I like Harry Potter but I would by no means describe myself as a super fan. If my Mom is watching one of the movies on ABC Family over the holidays I have no problem sitting down and watching with her. But I only read two of the books—the first one, when I quickly realized I started too late to be invested, and the last book, to stay in the know. Nevertheless, when I went to see Fanastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the anticipation among muggles was as high as any movie I've seen this year. Justifiably so, since David Yates returned to direct his fifth wizarding movie and J.K. Rowling wrote the original script.
Fantastic Beasts takes place many years before Harry Potter was even a twinkle in his parents' eyes. Come to think of it, his parents aren't even alive yet. Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) is traveling from England to New York City with a suitcase full of magical creatures. Of course nothing goes smoothly and with the help of a No-Maj (American for muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), Newt needs to find his escaped beasts before they do irreparable harm.
Fantastic Beasts is by no means a Harry Potter movie; it's more a spinoff. There's a different power structure at play in America, with new bureaucratic obstacles. Newt is also no Chosen One; he's shy around people, and doesn't have many friends. But the strokes of the movie feel familiar enough—there are still wands, spells, and the same David Yates look and feel Harry Potter fans have come to know.
I am usually not a fan of Eddie Redmayne; I think he tends to play for the back row. But in a movie full of CGI his particular style works. Like the beasts, Redmayne doesn't come off as fully realistic, and I don't think they're intended to. Their animated look makes the movie feel a little more magical somehow.
Still, Redmayne is at his best here when he's more subdued with a select few flourishes. When he plays it straight he allows the other characters to shine.
Fantastic Beasts has a great cast, including Colin Farrell, Ron Pearlman, Jon Voight, and Katherine Watterson as a magical government official named Tina who I spent the entire movie convinced was Brie Larson. The movie also includes a creepy performance from Ezra Miller, who is perhaps a bit type-cast, but nails what they asked him to do. My favorite character, though, is the previously mentioned Kowalski, who serves as both the comic relief and our No-Maj guide, asking all the questions the audience may have.
The movie drags a bit in the second act as our heroes navigate one of many subplots. It's actually kind of incredible that the movie feels overstuffed, considering the series is set to expand from a trilogy to a five-movie series. Luckily there's no, 'to be continued' at the end, no cliffhanger; the movie stands on its own and feels like a complete story even though there are hints of what may come in the future.