Finding Fantastic Beasts – Movie Review!

Bismillah hi Rahman ni Rahim 

Asala’amalaikum(Peace be on you), 

No, it is not the weekend, but I decided to turn in a post today and give those mid-week blues a slight break.

So, here it is, a first of its kind I attempt, a movie review.

The movie as you may have deduced from the title is, The Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them. I know it’s been a month since it released, but I assure you I wrote this as soon as I watched it.

Now, don’t flee away just yet, even if you are not slightly interested in the movie you might want to give it a read and if you have already watched it I guess it will be nice to revisit?

Unlike other movie reviews, I do not dig deep into the actor’s performance or the director’s work, I literary just wrote down the first thoughts that crossed my mind after I watched it.

Here we go then,

Right after I hit the ‘Publish’ button on my weekly post, I watched a movie I had been very keen on watching since the trailer came out and it has been a while since it released. The movie which had a promise to take me back to the magical world J.K Rowling has weaved.

The movie opens with the famous Warner Bros Logo and a tune very familiar to all potter heads, and alas, we finally feel closer home. But, if you are expecting this to be heavily loaded with references, it isn’t so, in fact anyone completely unfamiliar with the Potter series can hop on and give it a start with this one.

The main difference that sets this series completely apart has to be the setting. Fantastic Beasts is set in New York in the 20^th Century. I must go on to admit that despite the fact that I may not be very keen to visit England due its infamous grey skies and cold weather, I might do it for the fact that it houses Hogwarts and a Wizarding park.

Also, after eight films and seven books I had been accustomed to the spells being pronounced in heavy British accent, and all the “reckoning” and “Merlin’s beard” but thankfully there is a dash of it as well thanks to Newt Scamander, the protagonist who is British and travels to New York with his briefcase, which literary opens up door to a whole new world.

The movie smoothly glides directly into the story and within minutes with no major foreground you are pretty much into it. If you have no clue about the magical world, you are basically seeing the story along with Jacob who in the US is called a “no-maj” (to me it will always be muggles) and how he sees the magical world along with Newt, Tina and Queenie who are wizards.

I do not want to give any of the plot away, because if you haven’t seen the movie I would suggest you should because it is a story worth watching and being a part of. If I must, I would say the first part of the move is light and testing the waters, it is only in the second half that you are deep into the wizard duels and fight of good against evil(as always).

By the end, any notions you started watching the movie with about being back in the Harry Potter world are completely erased and you are well settled in the story of Newt Scamander. Anyone who has seen the movie can never forget one spell, Obliviate. The casting is also very well done, all the characters feel raw and real.

Also, since everyone seems to be ridiculously fond of the gold digger Sniffler, I would beg to differ and not bend materialistically towards him but the Pickett, who seemed like a companion that would hold on to you.

J.K Rowling has a unique talent for storytelling, and if a novel on the same was to come out even after this movie I assure you I would read it, because there is a certain magic in books that none can explain.

I love stories, either through listening, reading or watching. I love stories. Period.

It has come to my notice only now,that the Fantastic Beasts is in fact a proper franchise comprising of 5 movies and I guess I am looking forward to what does happen next.

Well, that’s about it. I must also admit that it is pure coincidence that this movie has also something to do with Harry Potter like the previous book review. I might go on and try with some other movies too, maybe a blast in the past with some classic movies?

P.S Weekend is almost here!

Until Next Time!

Salaa’malaikum!