'Fantastic Beasts' falls just short of fantastic
‘Fantastic Beasts’ falls just short of fantastic juan rodriguez reporter
I
t has been almost 20 years since J.K. Rowling introduced her magical world in the book “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” Fans followed the characters as they matured throughout the series, growing closer and relating to them. Now, almost two decades after this long journey began, we are introduced to a completely different, seemingly unrelated world of fantasy. David Yates, who previously directed the final four adaptations of the “Harry Potter” series, returns to aid J.K. Rowling in her first screenplay. Based on a book of the same name (originally released in 2001), “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” follows Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“Theory of Everything,” “Danish Girl”) as Newt Scamander, a quirky, absent-minded magic zoologist (magizoologist for short) as he attempts to regain control of his various creatures that have escaped in the very magic-strict city of New York. Along the way, moviegoers are
introduced to a multitude of characters, ranging from the hilarious new Muggle (non-wizard) Jacob Kowalski (Don Fogler) to the flirtatious Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol.) The most outstanding performance, however, is delivered by Ezra Miller (“Batman v Superman,” “Perks of Being a Wallflower”), who plays the mysterious Credence Barebone, the most intriguing character introduced in the movie by far. One big difference between this film and the previous franchise is its lack of British accents, which is quintessential “Harry Potter.” Though there are many British actors in the movie, with spectacular performances from Collin Ferrell (“In Bruges,” “Phone Booth”) and two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (“In America,” “Sweet and Lowdown”), the film is concentrated in New York and as a result is filled with American accents. This calls for some change of terminology, such as Americans calling Muggles No-Majs and the Ministry of Magic being replaced by Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA.) All the actors deliver amazing performances, even if they appear in minute parts such as President Seraphina Picquery, played by Carmen Ejogo (“Boycott,” “Selma.”) Faith WoodBlagrove (new to the acting scene) also
review
SOURCE: Warner Bros.
manages to steal a fair portion of the spotlight with her performance as the haunting Modesty Barebone, who is Credence’s little sister. Great acting aside, the movie does have its downsides. Similar to the original movie series itself, the film begins somewhat light-hearted and slowly takes a darker turn. It is the lightheartedness that brings this movie down. It seems to have no real connection to the surrounding, clearly bigger plot taking place, giving it the
feeling of watching two movies mashed together. Ultimately, however, this movie manages to save itself during the last act, which is a strong contrasts from the first half. It does so by reviving the beautiful, cinematic, magical action that we saw in the original “Harry Potter” series, while diving into its darker, underlying plot. There is a very important distinction that needs mentioning before seeing the movie. This is not “Harry Potter.” Similar to how “The Hobbit” trilogy was an independent story (for the most part) from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, one should learn how to differentiate between this new franchise and its predecessor. There are many differences, and if you go in expecting to feel the same nostalgia you get when watching the “Harry Potter” movies, you will be disappointed. However, this film is ultimately a product of “Harry Potter” and it embraces that. Just like “Creed” did with the “Rocky” franchise, this film created something from its predecessor while still remaining true to itself. It took the mantel that was handed to it, but it shaped it into something of its own, and that is what makes the movie good, not great.
I
t has been almost 20 years since J.K. Rowling introduced her magical world in the book “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” Fans followed the characters as they matured throughout the series, growing closer and relating to them. Now, almost two decades after this long journey began, we are introduced to a completely different, seemingly unrelated world of fantasy. David Yates, who previously directed the final four adaptations of the “Harry Potter” series, returns to aid J.K. Rowling in her first screenplay. Based on a book of the same name (originally released in 2001), “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” follows Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“Theory of Everything,” “Danish Girl”) as Newt Scamander, a quirky, absent-minded magic zoologist (magizoologist for short) as he attempts to regain control of his various creatures that have escaped in the very magic-strict city of New York. Along the way, moviegoers are
introduced to a multitude of characters, ranging from the hilarious new Muggle (non-wizard) Jacob Kowalski (Don Fogler) to the flirtatious Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol.) The most outstanding performance, however, is delivered by Ezra Miller (“Batman v Superman,” “Perks of Being a Wallflower”), who plays the mysterious Credence Barebone, the most intriguing character introduced in the movie by far. One big difference between this film and the previous franchise is its lack of British accents, which is quintessential “Harry Potter.” Though there are many British actors in the movie, with spectacular performances from Collin Ferrell (“In Bruges,” “Phone Booth”) and two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (“In America,” “Sweet and Lowdown”), the film is concentrated in New York and as a result is filled with American accents. This calls for some change of terminology, such as Americans calling Muggles No-Majs and the Ministry of Magic being replaced by Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA.) All the actors deliver amazing performances, even if they appear in minute parts such as President Seraphina Picquery, played by Carmen Ejogo (“Boycott,” “Selma.”) Faith WoodBlagrove (new to the acting scene) also
review
SOURCE: Warner Bros.
manages to steal a fair portion of the spotlight with her performance as the haunting Modesty Barebone, who is Credence’s little sister. Great acting aside, the movie does have its downsides. Similar to the original movie series itself, the film begins somewhat light-hearted and slowly takes a darker turn. It is the lightheartedness that brings this movie down. It seems to have no real connection to the surrounding, clearly bigger plot taking place, giving it the
feeling of watching two movies mashed together. Ultimately, however, this movie manages to save itself during the last act, which is a strong contrasts from the first half. It does so by reviving the beautiful, cinematic, magical action that we saw in the original “Harry Potter” series, while diving into its darker, underlying plot. There is a very important distinction that needs mentioning before seeing the movie. This is not “Harry Potter.” Similar to how “The Hobbit” trilogy was an independent story (for the most part) from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, one should learn how to differentiate between this new franchise and its predecessor. There are many differences, and if you go in expecting to feel the same nostalgia you get when watching the “Harry Potter” movies, you will be disappointed. However, this film is ultimately a product of “Harry Potter” and it embraces that. Just like “Creed” did with the “Rocky” franchise, this film created something from its predecessor while still remaining true to itself. It took the mantel that was handed to it, but it shaped it into something of its own, and that is what makes the movie good, not great.
