To See or Not to See: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

For those eager to jump back into the wonderful magical world that J.K. Rowling created, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be a delight. It is a movie that has almost everything: magic, suspense, darkness, humor, and love.

As with her beloved Harry Potter books and films, J.K. Rowling uses her latest installment in her Wizarding World franchise to teach lessons of tolerance, fear, and kindness. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the first screenplay written by Rowling. It is a bit darker than her previous stories, but perhaps it is because the themes in this are so apropos for our current real world environment. The fear, bigotry, and evil lurking below the surface are, at times, revealed in scenes too terrifying for small children. Tempered by the love and kindness that many of the main characters exhibit toward one another and strangers, however, does create a compelling film for older audiences.

Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York City in 1926 with a suitcase full of his magical creatures. Scamander has journeyed there from England in hopes of eventually making his way to Arizona so he can release a giant Thunderbird back into it’s native habitat–despite the fact that the MACUSA (the United States’s version of the Ministry of Magic) has outlawed magical creatures. Scamander is side tracked, though, when a Niffler (a little creature that has a penchant for jewels, gold, etc.) escapes from the suitcase. Scamander absentmindedly swaps suitcases with No-Maj (American’s terms for Muggles) Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler). Needless to say, more of Scamander’s magical creatures escape into the streets of New York City.

Ex-Auror Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) has noticed Scamander’s suspicious behavior and follows him, eventually offering her aid in recapturing the lost creatures. Her mind-reading sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol), joins, too. Naturally, Queenie’s chemistry with Kowalski allow for little moments of fun flirtation and tenderness. Meanwhile, there is a Puritanical group of anti-magic protestors led by Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) who threatens to expose the magic world and a dark being that has been terrorizing No-Maj citizens around the city that MACUSA has been trying to hunt down (led by Colin Farrell as Percival Graves). Needless to say, there are many little story threads that will, in typical Rowling style, been braided together by the end of the film.

The cast of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is quite strong. Eddie Redmayne captures Newt Scamander’s awkwardness with people and his incredible ease with animals in the way he holds his body. His shuffling gait transforms into self-confident strides when he’s caring for these creatures that others find weird and scary. Another superb actor was Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone, Mary Lou’s much-abused son. His ability to communicate submission, terror, and quiet resolve as Credence were some of the most “can’t look away” moments on screen.

Directed by David Yates–he directed the last four Harry Potter films–he makes sure that the way magic is presented is consistent to the magical world audiences are used to. The visuals are sweeping–everything from the costuming to the set to the special effects are detailed. Entering Scamander’s suitcase full of creatures is a delight for all ages. You can imagine, of course, a theme park section dedicated to this world. Perfectly paired with the visuals is the music in the film. Creating atmospheric moods, scenes become engrossing and transportative.

So, for the loyal Harry Potter fans, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be a must-see; for those new to the franchise will receive an intriguing and beguiling introduction.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros Pictures