Review - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

          Hey guys, Chuck here. After the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two, there was a certain level of uncertainty as to the future of the Harry Potter series. However, the continuing popularity of the series through the many visitors to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions at Universal Studios in Los Angeles and Orlando, as well as the success of the online site Pottermore, led Warner Bros. to make plans for a new series of films set in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World. The first of this set of films is 2016's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. 

         The movie, set in the year 1926, establishes that the global Wizarding community is on edge due to the ongoing conflict with notorious dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald and his band of fanatics. The movie itself focuses on magizoologist Newt Scamander, who has arrived in New York City with a suitcase filled with bizarre magical creatures. One of the creatures, a Niffler, breaks loose and heads into a bank, where Jacob Kowalski, a non-wizard referred to in America as a No-Maj, is attempting to secure a loan to open his own bakery. Yes, the American equivalent of the term Muggle is No-Maj. Anyway, Jacob picks up a mysterious egg that Newt was carrying, and an Occamy hatches from inside of it. Newt, with help from Jacob, secures the Niffler and the two apparate out of the bank, but Jacob knocks Newt out before he can be Obliviated. It's here that Newt is confronted by MACUSA (which is short for Magical Congress of the United States of America) employee Porpentina Goldstein, or Tina for short, who takes Newt into custody for an infraction of the International Statute of Secrecy. 

        Meanwhile, various attacks of a magical nature are occuring across New York, which is of greatest concern for MACUSA President Seraphina Picquery and top Auror Percival Graves. Graves has been meeting with a young man named Credence Barebone, the adopted son of Mary Lou Barebone, to find the possible responsible individual behind the attacks. When Tina and Newt arrive, it's revealed that the case with the creatures was switched out for Jacob's case filled with pastries. So, Newt and Tina team up to locate Jacob and recover the case. 

          Unfortunately, the case was opened, and a number of creatures escaped and are now running amok in New York. One of the creatures, a Murtlap, bit Jacob and by the time Newt and Tina arrive, he's suffering the side effects of the bite. Tina takes both Newt and Jacob to her apartment, where she lives with her sister Queenie, who is a skilled Legilimens. After a very nice meal, including fresh made strudel, Newt takes Jacob into the case, where he cures Jacob from the effects of the Murtlap bite, and it's here we see the many magical creatures living in the case, including a nest of Occamy, a tree full of Bowtruckles, and a Thunderbird named Frank. Newt reveals that he found Frank in Egypt, and has come to America to return the massive bird to his native home: the wide deserts of Arizona. Also in the case is an Obscurus, a dangerous magical parasite that develops in magical children who are forced to suppress their magical powers, and those Obscurial children rarely live past the age of ten. 

           So, Newt and Jacob traverse New York to collect the escaped creatures, and the first one they collect is the Niffler, who they catch trying to rob a jewelry store's window display. The two then head to Central Park to reclaim a massive Erumpent. After recovering the massive beast, Tina traps Newt and Jacob in the case, and she takes them to MACUSA, who are dealing with a recent attack on a No-Maj, Senator Henry Shaw Jr, son of a local newspaper owner. When Newt sees the scarring on the Senator, he identifies the attack as being carried out not by one of his creatures, but by an Obscurus. Newt is arrested and accused by Graves of being in league with Grindelwald.  Both Newt and Tina are sentenced to death, while Jacob is to be Obliviated. Luckily, all three escape thanks to Queenie, and they head to meet an old informant of Tina's. 

         Meanwhile, Graves goes to meet with Credence, seeking his help in finding the Obscurial, who is in great danger. At a local wizarding speakeasy, Queenie and Jacob Bond over a drink, while Newt and Tina get information about the last of the missing creatures from a goblin named Gnarlack, who points them to Macy's department store, where Newt, Tina, Jacob, and Queenie find both the missing Demiguise, Dougal, and another Occamy. Once both are reclaimed, Newt confirms that all of the escaped creatures are now back. Unfortunately, trouble is brewing, as back at the Barebone house, a wand is discovered under Credence's bed, and his adopted younger sister Modesty takes the blame and claims it's hers. Mary Lou and her eldest child, Chastity, are both killed by the Obscurus. Graves meets with Credence, and the two head to find Modesty, and Graves reveals that Credence is a Squib and therefore cannot be taught magic. However, it's quickly revealed that Credence is the Obscurial, and he flies through the city, causing massive damage. 

       Newt tries to calm Credence, but a duel with Graves causes a bit more harm, and Tina nearly succeeds in calming him, but the MACUSA Aurors, on the orders of President Picquery, destroy him. An infuriated Graves then speaks out against this act, and stands against his fellow Aurors, and is subdued by one of Newt's creatures, a Swooping Evil. Newt then casts the Revelio charm, unveiling that Graves was a disguised Grindelwald the entire time, who is then taken into custody. Newt then releases Frank, who uses a memory potion to produce a storm big enough to Obliviate all of New York, while the Aurors repair the damage. Jacob is Obliviated, and later gets a case filled with Occamy eggshells, which are made of silver, which he uses as collateral for the bank loan to open his bakery, where he makes rare confections inspired by Newt's creatures. Newt then returns to England, where he plans to finish writing his book: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. 

         Okay, so this movie was an interesting but welcome return to the Wizarding World. I really liked the idea of setting it in New York in 1926, as it shows just how far reaching the magical world really is, and making it a period piece really allows for some really unique set and costume designs. Speaking of which, I gotta give a lot of praise to the costumes that were designed by Coleen Atwood. Her work is some of the best in film and television, and it's great to see her finally be a part of the Wizarding World franchise. 

          I definitely enjoyed the cast of this movie, specifically Eddie Redmayne as Newt, Katherine Waterston as Tina, and Alison Sudol as Queenie. Dan Fogler was definitely hilarious as Jacob, who as a non-wizard definitely gives a different perspective on the events of the movie, as he experiences the magical world for himself. Carmen Ejogo and Colin Farrell are both terrific as Picquery and Graves, respectively, and I definitely enjoyed seeing Ezra Miller as Credence. But my favorite performance, by far, was Ron Perlman as Gnarlack. And I was utterly surprised to see a photograph of Zoe Kravitz in the movie, as the character Leta Lestrange, who we'll discuss more about when I review the sequel to this film later on.

       Unfortunately, some performances, while fine, weren't among the best. Jon Voight as Henry Shaw Sr. was fine, but wasn't in the movie enough to make an impact, and the same goes for Samantha Morton as Mary Lou Barebone. Now, one performance, well more like a cameo, that I know everyone wants me to mention, is that of Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald. Now, while I am a fan of Johnny Depp, I admittedly wasn't sure about his casting as Grindelwald, but luckily his quick appearance in this movie was definitely entertaining. 

         A real highlight for me was the many magical creatures featured in the movie, with the Occamy, the Demiguise, and the Thunderbird being my favorites. I like how J.K. Rowling wrote the Thunderbird into the wizarding world in order to have a magical creature in the movie that is uniquely American. I also like the concept of the Obscurus, as it shows what happens when a magical child is forced to suppress their abilities, instead of learning to control them in a school for magic. Speaking of which, we actually got a name drop of the North American wizarding school, Ilvermorny, in this movie. Hell, we spent seven of the eight Harry Potter movies at Hogwarts, which is in the Scottish highlands, so it's about time we learned where American wizarding kids attend school, y'know? 

       However, I do feel a lot of the dialogue was pretty haphazard and weak, but I will give a slight pass on it, as this was J.K. Rowling's first time writing a screenplay. I do appreciate that David Yates returned to direct the film, and I thoroughly enjoyed the musical score by James Newton Howard, who makes the music stand on its own, as well as feel like it fits in with John Williams' original themes for the Harry Potter movies. 

            Now, is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them a perfect film? Not really. However, I still definitely recommend it for any longtime fan of Harry Potter. I therefore give it a rating of 4.25/5. This is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys tomorrow when I finish the Wizarding World franchise with Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.