Despite a less than magical climax, the dark whimsy is undeniably spellbinding in this 3^rd instalment of the Fantastic Beasts series. Yes, there’s a real visual feast on display here, one that (almost) makes up for the “just ok” story at hand. And while it’s an improvement over the ambitiously bloated previous film, it still lacks the exciting adventure of the much more celebrated Harry Potter flicks. Luckily, Jude Law and Madds Mikkelson are masters at work, with the latter having no issues stepping into Johnny Depp's role. The movie is also great at hitting some nostalgic beats, like a return to Hogwarts! What it’s not so good at, however, is delivering a satisfying conclusion. The final “battle” as it were, ends on a whimper. There is a nice little end scene that wraps everything up with a bow mind you. Let's just say that I wouldn’t hold my breath for another in this Fantastic Beasts franchise. Another issue (compared the Potter outings) is the lack of compelling characters. I mean, it’s been three movies and I still don’t care for Newt Scamander – like, at all. Another strike against the movie is all the behind-the-scenes controversy surrounding it. J.K Rowling’s ongoing feud with the transgender community, Ezra Miller’s troubling behaviour, Johnny Depp’s public ousting from his part, and Dumbledore’s sexuality censorship abroad – it’s all one big distraction. I suppose then, that it’s rather impressive that this is not a complete mess. Au contraire, this Wizarding film is completely watchable – just not overly enchanting.