By George Haerle
Have you ever heard of a Niffler, an Occamy, or a Billywig? What about a Demiguise or a Bowtruckle? If not, you may not be familiar with the “Potterverse,” and that is ok. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is an excellent gateway into the Harry Potter universe, even if it’s one you haven’t visited before.
Like the other Harry Potter films, “Fantastic Beasts” is based on one of the many books created by creative mastermind J.K. Rowling, as well as a book within her own Harry Potter movies. Originally a made up textbook within Rowling’s own Harry Potter books, eventually she made “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” into an actual guide to the many creatures of her own fantasy world. “Authored” by mysterious wizard and lover of all magical beasts Newt Scamander, who is in the process of writing the book during the movie, a long-term task that the audience is surely to see completed by the last of the 5 sequels Warner Bros. has already green lit, but not this time.
The film adaptation, however, follows the odd, quiet, and friendly writer Scamander, who, upon his arrival in America, is immediately forced to pursue and recapture many strange creatures that escape from his magical briefcase. What ensues is like “Ghostbusters” crossed with a Harry Potter movie, and is just as fun as that sounds.
Eddie Redmayne plays Newt Scamander as a bit of an awkward introvert, enjoying the company of animals more than he does conversing with people. His friendliness and adoration for the beasts in his briefcase, coupled with his inability to look people in the eye when conversing, gives Scamander vulnerability and an air of past tragedy. Redmayne’s portrayal is a lead that even if you can’t empathize with his love for these strange animals, you can still adore him for his incredible courage he musters throughout his journey, despite his social awkwardness.
The supporting cast is just great. Dan Fogler plays Jacob Kowalski with lots of heart and personality, a “muggle” who is swept into Newt Scamander’s misadventures to reclaim the creatures that have escaped from Scamander’s magical briefcase. Colin Farrell proves once again he’s great at playing the villain (he was awesome in the Fright Night remake, if you haven’t seen it), playing a corrupt magical law enforcement officer who has darker dealings beyond the escaped beasts in the city, although the direction they take his character in at the end may be a bit divisive with some.
Katherine Waterson plays the flipside to Farrell as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein, a determined, do-gooder and demoted magical law enforcement officer trying to make up for past mistakes. She attempts to arrest Scamander yet also assist him in reclaiming the creatures that have escaped his briefcase. Waterson’s acting is good, but she’s outshined just a tad by her character’s sister Queenie, a mind reading witch played by Alison Sudol. Queenie is an office assistant flapper girl who has a ditzy dreaminess about her, but is nothing but kindhearted and sweet and surely a fan-favorite-to-be.
The real characters to love though are the beasts, and they truly are as fantastic as the title claims. As the audience meets the treasure stealing Niffler, size-shifting Occamies, majestic Thunderbirds, the invisible Demiguise or miniature Groot-like Bowtruckles, it’s easy to adore them as much as Newt does. Each has an incredible amount of depth and development. Every creature has a different personality, set of instincts, defense mechanisms, natural habitat, diet, and physiological properties that make them seem more fleshed out than the main characters in some movies.
If there is any testament to J.K. Rowling’s success and authenticity as one of the world’s best storytellers and artists, it’s the fact that her wizarding world was able to spawn a movie based on a book, based on a fake book within her own books. While I wouldn’t say any of the Potter movies are as great as any of the original three Star Wars films (or Episode VII), it’s undeniable that her books have created a world with the same amount of depth and wonder as George Lucas’ brainchild. This attributes greatly to “Fantastic Beasts” success, as without the incredible literary groundwork Rowling has laid previously, the movie and its concept either wouldn’t exist or would have been wasted by the studio (as can be seen with Warner Bros. most recent blunders with the DC movies).
Add a little bit of actual magic to your holiday to-do list this year, and go look for “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” at Riverside Cinema. It’s an adventure that will give you a smile fitting of the season.
George Haerle is a 2008 graduate of Aberdeen High School and hold’s a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis.
