Film of the Week: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I thoroughly enjoyed jumping back into the magical world once more. Set 70 years before Harry Potter’s story begins, Newt Scamander on his journey around the world rescuing and protecting magical creatures, and will eventually become the author of the famous book, and accepted textbook at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the very first book that Harry Potter reads.

On his travels, he stops in New York, where problems quickly arise, and it all starts when a Niffler escapes his suitcase to hunt down anything shiny. Trying to catch the Niffler, he runs into a Muggle – known as a No-Maj in America – Jacob Kowalski, which through a series of unexpected events, get wrapped up in the world of magic. Tina Goldstein, who works for The Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) and had been demoted from an Auror to below her skillset, arrests Newt for being an unregistered wizard in America.

During the movie, we are introduced to many more extraordinary magical creatures, increasing the size of the magical world. Even though there are so many new elements in this film, it immediately felt familiar and welcoming during the opening scene as it briefly skates over Gellert Grinderwald’s story through a montage of newspaper headlines, with the final asking the question: Where is he now?

From what we’ve learnt before this film, Gellert Grinderwald is, at the time this movie is set, the most evil and dark wizard of all time. It was announced that he would play a part in the series of films, but we only get to know just how much until the very end of the film. It has been confirmed that Gellert Grinderwald will have a much bigger role in the sequel – played by Jonny Depp.

As well as exploring an original story, we are also getting a solid backstory of the events leading up to Harry Potter’s story, including a passing mention of Albus Dumbledore, who has been confirmed to appear in the series much later on. J.K. Rowling stressed that this wouldn’t be a prequel as such, but more of an extension, and it did feel exactly that, which was a pleasing notion. It didn’t try to set up Harry’s story, because it didn’t have to. It only focused on Newt’s story and his travels around the world, along with coming into contact with an infamous wizard.

However, instead of new characters, new creatures, we’re also treated with something very unique and hasn’t appeared in any of the Harry Potter books or films. The Obscurus, a dark magical force which is created when a young witch or wizard suppress their magic through psychological and physical means, and to make the epic battle at the end better, this Obsurus is more powerful than anyone has ever encountered, which tempts Gellert Grinderwald into trying to locate the person.

Fantastic Beasts didn’t have to try and draw me into its world as much as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone had to, because the audience was already familiar, and therefore the atmosphere was relaxed. It was able to increase the number of moments of character development, which allowed me to connect with the magical world as much as the Harry Potter films allowed me to, and under the direction of David Yates, who had directed the last four Harry Potter films – from Order of the Phoenix to Deathly Hallows Part 2, it was nice to have someone who was already just as familiar as the audience was.

I am looking forward to the sequels already. It was first announced as a trilogy of films, which I was pleased about. Trying to fit Newts life into one film, and ending it with the finished book would be too much for one film to hold, and so it needed more. It has recently been announced that the trilogy would be extended to five films in total, only three less than the Harry Potter films. This sudden change will allow for more new elements, characters, and exploring of the magical world that we thought we knew so much about. I can understand the trilogy, but I am a little worried that the story would be stretched a bit too much across five films. I do trust J.K. Rowling’s writing, because she wrote a fantastic screenplay for this film, but I don’t want her to fall into the trap of unintentionally putting a tonne of filler just to fill the five films. All we can do is wait and see.

Newt’s life is packed full of incredible moments; we knew that long before the first film came out, and with the side story of Gellert Grinderwald, along with an appearance of Albus Dumbledore, there is an incredible amount of potential.

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)