Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review: Magic and Man Collides

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What happens in Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them?

It’s the year 1926, and Gellert Grindelwald is causing chaos and fear in Europe. During that same year, we see Newt Scamander, a British wizard who goes to New York with a case full of magical creatures to release one in its natural habitat. After an incident in which one of Newt’s creatures, a niffler, escapes his case and runs into a bank. Even though Newt manages to wrangle him up, he loses his case in the process. Now, with the help of an Auror named Tina, Newt must find his fantastic beasts so they don’t wreak havoc on the city.

Who are the characters in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them?

Newt Scamander is a wizard from London on a quest to find and understand magical beasts. Currently, he has a suitcase with these creatures to study them and to write a book about them. Porpentina (Tina) Goldstein was an Auror for the MACUSA, however she lost her licence after an incident with a Muggle, or a No-Maj in America. After encountering Newt, she attempts to get her licence back. Jacob Kowalski is a No-Maj who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. After failing to receive a loan to start a bakery, Jacob is dragged into a magical adventure.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the first film I remember following from the announcement of the film, through the development, and all the way to the very first trailer and the release of the film. I was quite ready for another story in the Wizarding World franchise and I can tell you my expectations for this film were quite high.

I still remember loving it the first time I watched it and that hasn’t changed with the subsequent viewings. I think the first thing this film really does well is finding ways to separate itself from Harry Potter yet embed itself deeply into the lore and the established timeline of the Wizarding World.  The next thing I think is great about the film is the story.

Since the idea of this film is partially based on a textbook that Harry Potter used at Hogwarts, I’m still surprised how well they crafted a narrative around a magizoologist who goes to New York and keeps an audience invested throughout. This film has so many twists in the story and interesting plot developments with many creative ideas and ways to build the world even further. I really like the way the story unfolded, and J.K. Rowling did a great job in her first time as a screenwriter in terms of pacing and balancing her multiple storylines. 

The characters themselves are all very different from our protagonists in Harry Potter and that is a great choice. Newt (as played by Eddie Redmayne) is the most reluctant hero I have ever seen as he tries to constantly avoid confrontation and is much more comfortable with his creatures than most people.

Still, Newt can be kind, smart and he is brave at times as well. Tina ( as played by Katherine Waterstone) is a former Auror looking to get her job back and along the way, she starts to let down her guard and we see she is a bit awkward yet confident and decently resourceful as well.

Jacob ( as played by Dan Fogler) is the other stand-out as he is the funniest character and the most loveable. He is a No-Maj ( Muggle) who gets brought along this journey accidentally but who begins to bond with the others and show his worth throughout. The action in this is also quite well done and after the completion of the Harry Potter series I am just glad to see more wand duels.

The beasts themselves range from some cute and cuddly creatures to some scary-looking beasts but they all seem good-natured and the special effects on them make them look quite real. All in all, this is a fantastic film that I loved and will probably watch many more times in the future. I would definitely recommend this to any Harry Potter fan as this was made for them but I would also say this is a good introduction to the Wizarding World for anyone who hasn’t discovered it yet.