Guest Contributor: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” Movie Review

Movie review by featured guest contributor Vedika Savalani (c/o 2018)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them welcomes you back to the wizarding world

3.5/5 stars

Harry Potter veteran director David Yates and the film’s all-star cast (including Eddie Redmayne, Jon Voight, and Colin Farrell) are able to give the perfect welcome back to J.K. Rowling’s beloved wizarding world.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them mark the first installment of the spinoff’s five film franchise. The series is a prequel to the legendary Harry Potter films and is set 70 years before the tale of young Harry. The plot follows the famous magizooloogist Newt Scamander (portrayed by Eddie Redmayne), an awkward and shy former Hufflepuff, who is unknowingly about to embark on a magical adventure in 1926 New York with his briefcase full of magical beasts.

The film introduces an unknown realm of Rowling’s wizarding world – the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) which is a government system that is not plagued by gender or racial inequality. However, the MACUSA is willing to build a “great wall” to protect the wizarding community from unknown and misunderstood magical “beasts”. Sound familiar?

Despite being the least expected place for a political protest, the film is able to offer Potterheads what they want and more. With incredible performances by Jon Voight and Collin Farrell, Director David Yates is also able to bring newer faces to the big screen. Dan Folger and Allison Sudol make memorable impressions in their blockbuster debut. However, the true men of the hour are Eddie Redmayne and Ezra Miller. The Oscar-winning actor was able to perfectly capture the awkward charm of Newt Scamander and cause the young hearts of audiences to swoon. Along with Redmayne, the Perks of Being a Wallflower alum Ezra Miller is able to give another touching performance in this film. He portrays Credence Barebone, a young, misunderstood fella who goes through hardships some can only dream of. Miller’s performance of the character is able to touch audiences in a way they would not have expected from this type of film.

Along with the actors’ performances, the stunning special effects and captivating score are able to make the film worthwhile. The special effects bring audiences into a new territory of magic with creatures and scenes that are almost too good to be real. It is one of the few films that actually requires viewers to wear 3D glasses. To back it all up, James Newton Howard’s score is able to fully indulge audiences into the movie and a world they all love. The music enhances the emotions and brings the perfect amount of power to each scene.

Despite having the tools to make a five-star film, the cinematography holds it back with a slightly confusing and messy delivery caused by the film’s plot. However, the first film is an introduction to a new adventure within Rowling’s wizarding world and shows a promising future for the franchise’s upcoming films.