From the beginning The Secrets of Dumbledore gives gives us set development that holds our eyes firmly to the images appearing on the screen. The dining room in which the plot is discussed is beautifully appointed and decorate, the valleys, mountains and streams are remarkable to view. The cinematography is a rewarding experience, the street scape gives the feeling we are on an old New York Street more than one hundred years in the past.
The digital special effects are spectacular and the performances particularly of Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski the baker who has become quite successful since the last episode and Alison Sudol who is Queenie Goldstein and the love of his life. While others have more powerful and dominant positions in the film these two are the most interesting and enjoyable to watch.
The plot revolves around a Qilin a creature that can see into the future, it also can point to the true leader with a slight bow. Early on Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) and his associates kill a mother Qilin, kidnap the new born and kill it to gain its precognition. But there are twins and that leads to the heart of the story and how Dumbledore reaches his position and brilliance as a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The script however never developes the full capacity of the characters or the folks playing the parts, it begins well but slows to a crawl at times. The running time of 2 hours and 22 minutes doesn’t help. With what appears to be another episode coming up, one hopes for a crisper, cleaner less cluttered story like the tangent in this one between Queenie and Kowalski who are joyful in this world of power and control that they overcome.