Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 133 minutes
Director: David Yates
Writer: J.K. Rowling
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed by Warner Bros Pictures and Roadshow Films in Australia.

J.K. Rowling's new story that exists within her Harry Potter universe, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will undoubtedly delight fans of the wizarding world with it's originality and whimsical nature. However, despite it's lovely magical undertones, it is a much more mature film than the Harry Potter series and with that comes a new sense of intrigue and wonder.

1926, New York City. A young British wizard, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) enters the city with a briefcase that looks deceptively normal to Muggles, but is filled with wondrous creatures that exist only to the knowledge the wizarding world. Some of the more mischievous creatures escape, which leads to Newt having chance encounters with No-Maj (the American word for non-magic folk), Jacob Kowalski (Dan Folger) and ex-Auror, Porpentina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), who has been on his trail attempting to bring him to the Magical Council of the United States. However, there are more sinister things currently happening in New York as an invisible force is preying on No-Majs. The council believes Newt's creatures are behind this, so it is up to Newt, Jacob, Tina and her sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol) to find out what is really behind these deaths so to clear his name, save innocent people and keep New Yorkers unaware of the wizarding world. .

It goes without saying (as the masses of Harry Potter fans will already know) that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is thankfully not a prequel or a sequel, but rather an extension of  the world in which Harry Potter years later exists. For this reason, the film will be instantly enjoyable for fans of the latter with its references to Hogwarts and the well known spells Harry, Hermione and Ron perform. However, even though these references will go over the heads of the few who haven't seen the Harry Potter films, there are not enough of them to deter people from seeing the film because they think they may not understand it.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is very much it's own film with an original screenplay by J.K. Rowling that takes small inspiration from her books, but ultimately could truly exist as a standalone film. However, it has just been announced that this film will be followed by another four films,  but this is not of any annoyance at all due to the fun, intriguing and nostalgic nature of what is now the first film in the new series. The four main characters, as touchingly portrayed by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Folger and Alison Sudol, all have a great deal of uniqueness and character development, which makes the idea of more films involving the four of them rather exciting.

The only major fault of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them lies in the explanation of the newly introduced features of the wizarding world, such as the strange, but often very cute CGI creatures. Much of the information regarding their extraordinary features is held back until later in the scene where they are introduced and put on show, so that one is more confused than entertained about what is happening while it is happening. This feeling of confusion clouds over what should be being enjoyed.

Visually, the film is just stunning in every way. The production design of 1920's New York City teamed with the magic of the wizarding universe in which Newt's sanctuary for fantastic creatures exists makes for a world of tremendous beauty that is incredibly engaging on screen. At a time when so many filmmakers are tempted to prepare their films for 3D, this film proves how you can still have an experience of wonder in a high budget film without the need for 3D glasses. Colleen Atwood once again stuns with her amazing costume design and the musical score prepared by James Newton Howard is reminiscent of the previous David Yates/J.K. Rowling collaborations.

Again, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a more mature film than the Harry Potter's so calls for a more grown-up sense of magic and set of emotions. The last few scenes are particularly heartfelt and rather unexpectedly so with the way the characters engage with one another. Redmayne, Waterston, Folger and Sudol all give wonderful performances and are relatable and likable. With this more mature context, the film is not so much for younger audience members as for older audiences and is rather dark and menacing at times.

It is welcomed news that there is more to come for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Here is a marvellous start to a new film franchise and while there isn't much that is left unanswered, there is just enough questions remaining to make us look forward to the second film.

7.5/10

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Year: 2011

Director: David Yates

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton

In My Own Words

                Well, here we are. At the end of the Harry Potter film series. It really is the end of an era. I feel the way I did at the end of the Lord Of The Rings series, but perhaps a bit sadder to say goodbye than I was then. With Lord Of The Rings it was a film series of three years, Harry Potter it feels like when you were at school. You meet all these news friends on your first day of high school and on the last day of school it’s like you are saying goodbye forever. Although with leaving school you tend to see everybody again. No more Harry though! It really is a sad feeling for die hard supporters such as myself.

                I would be lying if I said I had always liked the Harry Potter books and movies. I have liked them for a long time now, but not since the first book or movie was released. I remember being in high school (that subject seems to be coming up a bit in this post) when the first book came out and quite a few of my school friends were reading. I was a tad confused as to why as I thought that Harry Potter was for children. A few years went by and when Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban was released, I thought “I may want to see this film” (this was before I was a film reviewer). So I went out and hired the first two movies. I was hooked. This series was so much fun to watch and not to mention completely addictive. So I have been a die hard fan since 2004.

                I guess what a lot of people like about Harry Potter is not just that it has these three misfits who you almost fell like you get to grow up with or it  meddles with the idea of a magical, fun world running parallel with reality, but it is always a great form of discussion. Before the final book was released, theories about how it was going to end were flying around all over the place. Even know, people think there may be something more which J. K. Rowling isn’t telling us. The films and the books will always draw people together in conversation and be and interesting conversation starter.

                I miss the movies already and I have only been out of the cinema for an hour! It is a sad feeling that it is now all over. I really hope the best for Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. They are each wonderful actors in their own right and I really hope we are going to see lots more of them in the future. I recently saw Rupert Grint in Wild Target on DVD which I really enjoyed him in, and I am looking forward to seeing Daniel Radcliffe in The Woman In Black and Emma Watson in My Week With Marilyn.

                These are my own words and here is my Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 review. Enjoy.

Review

                 “It All Ends” shouts the posters for Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. And so it does. After 10 years and 8 Harry Potter films, the final movie event in J. K. Rowling’s phenomenon finally hits cinemas. It is a bittersweet experience for fans which these films and their almost annual releases have become a part of their lives for a decade. The final film doesn’t disappoint for these die hard fans. It is a fitting farewell to the characters which they love and stays true to the book, with some slight adjustments to aid the excitement on the big screen. However, those who haven’t seen any Harry Potter films before and are thinking about seeing this film, shouldn’t unless you watch at the very least Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

                The final Harry Potter film picks up right where it left off in Part 1. Lord Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) power is at its strongest and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his ever trusted friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) know they have to find all the horcruxes in order to kill him once and for all. The showdown takes place at Hogwarts, which is now under the rule of assumed Voldemort follower Severus Snape (Alan Rickman). One thing is for certain in the final war between Harry and Voldemort, only one will survive.

                The great things about the final instalment of the Harry Potter series is that it delivers everything it promises to be. There is suspense from the beginning to the end of the film and it does stay true to the book. In some ways, the final scene at Hogwarts is anti-climatic and may be a bit too subtle for some people. However, it is plain to see why director, David Yates chose to make it like this. It isn’t cliché or a scene where people wave their fists in the air in response to the ending of the battle, and it is a feeling of surrealism and calm now that it is finally all over, and a feeling of wondering where to go from there.

                The directing and cinematography is actually the best in this film than any of the other films. There are some great techniques used in filming some scenes in particular, such as at the very beginning when the three friends are standing outside Olivander’s door and are almost silhouettes. The sound affects for the battle scenes are very impressive, as are the visuals and special effects in these scenes.

                The only real downfall of the film is that it is not quite as emotional in certain scenes as it should be. This is not to say that there is no emotion in this film at all, as there definitely is and there are tears to be shed. Yet, some scenes such as when somebody is thought to be dead, there is only a reaction from one person and barely any tears from others who should be showing some type of emotion.

                As for the acting, job well done by all. Radcliffe gives his best performance as Potter in this film. He isn’t over the top and he is a complete natural now, as you would hope he would be as if he didn’t know his character inside and out by now, he never will. Only criticism is that his chemistry with Bonnie Wright, who plays his love interest, Ginny Weasley is almost non-existent.

                Again, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are very good. Neither is over the top and give their characters all they can. It is almost a moment of triumph when these two finally kiss on screen as everybody has been waiting for this for years. You can see that these two are very close as friends in real life, as they just work on screen together and are very sweet.

                Perhaps the best performance in the film is that of Alan Rickman. He is fantastic in this film. He has the most complex character in the series and in this final film, his character is completely broken down and all the raw emotion of this character comes to the screen. Ralph Fiennes is also brilliant as Voldemort. He is as evil as they come and shows no hint of having any good in his soul at all. Helena Bonham Carter is not on screen too much as Bellatrix Lestrange, but she makes an impact when she is. A great moment and a credit to her acting is when Hermione has taken the polyjuice potion to make her Bellatrix and Bonham Carter charges everything about her performance. You completely forget that you are watching Bonham Carter pretend to be Watson and believe that it really is Hermione trying to be Bellatrix.

                It is definitely a sad time to see the Harry Potter series finish up, but Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is a fitting conclusion to the phenomenon. Again, non-fans of the books or movies or people who haven’t had anything to do with either, shouldn’t waste their time as they will have no idea what is going on, but fans will love it. Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.

7.5/10