It is great fun, original, and has a tinge of Harry Potter nostalgia.
The Harry Potter phenomena is one that refuses to go away and, quite frankly, that is justified. Both the books and films offered audiences characteristics which were necessary ingredients for a successful product – action, fantasy, comedy, adventure, and characters that you not only love but also feel and understand (despite being wizards). JK Rowling so beautifully wrote those books, and the films were so wonderfully directed by Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, and David Yates, that the Harry Potter franchise has a special place in pop culture history, alongside franchises such as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.
Naturally, fans were quite sad when the books and films came to an end. Would this be the conclusion of a world that we had grown to appreciate? Luckily for us that would not be the case.
A few years ago, JK Rowling wrote a book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them based off of a book that is mentioned within the “Harry Potter” series. The idea behind that book became the basis of this film of the same name and now, in 2016, fans are once again treated to go back to the world of wizards that Rowling created and experience it in a time before Harry Potter. Featuring a dynamite cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Jon Voight, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, and another superstar (who shall remain nameless for you have to see the film), Fantastic Beasts was poised to be a blockbuster the day it was announced. Furthermore, David Yates, the director of the last 4 Harry Potter films, would be back to direct, ensuring a proper understanding of the material.
Did the film deliver? Let’s find out…
The film tells the story of a young wizard, Newt Scamander, who comes to New York with a bag filled with magical creatures. When the creatures are accidentally unleashed in the city, Newt and his group of new friends must catch them all before they wreak havoc in a fragile world where humans and wizards/witches are facing tensions. Will Newt catch all of his creatures? Who is the mysterious wizard Grindelwald and what is he seeking? To find out, watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
As I said earlier, with this cast, how can performances go wrong? Eddie Redmayne is amazing as Newt, creating a shy, lovable new hero that audiences can cheer. Although he displays the same bravery as Harry, he is a lot less strong and is more unassuming and soft, which makes him all the more likable. Katherine Waterston is wonderful as Tina, whereas Dan Fogler adds very funny comedic relief as Jacob. Alison Sudol as Queenie enchants, and Carmen Ejogo, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, and Ron Perlman perform well. The real scene stealer is the newly rising star, Ezra Miller, as Credence. He adds a tremendous amount of creepiness and sympathy to his role and you feel bad for his character throughout. In some ways, his character is like Harry, though going a different direction. This will only raise the stock of Ezra’s career and one anticipates his big cinematic turn as The Flash in the coming years. I hope this is not the last of him in these films and he comes back in subsequent sequels (yes there are 4 more planned!).
The script by JK Rowling is perfect. Very fast paced, filled with unpredictability and twists and turns, she proves she is as good a screenwriter as novelist. There is plenty of humor and action, mixed with foreboding and intrigue (and mild connections to Harry Potter) which give both the familiarity and freshness to the film. Additionally, the film is much lighter than Harry Potter, which pleasantly surprised me. Although I like dark and gritty movies, on a Friday night, you want to see something happy and fun, and that is exactly how Rowling as written this. JK Rowling is just awesome!
The direction by David Yates is spot on. He knows exactly what he is doing and it shows. Not a false note I can even think of. It’s impressive that he gave a dark palate to Harry Potter aesthetically, but here, there are a lot more vivid and wondrous colors. Kudos to the cinematographer and special effects team as well for their work.
Go see this film right now with your family. I give it a 9/10. It is great fun, original, and has a tinge of Harry Potter nostalgia. I cannot wait for the sequel, coming in 2018. This is one film that you should definitely not “obliviate”.
More from Vikrum Mathur:
- Review: Love Stinks: ‘Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’ (October 30, 2016)
- Review: Mohenjo Daro impresses, despite large flaws (August 18, 2016)
- Review: ‘Suicide Squad’ charms and entertains (August 8, 2016)
- Review: With ‘Sultan,’ Salman Khan continues to prove why he is a superstar (July 11, 2016)
- Independence Day: Resurgence – A fun, nostalgic ride (June 30, 2016)
- HOUSEFULL 3 brings a refreshing lightness to the series (June 6, 2016)
- Titli: A fascinating film on life in India (March 30, 2016)
- Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice – The birth of a new superhero cinematic era (March 29, 2016)
- Pyaar kar: A guide to some of the most romantic Bollywood movies (February 14, 2016)
- The Best of Bollywood 2015: The Year’s Most Entertaining Films (January 6, 2016)
- Bollywood 2016: A guide to the most awaited films of the year (January 1, 2016)
- The Modern Saint: a tribute to filmmaker Ramanand Sagar (December 29, 2015)
- Vinay Pathak sparkles in brilliant play Nothing Like Lear staged in Maryland (September 22, 2014)