FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM
UK/US, 2016, 130 minutes, Colour.
Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Colin Farrell, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Carmen Ejogo, Zoe Kravitz, John Voight, Johnny Depp.
Directed by David Yates.
Yes, there is life after Harry Potter.
Since finishing her series, JK Rowling has written a number of novels, including three crime novels under the pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. But, she now returns to the world of magic and wizards.
The target audience this time is an adult audience but younger audiences may be intrigued as well is attracted by the fantastic beasts and the action.
Our new hero, Newt Scamander, arrives in New York City in 1926 with creatures in his small suitcase, already causing mischief when he is interrogated by American customs. The creature inside, with a touch of the platypus beak, has a propensity for coins and jewels, searching for them and swallowing them – which even leads him into a bank and opening a vault. We already have an intriguing and oddball scenario.
Newt is played by Eddie Redmayne, popular now since his appearances in Les Miserables, as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and The Danish Girl. He looks young and boyish, has unruly hair sticking out over his forehead, very gawkward,
New York has been struck by a series of disasters, buildings collapsing, roads split. And we are introduced to the American world of wizards, operating underground and away from the Unmags (American), Muggles (British). They have a hierarchy with president, and an authority figure, Mr Graves (Colin Farrell).
Newt witnesses a public speech by an angry woman condemning witches (Samantha Morton) – who is later revealed as an adoptive mother, taking in children including Modesty and Credence, rather Dickensian in her manner, but obsessed with eliminating witches. But Newt is tracked by Tina (Katherine Waterston) who arrests him and brings him before the President. A complication occurs when Newt’s case collides with the case owned by Jacob Koslowski (Dan Fogler) who is at the bank to get a loan to open a baker’s shop.
The lives of Newt, Tina and Jacob – as well as Tina’s sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol) a rather 1920s flapper-type who is attracted to the pudgy Jacob – get entangled with the wizards who are suspicious, with Mister Graves who has a plot going on with Credence (Ezra Miller), all the time Newt trying to do his best by the enormous range of creatures that are collected in an underground sanctuary.
Of course, the attraction of the film is a rather vast range of creatures, all shapes and sizes, or colours, some mischievous, some threatening, with abilities for all kinds of flight, crawling, and moving with magical speed. Which means there are quite a lot of effective action sequences as well.
New York is threatened by a mysterious destructive force – which we see again in action, disaster, devastation – until there is a confrontation with Newt and his wand and Tina and her persuasive words.
Fortunately, for ordinary New Yorkers, the wizards have the power to restore the devastation to its former safe state as well as sending up a dragon into the sky, filled with a special potion, who can create rain which falls on the population and ‘obliviates’ them, no memories left whatsoever.
It was surprising to find the some of the reviewers thought the whole thing pretty silly – which means then that Fantastic Beasts appeals to those with some imagination and who delight in the imagination roaming free.
Some final images indicate a sequel, a new meeting between the rather shy Newt and Tina, Jacob and Queenie meeting at the bakery – and a guest star looking menacing as a dastardly and evil wizard.
1. The title, the tone of expectations, fantasy?
2. The work of JK Rowling, the link to Harry Potter stories, imagination?
3. The 1926 setting, the ship, New York City, the buildings and the streets, the interiors, apartments? The contrast with the underworld of the wizards, buildings, magic touches? The subway? Costumes, decor, the musical score with the overtones of magic as well as the jazz era?
4. The wizards’ world, concealed from the human world, the potential clash between the wizards and the humans? The humans amazed at the destruction of the city?
5. The quality of the special effects, the range of creatures, their look, action? The action sequences, destruction, conflicts? Imaginative?
6. The target audience, the impact for the adult audience? The younger audience? The story of Newt, arriving in the ship, the customs officer, the case, the creature inside, switching the content? His mission, the creatures, his work in Africa, writing the book, restoring the creatures?
7. Eddie Redmayne as Newt, age, awkwardness, gawky, his hair and look, smile?
8. His wandering the city, listening to the woman and her tirade against witches, the children, the handouts? Jacob’s arrival, pushing through, the difficulties with the suitcases? His going for a loan, the plan for the bakery, no collateral, being turned down? Newt and his presence in the bank? The creatures getting out? The comedy with the creature attracted to all the coins, jewellery, getting into the bank, robbing the vault, Newt emptying him of the coins?
9. Audience interest in the background, of wizards, magic? The Underground? Hidden from the humans? The references to Hogwarts as a good school, to Newt as a pupil of Dumbledore? Comparisons between the UK and the US? The hierarchy, the president and her entourage? The role of Graves, his power? Tina and her being relegated from significant jobs? The other members of the staff, in the building, the bureaucrats, the bank?
10. The spectacle of the destruction of the buildings, the city? The mystery? The son of the editor, coming with the story, bringing the mother with her children, complaining about magic and witches? His turning down the offer? The death of his son? Turning up for the destruction at the end, wanting photographs, reporting in the paper?
11. Tina, watching Newt, her suspicions, following him, capturing him, bringing him to the meeting, their being expelled?
12. The range of creatures, the imagination, size, colour, shapes, movements? Activities? Newt and his communication with all the creatures? The Underground world, Newt and the collection of the creatures, taking the large creature to Arizona? Serious creatures, mischievous creatures?
13. The mother and her speech, anti-magic, adopting the children, their Dickensian life, at home, meetings, the meals? The role of Modesty and the other girls? The role of Credence and his adoptive mother looking down on him?
14. Jacob, the substitutions with the case, his becoming involved? Tina’s response? Taking them home, the introduction to Queenie? Queenie with the touch of the 20s flapper? Her ability to read minds? The attraction to Jacob?
15. Graves, his character, his use of Credence as a spy, their meetings, the trust, the medal, his changing his attitude, Credence and the revelation of his power?
16. Tina and Newt to be executed, taken to the pool, the pool of memories, Tina on the seat? Newt, the creature releasing him? Tina and her leap from the pool, fleeing, meeting up with Queenie and Jacob?
17. Going to the nightclub, the creature singer? The manager, sinister, the deals? His calling in the authorities and the challenge to Newt?
18. The discussions about the destroyer? Newt and his illustrating the power – which was usually found in a child? The quest to find the destroyer? Audiences thinking it was Modesty? The reality of Credence? His transformation? Killing his adoptive mother? The pursuit of Graves?
19. Mayhem in New York, Newt and his willingness to help, the destruction in the subway, Graves, Tina talking to Credence? Graves and his power, the clash, being overcome? The calming of Credence?
20. The president and the entourage arriving in the subway, condemnation of Newt, the appeal by Graves? Their learning the truth, the change of heart? The president and her decreeing the obliviation of the whole city? The dragon, the potion, in the clouds, causing the rain, memories all going, the city restored, the photos and newspapers changing?
21. Jacob, his being human, his willingness to be obliviated? Going to the factory, Newt and leaving the case, the shells as collateral for a shop? His success with the shop, the crowds, the buns in the shape of the creatures? Queenie and coming to the shop?
22. Newt leaving, the boat, the farewell to Tina, publishing his book, his asking about returning to present it to her?
23. The openness for sequels? Johnny Depp appearing at the end as the deadly wizard?
