Review: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

Exciting many Harry Potter fans, J.K. Rowling began a new chapter in her writing with a screenplay for the movie “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which was released on Nov. 18. This movie is described as a spin-off prequel to Rowling’s original Harry Potter series.

Set in New York City during the jazz age, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” tells the story of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). Once he arrives in the city, Newt overhears a no-maj (American muggle) woman named Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) delivering an impassioned speech in front of a growing crowd of New York citizens who are in support of the New Salem Philanthropic Society, which she heads. Mary Lou speaks about the destruction and violence in New York caused by what she believes to be magic conjured by witches and wizards.

As Newt listens and attempts to blend into the growing crowd, one of his many magical creatures, a Niffler, slips out of his suitcase, which houses a multitude of unusual beings. This platypus-looking pet escapes into the bank, which welcomes an array of typical, yet comical, Disney-like images.

Newt attempts to catch his mischievous Niffler. While doing so, he meets Jacob Kowalski (Dan Folger), a No-Maj, who is an aspiring baker. On their way out of the bank, Jacob accidently takes Newt’s suitcase instead of his own.

Meanwhile, Newt is found out by Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), a former auror for the American equivalent of the Ministry of Magic called the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MCUSA). She arrests him for being an unregistered wizard in hopes of regaining her former position. However, the case is dismissed as she no longer works for the MCUSA.

Tina and Newt eventually find Jacob with the suitcase, from which many other creatures escape after it is opened. Together they proceed to Tina’s apartment where they are introduced to her stereotypically flirtatious and girlie sister, Queenie, one of the women characters who are not up to par with the heroines of the “Harry Potter” series.

Meanwhile, Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), Mary Lou’s adopted son, is confronted by a mysterious man named Percival Graves (Colin Farrell). Credence is offered an opportunity to escape his abusive adopted mother if he finds the host of an Obscurus, a dark force that young magical children embody, which Graves believes to be the cause of destruction in the city. Credence agrees, and like in so many films, sadly, kids are used as the villain’s puppets.

Eventually, the four protagonists recapture the Niffler, along with the Erumpent, which has traits of a Hippopotamus and a Rhinoceros. Tina then decides to take the suitcase to the MCUSA, which results in their arrest because officials believe that Newt’s magical creatures caused much of the ongoing violence, including the death of a senator. Just before Newt and Tina, who teeters between being friendly and eager to prove herself to the MCUSA, are to be executed, they manage to escape and the foursome recapture the rest of the escaped creatures.

After the four finally think they have things under control, Credence finds a wand under his demonically depicted sister’s bed. Mary Lou is under the impression that the wand belongs to Credence. However, his sister insists the wand is hers. Suddenly, a there is a crash and an explosion, and Mary Lou dies.

As the story continues, the Obscurus proceeds to harm everything in its path and symbolic elements of Harry Potter are hinted at throughout, including the necklace of the Deathly Hallows.

The musical score also connects the old and new. Motifs from the Harry Potter series, especially the immediately recognizable “Hedwig’s Theme,” are heard. The new score incorporates jazz to transport the audience back to the jazz age and has many themes with unique, odd-numbered time signatures.

With the movie’s new jazz era setting, there is still an expectation to be immersed into a world of wonderment and magic, like that of the Harry Potter series. However, perhaps because “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is told from the perspective of adults, the charm and innocence of the original Harry Potter series is somewhat lost.

However, J.K. Rowling’s imagination continues to amaze the audiences of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them” with a multitude of magical creatures, some reminiscent of a Dr. Seuss’s wonderful animals and others resembling creatures like the Hippogriff and Grindylow from her original series.

Luckily, for many, this is the first of a five film series.