Last night, we had the great fortune to head to Detroit to see a movie premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Of course, we cosplayed some of our favorite characters: Newt, Tina, and Credence.

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Tina, Newt, and Credence showed up in Detroit to see #FantasticBeasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald !! @fantasticbeastsmovie #ProtectTheSecrets @pottermore #WandsReady #discovermoremagic #Livethemagic #babynifflers #newtscamander #harrypotter #hp #wizardingworld #dumbledore #moviepremiere #grindelwald

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The very large theatre was packed, and it was so funny to hear people ooh and aah - almost like fourth of July fireworks! As with all Wizarding World of Harry Potter books and films, it's a joy to be immersed into this world, every time.

This is the second of five films in the Fantastic Beasts series, and features several of our favorite characters, as well as new ones. Of course, it is the story of Grindelwald, who is in Paris to find and sway Credence to his side of the schism between good and evil. 

This film is packed with special effects, from an extremely interesting circus scene (I wished I could have hit pause, to look at everything!) to Paris being covered by rippling black fabric—Grindelwald's call to action. That, in itself, is magic. But seeing magic performed—whether capturing flying file boxes, ascertaining boggarts at Hogwarts (Newt's is hilarious), a wind spell performed only on one person, or packing up an entire circus into a small cart—is wonderful, and part of the charm of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

The Crimes of Grindelwald is, first and foremost, an action film with a message. From the very start, when you are taken for a bumpy ride, to the end, where plot twists abound amidst many serious magical spells, the action is almost non-stop. There isn't much room for character development in this film, which I would have loved. I'd like personal stories to continue to grow, as well as to learn the backstories of new characters (the only one truly given more of a backstory is Leta Lestrange). I am longing to learn more about Ariana Dumbledore, as well as the entire Dumbledore family tree/history.

My favorite part, as before, is the creatures (here's a short guide). We see old friends (nifflers, Newt's bowtruckle Pickett, thestrals), along with new ones. I was quite impressed by the Zouwou, a sort of Chinese dragon mixed with the creature from Neverending Story (especially the face). His tail is extraordinary, and mesmerizing. In the scenes where he is present, he completely steals the show—you can look at nothing else. The Paris Ministry of Magic employs Matagots—interesting cat-like creatures that grow exponentially when tasked with security. The interesting Leucrotta is the first creature we see down in Newt's suitcase interior; my most-beloved creature from inside is the Kelpie, who takes Newt on an enviable underwater rollercoaster of a ride. I wanted that scene never to end!

The sets are stunning, and the clothes are gorgeous. The film takes place in the 1920s, and mostly in Paris. The French Ministry of Magic building is quite entrancing. You can imagine that the costume department was in alt—such a joy to see beautiful fashion on everyone, even the passersby. The costumes were well-crafted, and uniquely designed for each character, with layers upon layers of personality. 

Emetophobia trigger warning: There is a scene, about 43 minutes in, where Newt and Jacob are on the Cliffs of Dover, ready to use a portkey to get to Paris. They are warned of seasickness, and this could be triggering with Jacob worrying, making a noise, and carrying a bucket for a minute or two once they arrive.

The challenge with a series is that the first and last movies are typically the best. The ones in the middle have to move the story forward, with more characters added, and many things unresolved. This is true in this film, as well. Many things were brought up, and left unresolved. Time for parts 3, 4, and 5.

Is The Crimes of Grindelwald the best film in this series? If you love action, perhaps. If you love storytelling, Fantastic Beasts takes precedence. However, I can't wait until the next film, to see where the story goes—and to see new creatures!

All photos courtesy and copyright Warner Bros. Entertainment, used with permission.