Withclamoring anticipation, J.K. Rowling has opened a new page of her Wizarding World in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," a spin-off/prequel to the Harry Potter series centering around the author of the Hogwarts textbook, Newt Scamander . A collector of creatures of sorts, Scamander (played by Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne) travels to New York during the 1920s with a magical suitcase full of magical beasts who have a tendency to escape their confines. When a great number of them escape, it is up to Newt and an entourage of both fellow wizards and a muggle (in the states known as a "No Maj") to retrieve the beasts as not to expose the human world to the realm of magic. What is perhaps most interesting about this heavy approach on the containment of the world of magic is the social paranoia and dichotomy it presents to flesh out the world of Rowling's in a more mature way that actually becomes quite dark, and at times perhaps too dark.
The greatest strength of the film comes both from Rowling's further expansion of the world and the characters she presents. Newt Scamander is certainly an interesting and noble character with a profound love for his creatures which is counter-balanced by his supporting cast, most notably the "No Maj" Jacob Kowalski played by an almost unrecognizable Daniel Fogler. He serves as an avatar for the audience, being wowed by this newly discovered hidden society. Where Harry Potter served as an indoctrinated avatar, Kowalski remains an outsider who is always fascinated by the whimsy of the magic in front of him. Other great cast additions include Katherine Waterson and Alison Sudol as Tina and Queenie Goldstein, two wizard sisters who serve for New York's society of magic.
It is very interesting to see the wizarding world of the U.S. as well as the real-world integrations with the city's history. However, the film does not stray away from its dark moments, which feel appropriate for the most part given that this is a narrative involving more adult themes than the first two Harry Potter movies. Yet, there seems to be an awkward balance between its darker and lighter whimsical moments leading to a second half that feels uncomfortable to watch at times. Although it is deeply commendable for Rowling and director David Yates to tackle controversial themes, some of the imagery feels too disturbing and even pulls attention away from the plot. The film at times feels at odds with itself, not knowing if it wants to be a more lighthearted film or a darker more mature one.
This disconnect also affects the story structure as well, with the darker elements dealing with mainly with the interactions between Colin Farrell and Ezra Miller's characters feel completely disconnected from the escape of the beasts. It is like watching "The Sorcerer's Stone" spliced with "The Deathly Hallows," it just does not mesh at times. On top of this, the film's ending climax does feel a bit cliche, indicative of many superhero blockbuster endings, even though it does flirt with something potentially more emotionally poignant. After seeing Doctor Strange cleverly counter this cliche, it was a bit disappointing to see "Beasts" make steps away from it only to fall into the same old same old.
That being said, neither of the branching narratives are inherently bad and add their own spectacle to make the film all-around entertaining. It's a rocky start for a potential franchise, but its whimsical nature and charm carries it home.
