By Ashley Brown
JK Rowling should be a name everyone is familiar with. If not her name alone, perhaps her novels, the Harry Potter franchise, will ring a bell. Since the conclusion of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, fans have been impatiently awaiting the announcement of another magical novel and film.
Luckily, our pleas have been answered!
Released November 10, 2016, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them started with a bang. From the time it was announced to the moment it was released, there was a lot of pressure put upon it and the cast. This is a story written by Rowling after all, she’s established quite the audience over the years and we’ve been waiting – dreaming more so – about the day another of her masterpieces is brought to life.
Whether that has been accomplished and Rowling fans are satisfied with the outcome is yet to be determined to the fullest as the movie is still playing in theaters. The current ratings and reviews, however, should say enough.
Receiving a 7.7/10 and a shocking 73 percent among critics and viewers, the film’s undoubtedly met our standards up to this point. Many, if not most, of the reviews on the movie mention the positives, leaving room for few negative reviews.
Let’s dive into the reasons behind this film’s success!
Director David Yates did not hold back – he wanted to make sure the film started off strong and continued just as strong. His intentions to do so have been successful as things do begin with unexpectable action, of which begins to simmer down gradually throughout the rest of the movie. From the very beginning, the audience has a general idea of who the main character is and the struggles he’ll endure.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is not the typical Rowling story. While the Harry Potter franchise was based on the collision of two forces, one benevolent and the other malevolent, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has flipped the table and offers a new scenario:
The wizarding world has finally collided with the muggle world.
The emotions that result from this clash are just as unpredictable as the events in the film. It ranges from distrust, which should be expected seeing that these two worlds have had little interaction in the past, to a friendship that breaks the audience’s heart.
The sets are beautiful without a doubt. The set designers and CGI artists did a phenomenal job creating a fantasy-fiction combined style. From an “Old West” town and setting to a mythical forest and pond, there are little flaws to report. If there’s one thing the team nailed, it’s the set design.
Since the film takes place in Rowling’s magical world, it’s expected that there are beasts and magic. Similar to the sets, those who designed and created the magical creatures did not hold back. From the rodent-like creatures all the way to a four-winged phoenix inspired bird, the designers gave life to the myths. Members of the audience will find themselves wide-eyed upon being introduced to the creatures. Words simply cannot do it justice.
Let’s put everything together. This movie has been beautifully created and has, without a doubt, pleased the Rowling and Harry Potter fans. Out of five stars, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is being given a well deserved five out of five.