Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the name of a book that was originally a textbook taught at Hogwarts; the screenplay was written by J. K. Rowling; it takes place about seventy years before the time of Harry Potter; it was directed by David Yates, as almost all the Harry Potter films; it is the first film in the Fantastic Beasts series and the eighth film in the Wizarding World universe.

The book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which is on sale not only in the Wizarding World but also in our world, is not a novel or a story; it is an encyclopedia about Fantastic Beasts. For this reason, the movie does not have a story connected to the book. However, the fact that J. K. Rowling wrote the screenplay makes it a real Wizarding World movie. Maybe.

🎬 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

The first thing that excites us is that the movie opens with the Harry Potter theme. That Warner Bros. logo; that classical music and the Fantastic Beasts movie logo that looks like Harry Potter. This first impression gives the feeling that the movie belongs to the Harry Potter world. As I said at the beginning, the movie is set 70 years before Harry Potter. But there are many symbols or references in the movie that we are familiar with from the Harry Potter movies.

The movie begins when Newt Scamander, who we understand to be an outcast who does not communicate well with people, arrives in America with a suitcase full of fantastic monsters. Newt, played by Eddie Redmayne, who comes to America for the first time and immediately realizes that it is a completely different world from England, is very friendly and comfortable with the fantastic monsters, although he is disconnected with people. I think the most beautiful scenes in the movie are the scenes where we see these monsters. Their naivety is reflected very well. Moreover, as dangerous as they seem, they are also very cute.

In the movie, we learn that Newt studied at Hogwarts, but was expelled afterwards. Moreover, he is acquainted with Dumbledore. We understand that he was expelled from Hogwarts because he was a danger due to his involvement with fantastic beasts. Moreover, it is not clear in the movie whether it was his fault or someone else’s fault.

We also learn that he wants to write a book called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Let’s continue talking about this movie that mixes action, comedy and love in a pinch.

One of the fantastic beasts in the bag, a monster named Niffler, escapes and breaks into a bank because of his weakness for shiny things. While searching for him, Newt meets Jacob Kowalski, a Muggle. For some reason, they are inseparable throughout the movie and this togetherness elevates the general humor of the movie with Jacob’s unique humor; moreover, it allows us to enjoy the movie throughout.

The breaking point is that when Newt and Jacob leave, their bags get mixed up and Jacob opens the bag when he arrives at his house. Of course, with great destruction, these fantastic monsters escape. Now the only important thing is to recapture these monsters and put them back in the bag. But this is more difficult than it seems.

The involvement of Tina, who has been spying on Newt since his arrival in the U.S. and who is eager to catch him, perhaps to save her failing job at the Ministry of Magic in the U.S., adds a nice touch of action to the movie. Of course, there is also she is sister…

I don’t know if it’s a flaw or a function of the script, but the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie doesn’t go deep into the characters. Many things remain superficial. Moreover, it is very obvious that this movie is a intro movie. However, this does not prevent you from enjoying the movie.

In America, wizards are not as comfortable as in Europe. They cannot marry Muggles and they cannot talk to them unless necessary. There is a polarization. They are afraid of being exposed and have strict laws. So much so that even the wands used must have a license. Of course, there is also a protest against them.

I said that the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie is a intro. It is set in the time of Gellert Grindelwald, the greatest dark wizard before Lord Voldemort. The Fantastic Beasts series will take place during his rise. Many people complained that Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp, looked too old in the movie. But I think they forget Dumbledore’s age.

Finally, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is not as good as the Harry Potter movies, but it is worth watching because it is part of the Wizarding World universe. Even though the monotonous beginning was boring for me at first, the progression and the events of the movie made me more attached to the movie. My rating for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie is 6.8/10.

What do you think? Is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them a movie worthy of the Harry Potter world? Please do not hesitate to share your opinions about the movie by leaving a comment below.