W
Wesrock
Guest
I had the privilege of seeing a Wednesday evening screening of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and have had a few days to form some impressions.
For those who do not know, Fantastic Beasts is set in the universe of Harry Potter. But whereas Harry Potter took place in 1990s Britain (or 2000s for you movies people), Fantastic Beasts takes place in the New York City of the 1920s. It’s not, strictly speaking, a prequel to the Harry Potter stories. It takes place in the same world, and future installments (apparently they now plan on five) will introduce some familiar characters (wizards and witches have longer lifespans than non-magical people).
I think the first question for many of you will be whether you should take your young children to this movie. If you thought the magical content of Harry Potter was inappropriate, then this is definitely not up your alley. However, if you have no issue with that, I would still not recommend taking young children to this movie (though I have no kids myself, so maybe you should give more heed to someone with children). While the movie is at times fantastically wonderful, beautiful, and whimsical, it does take sharp (some would say uneven) turns to the dark and even the morbid, and I think the sounds, images, and content of those parts can easily be the making of a young child’s nightmares. Adults and teens should have no fear in that regard, though. It’s not a horror movie.
I think the movie’s strongest appeal will be to big Harry Potter fans. The movie takes place during the time when the dark wizard Grindelwald is at large. This has little impact on this movie, but is likely to play a larger role in future installments. Grindelwald is only giving passing mention in the original Harry Potter movies, and then is only glossed over quickly out of necessity. Those who have read the books, particularly Deathly Hallows, should be more familiar with what is going on in the wizarding world at this time. Those who have only seen the movies, or who haven’t any experience with Harry Potter, are going to have to accept some plot elements with little explanation, though they may not be of major consequence in this installment.
The movie seems to focus a lot on world-building, introducing us to early 20th century America’s wizarding world, the various undercurrents present there, and how it is different than the wizarding community in Britain. The fantastic beasts after which the movie is named are also wonderful, exciting, and even whimsical creations. The sequences they are in all come to life. The main character, Newt Scamander, is a charming, if undeveloped magi-zoologist (in a time when zoology and conservation were not big) who we will hopefully see more of in future movies). Ideally, we will learn more of his backstory. This installment is more driven by the world and events than it is by its characters, who I’d like to have learned more of.
This movie was not originally planned to have multiple installments, and I think viewers who know some Harry Potter lore will easily be able to dissect which parts were original and which parts were written in to make it part of a larger arc. That said, these parts fit together pretty neatly and, while noticeable, aren’t objectionable.
I really just wanted to offer some thoughts, but it turns out I’ve written a mini-review here. I enjoyed the movie and I will be purchasing it. I should add that I started reading Harry Potter at eleven and have a bit of a fondness for the world in my heart, though. If you are also such a fan, I think you will very much enjoy this movie.
For those who do not know, Fantastic Beasts is set in the universe of Harry Potter. But whereas Harry Potter took place in 1990s Britain (or 2000s for you movies people), Fantastic Beasts takes place in the New York City of the 1920s. It’s not, strictly speaking, a prequel to the Harry Potter stories. It takes place in the same world, and future installments (apparently they now plan on five) will introduce some familiar characters (wizards and witches have longer lifespans than non-magical people).
I think the first question for many of you will be whether you should take your young children to this movie. If you thought the magical content of Harry Potter was inappropriate, then this is definitely not up your alley. However, if you have no issue with that, I would still not recommend taking young children to this movie (though I have no kids myself, so maybe you should give more heed to someone with children). While the movie is at times fantastically wonderful, beautiful, and whimsical, it does take sharp (some would say uneven) turns to the dark and even the morbid, and I think the sounds, images, and content of those parts can easily be the making of a young child’s nightmares. Adults and teens should have no fear in that regard, though. It’s not a horror movie.
I think the movie’s strongest appeal will be to big Harry Potter fans. The movie takes place during the time when the dark wizard Grindelwald is at large. This has little impact on this movie, but is likely to play a larger role in future installments. Grindelwald is only giving passing mention in the original Harry Potter movies, and then is only glossed over quickly out of necessity. Those who have read the books, particularly Deathly Hallows, should be more familiar with what is going on in the wizarding world at this time. Those who have only seen the movies, or who haven’t any experience with Harry Potter, are going to have to accept some plot elements with little explanation, though they may not be of major consequence in this installment.
The movie seems to focus a lot on world-building, introducing us to early 20th century America’s wizarding world, the various undercurrents present there, and how it is different than the wizarding community in Britain. The fantastic beasts after which the movie is named are also wonderful, exciting, and even whimsical creations. The sequences they are in all come to life. The main character, Newt Scamander, is a charming, if undeveloped magi-zoologist (in a time when zoology and conservation were not big) who we will hopefully see more of in future movies). Ideally, we will learn more of his backstory. This installment is more driven by the world and events than it is by its characters, who I’d like to have learned more of.
This movie was not originally planned to have multiple installments, and I think viewers who know some Harry Potter lore will easily be able to dissect which parts were original and which parts were written in to make it part of a larger arc. That said, these parts fit together pretty neatly and, while noticeable, aren’t objectionable.
I really just wanted to offer some thoughts, but it turns out I’ve written a mini-review here. I enjoyed the movie and I will be purchasing it. I should add that I started reading Harry Potter at eleven and have a bit of a fondness for the world in my heart, though. If you are also such a fan, I think you will very much enjoy this movie.
