After somehow missing it in the theaters, I’m happy to announce I finally got around to watching Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.
First of all, I’d like to say that I’m really glad they are continuing to build the Harry Potter universe. It’s a rich universe ripe for ample storytelling, and I think they got off on the right foot with this installment. I especially like that they decided to set it in 1926. This gives it a unique look while providing thousands of different narrative directions for future films. Furthermore, setting it in New York also set it apart from the Potter films, which is vital if this new franchise is to thrive on its own volition.
I also loved the cast. Eddie Redmayne is always interesting in his movies, and his New Scamander proved just quirky enough to be a fun, unique action star. I loved that his Scamander seemed to have an awful time looking people in the eye. Such a subtle, interesting touch. Yet, despite his aloofness, he always emitted bravery and a caring heart.
Dan Fogler plays a regular guy who gets ensnared in the magical world and he is delightful. His character, Jacob Kowalski, is lovable without being a buffoon, funny without being goofy, and has more heart than anyone else in the movie. I believe his character really makes this film go.
I also loved “Queenie,” a character played by Alison Sudol. She played her character with such joy, such spirit, it was hard not to root for her. I’m so glad they seem to be having a romance budding between Queenie and Kowalski. They are both incredibly likable — even more so when together.
Finally, it’s wonderful to see Colin Farrell back in great form. He played a character called Graves, and I won’t say much about Graves for fear of spoiling the plot. If you enjoy Farrell in general, you’ll appreciate his Graves. Farrell always has so much going on behind his eyes …
So, yes, there’s a lot to like about this movie.
Unfortunately, there’s also a lot I didn’t like about this movie.
First of all, the plot proved really … cumbersome. Considering this is an original script, it seemed awfully convoluted and felt like it was derived from some other source material. The Potter books always served their adapted films as a crutch. Not so with this one. We don’t know this story and so it had to be clearer for us to follow.
Along those lines, it also ran too long. I actually got a little bored around the middle of the movie. Why did I get bored? Well, the plot took a while to get going, and a lot of time got invested in showing the “fantastic beasts.” They were cool, don’t get me wrong, but the big ones looked very “special effects” to me. This could be because I watched the film on DVD instead of Blu-Ray, but they looked out of place next to the living actors.
I also had a horrific time understanding Redmayne. I’ve seen several of his movies and never had such difficulty making out what he said. There were entire lines of dialogue I missed due to a very thick accent.
I’m also not exactly sure what is going on with the main villain, Gellert Grindelwald. … Wait, just Googled him. … Oooooh. That’s cool. Wish I’d refreshed myself on all that before watching this movie. Hmm. I’d forgotten Gellert Grindelwald played a role in The Deathly Hallows. Be careful to avoid spoilers, but you may want to search that name and how it relates to Albus Dumbledore.
Do I recommend this movie? Absolutely. It’s not perfect, but it’s very good. It’s got some charismatic actors in place that will definitely be able to prop up the franchise as it continues. Though I had trouble understanding his accent, Redmayne delivered a character that’s easy to support and admire. I’m especially looking forward to seeing more of Fogler and Sudol. All in all, I’m excited to see where this series goes!
SCOTT WILLIAM FOLEY 