Fantastic Beasts has been out
less than a week but I’ve already seen it twice!
Anyone that’s had more than a one-minute-long
conversation with me will know I am a teensy weensy bit obsessed with all
things Harry Potter. This completely rational love for J.K Rowling’s work has
however, posed a problem when it came to the film versions of the books. I
cannot sit through a Harry Potter film without numerous frustrated sighs,
countless angry protestations and eventually storming out of the room. That said,
I felt like a little kid at Christmas when I heard Fantastic Beasts and Where
to Find Them was being made into a film. I have read the Harry Potter Series
over 20 times, I have read Fantastic Beasts once. This leaves little room for
expectations and very few potential complaints. I was overjoyed to finally have
a Harry Potter film I could watch without pulling my hair out.
I’m not a film critic so I won’t
attempt to give any kind of sophisticated review; these are just my thoughts on
what might be my new favourite film.
Plot
The plot is at first glance
simple: Newt Scamander loses some magical creatures in 1920’s New York. There
are of course, other storylines, all of which are equally interesting. I
especially enjoyed how the lighter, funnier side was contrasted with the more
sinister, serious side. I loved the little twists and turns the story took and
it was fascinating to see a magical America (though of course GB takes the
biscuit). There’s something for everyone in the plot: humour, love, action,
mystery and of course magic! Definitely a film for all the family.
Characters
Every single character in this
film is a triumph. From the hilarious No-Maj (Muggle) Jacob Kowalski to the
incredibly cute Pickett the bowtruckle (a magical stick insect basically) I
loved them all. Eddie Redmayne was of course brilliant as Newt but it wasn’t a
one man show and I felt we got to know a variety of new characters and it was
nice we hadn’t lost Rowling’s immense skill at crafting brilliant, realistic
characters. The abundance of new (though not perhaps to the most devout
Potterheads) magical creatures is further testament to J.K’s astonishing
imagination and they are brought to life with spectacular special effects.
Effects
Even if this film isn’t for you,
you cannot fault the skill that went into making this film. The special effects
are mind blowing and beautifully believable. I watched the film in 2-D (I’m a
poor student) but I can only imagine how amazing this film would be in 3-D.
Maybe I’ll go and see it again and fork out the extra couple of quid for the
full experience… Watching this film, I was temporarily transported into a world
where magic was possible and this is entirely due to the stunning visual
effects.
HP references
Perhaps my favourite thing about
this film was the amount of little echoes of the Harry Potter books. References
to Dumbledore and Hogwarts are of course easy things for everyone to pick up on
but for my nerdy self, spotting other parts was incredibly satisfying. Almost
every creature introduced had featured in the original books and spotting these
made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Murtlaps, Erumpents, Demiguises and
Nifflers all hold a special place in my HP knowledge and it was lovely to see
them on screen. Also Deathly Hallows/ Gellert Grindewald’s sign makes an
appearance!
Verdict
Watch it. End of.
Plot hole?
We discover Newt Scamader was
kicked out of Hogwarts yet is still able to perform magic and own a wand. Hagrid
was expelled and had his wand destroyed and wasn’t supposed to do any magic (*cough*
pink umbrella). What’s up with that???
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