The wizard has landed again

Film review: Fantastic Beasts

MANILA, Philippines – Rather than repeating herself, J.K. Rowling has successfully expanded and enriched her Harry Potter universe by taking us some 70 years back in time to 1926 New York with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Directed by David Yates, who also helmed Harry Potter No. 5 to 8, the new prequel is both reassuringly familiar, while also fresh and new. And as is the nature in any film aiming to start a new franchise, we get an establishing origins story, while excitedly setting the stage for future installments.

The origins aspect revolves around the arrival of expelled Hogwarts wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in New York, accompanied by a valise that holds the magical beasts he has collected and researched from all over the world. When he inadvertently switches cases with Kowalski (Dan Fogler), an aspiring baker, who is out to get a loan to set up shop, the initial magical mayhem ensues, spearheaded by the utterly charming Niffler — a platypus type troublemaking creature who loves shiny things.

The political cast spread across the particular time and location has to do with wizards and witches being feared by No-Mags (no magic, i.e. Humans, called Muggles in Europe). Policing their ranks is MACUSA, and one struggling investigator, Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) tasks herself with getting to the bottom of Scamander’s arrival and intentions. Propped up as the potential love interest, Tina has a personality similar to Scamander — who is a shy geek through and through. As a result, the shafts of wonderful humor and lightness in this film emanate from sidekick Kowalski and the mind-reading sister of Tina, Queenie ((Alison Sudol). They charm and scene-steal to our enjoyment.

With Rowling herself as screenwriter, the film also works as a stand-alone. While the first half is more an establishing exercise, and at times, feels like a day trip to an exotic zoo park; there are sinister forces afoot, and for true-blue Potter fans, a number of foreshadowing elements. The darker aspect of wizards fighting for domination and power among themselves will be familiar territory, and will regale Potter fanatics. If anything, much of the developments along this plot line are merely set up for future installments — such as hotshot wizard Percival Graves (Colin Farrell) transforms to Grindelwald (surprise cast member revealed here), the return of Credence (Ezra Miller), and so on.

What is great to report is that the magic is definitely back, and Rowling can be rest assured that her Scamander/Redmayne creation has it in him to bring shyness and social incompetence back into vogue.