Year: 2016
Director: David Yates
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Colin Farrell, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol and a number of truly fantastic beasts
Tagline: Explore a new era of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world
Synopsis: When some of his magical beasts get loose in New York City, Newt Scamander must hurry to recapture them before they get hurt ... or before they get blamed for the destruction being wreaked by something else.
Tagline: Explore a new era of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world
Synopsis: When some of his magical beasts get loose in New York City, Newt Scamander must hurry to recapture them before they get hurt ... or before they get blamed for the destruction being wreaked by something else.
Review
I love Harry Potter. His movie series ended, though, before I started this blog. My love for that world began with the film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and has grown ever stronger since then. From the moment we briefly hear "Hedwig's Theme" during the Warner Bros. logo, I was happily sucked into Fantastic Beasts. I was even more happy as the credits finished rolling.
J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay to Fantastic Beasts and it is a stronger film/story for it. The film also benefits from this being an original story and not an adaptation. Does it set itself up for a sequel? Yes. Very much so. But it can also stand on its own I think.
You don't have to be familiar with Harry Potter's world in order to appreciate Fantastic Beasts. That is another of the film's strengths. The film is immersive enough (and self-explanatory enough) that anyone can enjoy its magic. Of course, if you are well-versed in the Potterverse, you'll find extra tidbits to appreciate and get excited over. I had quite a few such moments.
Everything about the film is well done: the visuals, the story, the music, the roaring 20s setting, the acting. I loved all of it. One thing that I especially enjoyed are all the small details that make the world so immersive. One example is when Jacob is reading a borrowed book. The book isn't at all important to the scene. He just happens to have it on his lap. But the book is a magic book, so the cat on the dust jacket wanders around. It's subtle, tiny, and easily missed. But it brings the wizarding world to life.
In a movie called Fantastic Beasts, you know you've got to have some impressive magical creatures. The film doesn't let down. One of the most magical scenes is when Newt gives Jacob (a "No-Maj" or Muggle) a tour inside his briefcase. As awesome as the bowtruckle, niffler, and occamy are, "Frank" the thunderbird was definitely my favorite.
As for the human characters, I enjoyed them as well. Newt is a quirky, sometimes awkward character who is clearly far more comfortable around beasts than beings. I really liked Tina (the American witch who ends up helping Newt). She's brave and capable, but she also has fears and inadequacies that make her relatable. And she's compassionate. Queenie (Tina's sister) is also a fun character. My favorite though is Jacob Kowalski, the would-be baker who accidentally gets sucked into the wizarding world. He's a down-to-earth, likable fellow. And he serves a useful function in the story. As an outsider to magic, he is the person the audience can latch on to as we are introduced to the wizarding world together. He receives the explanations the audience needs.
As for the villains and antagonists in the film, I can't say too much without spoiling the story. But I found them interesting and fitting. We have a different set of villains than in Harry Potter's stories. The one character I will mention is Mary Lou Barebones, the leader of the Second Salem movement which is out to expose and stop witches and wizards. There's a calmness about her. During one scene where she could have gone off the handle, she remained perfectly calm, collected, polite, and earnestly sincere. It is elsewhere that her dark streak is seen and you realize she makes Petunia Dursley look like mother/aunt-of-the-year.
In that vein, I should note that Fantastic Beasts has a darker tone. I'd put it more with the later Harry Potter books. There is certainly humor. Quite a bit. And the closest thing to inappropriate is that one of the beasts is described as "in heat" and "needs to mate." But there are themes of abuse, repression, and prejudice, as well as some of the consequences thereof.
I loved Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and was thrilled to be back in the wizarding world again. I am eagerly on board for all the sequels this film will get (it's currently supposed to be a pentology [5]). Honestly, I'll happily hand over my money anytime J.K. Rowling wants to invite me into her wizarding world. As cliche as they may be, the best descriptors I can come up with are "magical" and "fantastic."
*** Spoiler Section ***
The film did leave me with a few questions (which may or may not be answered in the next film): Was there ever a real Percival Graves? Why did Modesty have a wand? Did the Obscurus survive?
Not gonna lie, I got very excited when I saw the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.
Also, I really hope that isn't the last of Jacob and Queenie.
J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay to Fantastic Beasts and it is a stronger film/story for it. The film also benefits from this being an original story and not an adaptation. Does it set itself up for a sequel? Yes. Very much so. But it can also stand on its own I think.
You don't have to be familiar with Harry Potter's world in order to appreciate Fantastic Beasts. That is another of the film's strengths. The film is immersive enough (and self-explanatory enough) that anyone can enjoy its magic. Of course, if you are well-versed in the Potterverse, you'll find extra tidbits to appreciate and get excited over. I had quite a few such moments.
Everything about the film is well done: the visuals, the story, the music, the roaring 20s setting, the acting. I loved all of it. One thing that I especially enjoyed are all the small details that make the world so immersive. One example is when Jacob is reading a borrowed book. The book isn't at all important to the scene. He just happens to have it on his lap. But the book is a magic book, so the cat on the dust jacket wanders around. It's subtle, tiny, and easily missed. But it brings the wizarding world to life.
In a movie called Fantastic Beasts, you know you've got to have some impressive magical creatures. The film doesn't let down. One of the most magical scenes is when Newt gives Jacob (a "No-Maj" or Muggle) a tour inside his briefcase. As awesome as the bowtruckle, niffler, and occamy are, "Frank" the thunderbird was definitely my favorite.
As for the human characters, I enjoyed them as well. Newt is a quirky, sometimes awkward character who is clearly far more comfortable around beasts than beings. I really liked Tina (the American witch who ends up helping Newt). She's brave and capable, but she also has fears and inadequacies that make her relatable. And she's compassionate. Queenie (Tina's sister) is also a fun character. My favorite though is Jacob Kowalski, the would-be baker who accidentally gets sucked into the wizarding world. He's a down-to-earth, likable fellow. And he serves a useful function in the story. As an outsider to magic, he is the person the audience can latch on to as we are introduced to the wizarding world together. He receives the explanations the audience needs.
As for the villains and antagonists in the film, I can't say too much without spoiling the story. But I found them interesting and fitting. We have a different set of villains than in Harry Potter's stories. The one character I will mention is Mary Lou Barebones, the leader of the Second Salem movement which is out to expose and stop witches and wizards. There's a calmness about her. During one scene where she could have gone off the handle, she remained perfectly calm, collected, polite, and earnestly sincere. It is elsewhere that her dark streak is seen and you realize she makes Petunia Dursley look like mother/aunt-of-the-year.
In that vein, I should note that Fantastic Beasts has a darker tone. I'd put it more with the later Harry Potter books. There is certainly humor. Quite a bit. And the closest thing to inappropriate is that one of the beasts is described as "in heat" and "needs to mate." But there are themes of abuse, repression, and prejudice, as well as some of the consequences thereof.
I loved Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and was thrilled to be back in the wizarding world again. I am eagerly on board for all the sequels this film will get (it's currently supposed to be a pentology [5]). Honestly, I'll happily hand over my money anytime J.K. Rowling wants to invite me into her wizarding world. As cliche as they may be, the best descriptors I can come up with are "magical" and "fantastic."
*** Spoiler Section ***
The film did leave me with a few questions (which may or may not be answered in the next film): Was there ever a real Percival Graves? Why did Modesty have a wand? Did the Obscurus survive?
Not gonna lie, I got very excited when I saw the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.
Also, I really hope that isn't the last of Jacob and Queenie.
Quotable Quotes
- "Your skull is susceptible to breakage under immense force." -- Newt to Jacob after handing him a helmet
- "What did you do today, Jacob? I was inside a suitcase." -- Jacob, to himself
- "And try very hard not to be predictable." -- Newt to Jacob and Queenie
ISFS
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