Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - Review
Director: David Yates
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller
We all thought that 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 would be our last foray into the world where flying cars and house elves exist. But J.K Rowling clearly couldn't put down the quill for long as she has expanded the wizarding world, gifting the West End with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Parts 1 and 2) and now the prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which finds Brit wizard Newt Scamander abroad - and Rowling proves that she definitely hasn't lost the magic.
In 1926, young wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) travels to New York City with a case full of an array of sensational creatures. A blunder leads to the escape of several of Newt's 'fantastic beasts' and he enlists the help of witch sisters Porpentina (Katerine Waterston) and Queenie (Alison Sudol) and No-Maj Jacob (Dan Fogler) to gather up the contents of his case before the wizarding community is exposed - although, there's already rumblings of discord and danger.
The magical world of 1920's New York may not be as charming or cutesy as Hogwarts across the pond in the 200's, but the differences - and similarities - between the two are highly interesting. MACUSA and the Ministry of Magic are definitely governing bodies with their fair share of flaws, but MACUSA seems particularly ruthless and efficient in its ways. One sequence demonstrates just how cruel their methods can be as our two main protagonists find themselves in mortal peril. Additionally, the segregation between wizards, witches and No-Maj's (or Muggles, as we have previously known them) is far more severe than what has been depicted in the Potter universe. Perhaps this conflict is a product of the time period, or maybe it's indicative of the attitude Rowling has specified for the fictional American population - but the wizarding community has never felt more in danger of potential discovery and prejudice.
We may have been cordially introduced to and caught glimpses of the animals that magic folk get to mingle with on occasion, with Buckbean the Hippogriff being the most prominent and memorable example, but Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them really pulls back the curtain (or opens the case, if you will) and grants fans full access to a new batch of beasts. From the mischievous jewel-thief Niffler to Pickett, the Bowtruckle with attachment issues, these beasts wholly capture our attention; and we understand how they managed to secure Newt's heart.
Although the film is called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and the search for magical creatures encompasses a large portion of the plot, there are much deeper themes and future storylines presented for sequels. Deftly, J.K Rowling strikes the perfect balance of incorporating these elements as she tantalises the audience and excites them for forthcoming films whilst creating a picture that works as a stand-alone entry. The transition from novelist to screenwriter could not have been accomplished more smoothly, with Rowling providing an excellently well-structured narrative, a satisfying conclusion and twists that were never alluded to in the marketing campaign. Well, at least not all of them. If you're a diehard fan and avid consumer of every trailer and TV spot that Warner Bros. released to support the picture, then you may be aware of a certain theory regarding a development that the film's course may take that will affect the forthcoming sequels. Begrudgingly, it does take such a course. The reveal by no means spoilt my enjoyment of the flick, but it did leave me with the bitter taste of disappointment.
Thankfully, the performances from the acting talent involved emphatically don't disappoint. Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, the humble Hufflepuff, is a delight. An expelled Hogwarts student with an affinity for magical beasts, Redmayne affects all of Newt's nervous nuances with ease and adorable quirk, as he flourishes in the company of his animals but has noticeable difficulty looking his human counterparts in the eye. Fogler as Jacob Kowalski is an innovative and fresh angle to take in the magical universe as the No-Maj aspiring baker who is whisked up into this whirlwind journey, acting as a point of recognition for the audience. When he squeals with rapture, so do we. As he marvels with awe at the contents of Newt's case, so do we. Waterston and Sudol as the Goldstein sisters are great figures to guide us, as well as Newt and Jacob, through the New York magic scene. However, the dynamic between Colin Farrell's Auror, Percival Graves, and Ezra Miller's Credence Barebone is arguably the most compelling one in the film, and their character arcs are the most defined of all. But as franchise films, and cinema in general, are actively making strides toward being more inclusive in terms of racial diversity, Fantastic Beasts is a little disappointing. Hopefully the inevitable sequels will make more of an effort to diversify its cast.
Enchanting. Exhilarating. Heartwarming. Yes, J.K Rowling has made a triumphant return to her much beloved series with a fresh and yet familiar story, and the tease of even more spectacular things to come. I believe everyone will be cast wholeheartedly under Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's spell.
EB
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller
We all thought that 2011's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 would be our last foray into the world where flying cars and house elves exist. But J.K Rowling clearly couldn't put down the quill for long as she has expanded the wizarding world, gifting the West End with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Parts 1 and 2) and now the prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which finds Brit wizard Newt Scamander abroad - and Rowling proves that she definitely hasn't lost the magic.In 1926, young wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) travels to New York City with a case full of an array of sensational creatures. A blunder leads to the escape of several of Newt's 'fantastic beasts' and he enlists the help of witch sisters Porpentina (Katerine Waterston) and Queenie (Alison Sudol) and No-Maj Jacob (Dan Fogler) to gather up the contents of his case before the wizarding community is exposed - although, there's already rumblings of discord and danger.
The magical world of 1920's New York may not be as charming or cutesy as Hogwarts across the pond in the 200's, but the differences - and similarities - between the two are highly interesting. MACUSA and the Ministry of Magic are definitely governing bodies with their fair share of flaws, but MACUSA seems particularly ruthless and efficient in its ways. One sequence demonstrates just how cruel their methods can be as our two main protagonists find themselves in mortal peril. Additionally, the segregation between wizards, witches and No-Maj's (or Muggles, as we have previously known them) is far more severe than what has been depicted in the Potter universe. Perhaps this conflict is a product of the time period, or maybe it's indicative of the attitude Rowling has specified for the fictional American population - but the wizarding community has never felt more in danger of potential discovery and prejudice.
We may have been cordially introduced to and caught glimpses of the animals that magic folk get to mingle with on occasion, with Buckbean the Hippogriff being the most prominent and memorable example, but Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them really pulls back the curtain (or opens the case, if you will) and grants fans full access to a new batch of beasts. From the mischievous jewel-thief Niffler to Pickett, the Bowtruckle with attachment issues, these beasts wholly capture our attention; and we understand how they managed to secure Newt's heart.
Although the film is called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and the search for magical creatures encompasses a large portion of the plot, there are much deeper themes and future storylines presented for sequels. Deftly, J.K Rowling strikes the perfect balance of incorporating these elements as she tantalises the audience and excites them for forthcoming films whilst creating a picture that works as a stand-alone entry. The transition from novelist to screenwriter could not have been accomplished more smoothly, with Rowling providing an excellently well-structured narrative, a satisfying conclusion and twists that were never alluded to in the marketing campaign. Well, at least not all of them. If you're a diehard fan and avid consumer of every trailer and TV spot that Warner Bros. released to support the picture, then you may be aware of a certain theory regarding a development that the film's course may take that will affect the forthcoming sequels. Begrudgingly, it does take such a course. The reveal by no means spoilt my enjoyment of the flick, but it did leave me with the bitter taste of disappointment.
Thankfully, the performances from the acting talent involved emphatically don't disappoint. Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, the humble Hufflepuff, is a delight. An expelled Hogwarts student with an affinity for magical beasts, Redmayne affects all of Newt's nervous nuances with ease and adorable quirk, as he flourishes in the company of his animals but has noticeable difficulty looking his human counterparts in the eye. Fogler as Jacob Kowalski is an innovative and fresh angle to take in the magical universe as the No-Maj aspiring baker who is whisked up into this whirlwind journey, acting as a point of recognition for the audience. When he squeals with rapture, so do we. As he marvels with awe at the contents of Newt's case, so do we. Waterston and Sudol as the Goldstein sisters are great figures to guide us, as well as Newt and Jacob, through the New York magic scene. However, the dynamic between Colin Farrell's Auror, Percival Graves, and Ezra Miller's Credence Barebone is arguably the most compelling one in the film, and their character arcs are the most defined of all. But as franchise films, and cinema in general, are actively making strides toward being more inclusive in terms of racial diversity, Fantastic Beasts is a little disappointing. Hopefully the inevitable sequels will make more of an effort to diversify its cast.
Enchanting. Exhilarating. Heartwarming. Yes, J.K Rowling has made a triumphant return to her much beloved series with a fresh and yet familiar story, and the tease of even more spectacular things to come. I believe everyone will be cast wholeheartedly under Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's spell.
EB
Comments
Post a Comment