Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: David Yates, Warner Bros, PG, 133 Minutes.
With the adaptation of her eight Harry Potter books into highly successful movies renowned British author J.K. Rowling has again reunited with David Yates, director of the final four films, to bring to the screen a refreshingly novel character.
Rowling’s latest venture into the world of wizardry revolves around the wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne – ‘The Theory of Everything’) and his collection of fantastic beasts that will feature in a book at Hogwarts read by Harry Potter.
Set in 1926, the movie opens with the arrival in New York of Newt clutching a magical suitcase concealing some fantastic beasts but as he proceeds down the sidewalk a number of creatures manage to escape causing considerable chaos.
This commotion creates an imbalance between the secret world of the wizards and the ordinary no-maj (short for no magic) peoples generating particular concern to Graves (Colin Farrell – ‘Winter’s Tale’), the security chief at the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA).
It further increases the ever-growing daily protests against wizardry led by Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton – ‘Miss Julie’) and her two disturbing children Credence (Ezra Miller – ‘Suicide Squad’) and Modesty (Faith Wood-Blagrove – in her first feature film).
Mainly due to the efforts of two witches, Tina (Katherine Waterston – ‘Steve Jobs’) and Queenie (Alison Sudol – ‘Between Us’) especially the genial no-maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler – ‘Ava’s Possessions’) Newt is able to escape from Graves.
The rest of the story encompasses a series of exciting magical scenes involving Newt retrieving his creatures at the same time as he and his companions avoid being captured by the ulterior motives of Graves.
There is no doubting Yates’s clever direction in being able to adapt Rowling’s book, let alone her screenplay, into a movie that combines such magical scenes with an entertaining storyline and some wonderful special creature effects.
Once again Oscar winner Redmayne’s performance is remarkable, not to mention that of Fogler and the rest of the supporting cast.
It is particularly pleasing, especially for Rowling fans, that ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is only the first of five films due for release over time which will be absolutely fantastic.
Vic’s Verdict: 4 Stars
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is being televised on Foxtel Movies Family at 5.15pm/7.15pm on Friday 10 December.
