• The Magic of Hogwarts
• Even More Fantastic Beasts
• Newt in the Wild
• The German Ministry of Magic
• A Dumbledore Duel
• The Candidates’ Dinner
• Erkstag Jailbreak
• Battle in Bhutan
• The Secrets of the Cursed Child
• Deleted Scenes
• UHD + Blu-ray + Digital Copy

 

 
 
Conclusion
My daughter is a huge Harry Potter fan. In fact, she was proposed to in front of the Hogwarts castle at Universal Studios in Florida while donned in a Hufflepuff robe while holding a wand—I’d say she’s quite a fan (and yes, she said yes to the proposal and is getting married in September). Even she had a hard time getting through this film. To add insult to injury, she just happens to be visiting and when I suggested watching this movie she was less than enthusiastic about it. When you’ve lost your most die-hard fans, you’ve got a problem. If you enjoyed the first two films, you’ll make it through this one, but the studio is at a crossroad on where to go next. It will be interesting to see what they do.
 
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
M&K Sound X15+ Subwoofer
Dual JL Audio F-110 (stacked and treated as one sub)
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[bmoney]

You def liked it more than me. I agree with the sexuality aspect tho

[David Vaughn]

You def liked it more than me. I agree with the sexuality aspect tho

I'm not like would be the right word...more like tolerated and took it for what it was. 

[TRainH2O]

First off, congratulations on your daughter's upcoming wedding. 

As for this film, I have purposefully not read much press about it. I'm like you in that the first film (without the original  Hogwarts trio) was good, but certainly not to the caliber of the original book-based films. The second, I remember very little about but it wasn't horrible from my recollection. 

I was really hoping that this latest movie would be the one to get the franchise back on track. Sadly, it doesn't sound like it. Oh well, we will give it a spin in the next few days. Redbox emailed me a $1.25 off rental on the Blu-ray. Of course, it will cost me $5 in gas to drive there and back. 

As always, thanks for the review, David.

[David Vaughn]

First off, congratulations on your daughter's upcoming wedding.

As for this film, I have purposefully not read much press about it. I'm like you in that the first film (without the original  Hogwarts trio) was good, but certainly not to the caliber of the original book-based films. The second, I remember very little about but it wasn't horrible from my recollection.

I was really hoping that this latest movie would be the one to get the franchise back on track. Sadly, it doesn't sound like it. Oh well, we will give it a spin in the next few days. Redbox emailed me a $1.25 off rental on the Blu-ray. Of course, it will cost me $5 in gas to drive there and back.

As always, thanks for the review, David.

Tracy, thanks for the congrats on the wedding. We've known each other long enough to remember when the kids were actually kids...now they are damn adults!

In regard to the movie, I'm curious for what you think once you see it. My expectations weren't high going in based upon my daughter's feedback, so I was able to get through it without too much disappointment. Let me know once you see it. 

[Barry]

 Hi David,

You wrote:
“Needless to say, the film disappointed at the domestic box office and didn’t even hit $100 million, although it’s worldwide total of $400 million probably allowed the studio to eke out a profit, albeit a small one.”
 
I am definitely not an authority of Hollywood but I learned something things I’d like to share.
 
Allegedly, this movie cost $200,000,000 to make. But that is NOT necessarily what the studio paid. I had a friend who represented a company that created small movies.  States, including New York and Georgia give back up to 30% of their costs  even more, to companies that make scripted movies in their states. Countries, such as Australia, do the same. That is why you see the states and countries given credit at the end of the movie. The movoie companies submit their "bills" and quickly get a check. So this movie could have only cost the studio $140,000,000, even less.
 
Then there are the home video revenues.  This, of course, is DVDs and cable “ON DEMAND”  services that are not included in revenue.
 
Here its where it gets fuzzy, but revenue is involved.  This movie will, of course be on HBO and HBO+ streaming and we don’t know how much that means financially. Those companies are owned by the same company that made the picture.  Also, the movie will appear on TBS and TNT also owned by the same movie company. So they get a movie that costs them nothing and make profits on the commercials and cable fees. That's valuable.
 
Allegedly, the movie spent $20,000,000 in advertising. Well, so I learned, that much of that went into Time/Warner related stations (again TBS and TNT and then CW) and their magazines. So much of the money stays within the family, so to speak.
 
There are also profits made from merchandizing.  So the movie may have made more money than we are at first lead to believe.

[David Vaughn]

Good points Barry, but remember also, the movie theaters get a cut of the box office as well. I'm sure the movie eked out a profit, but I'm sure it's much lower than the bean counters wanted. 

[Barry]

Good points Barry, but remember also, the movie theaters get a cut of the box office as well. I'm sure the movie eked out a profit, but I'm sure it's much lower than the bean counters wanted.

Generally, there will be studio only gets 50% of the admissions and the other half goes to the theatre owner.