Movie review
November 14, 2018 · 134 min · PG-13
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The 2018 film follows Newt Scamander as he joins forces with Albus Dumbledore to stop Gellert Grindelwald, who is building a movement to place wizards above all non-magical people. The story centers on loyalty, betrayal, and growing divisions in the wizarding world during the 1920s. Subtle hints at a past romantic bond between Dumbledore and Grindelwald add light queer subtext, while the casting of an Asian actress as the human form of Nagini sparked public debate over tokenistic diversity efforts. Director comments frame the core conflict around tolerance and acceptance of otherness.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Woke representation / casting
Some audience-visible diversity casting, notably Claudia Kim as Nagini, which prompted tokenism accusations; overall international cast fits the global wizarding setting with no major story-logic mismatches.
Woke political dialogue
Grindelwald delivers supremacist rhetoric on wizard dominance over Muggles, set against calls for tolerance; director framed the film around acceptance of diversity and otherness without modern activist slogans.
Identity-driven story themes
Subtle queer subtext in the hinted past romantic bond between Dumbledore and Grindelwald; themes of persecution of otherness and divided loyalties stay within classic fantasy allegory.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Villain critiques wizarding secrecy and pushes dominance while heroes defend coexistence; no activist-style attacks on patriarchy, capitalism, traditional norms, or Western institutions.
Woke character or canon changes
Introduction of human Nagini form with diverse casting and expanded Dumbledore-Grindelwald backstory drew public discussion but was not widely viewed as ideological rewriting at release.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Minor online mentions of Nagini casting as forced diversity or "woke points"; no significant right-leaning criticism or broad claims of identity politics propaganda.
Creator track record context
Mix of J.K. Rowling's recent anti-identity-politics stance, David Heyman's moderate industry diversity advocacy, and limited progressive statements from others like Steve Kloves; overall mild progressive lean without dominant activist pattern.
Production
