Released: November 18, 2016
Running Time: 2h. 13 min.
Rating: 3/5 stars
*highlight white text to reveal spoilers*
In 1926, magizooologist Newt Schamander has entered New York City in hopes to find some rare breeds of beasts. However when a no-maj named Jacob accidentally takes the briefcase of beasts that Newt keeps with him, chaos ensues, and suddenly Newt is thrown into a wild adventure with new friends to find all the misplaced beasts.
I didn't know what I was expecting from this movie. I wasn't sure if I was looking for some sort of prequel for Harry Potter, or an action-packed movie filled with one of my favourite actors, Eddie Redmayne, but honestly, I left Fantastic Beasts feeling somewhat underwhelmed at somewhat confused. Idk, it just wasn't all I had hoped for.
Let me start with the positives first. Eddie Redmayne could play a potato and I would still go see the movie and gush about how great of an actor he is. There's just something about this man that is so charming, and he is able to adapt to literally play any role. I couldn't have imagined a better Newt and I thought he played the role perfectly.
I also really liked the whole beasts storyline. It was witty and funny and kept me interested. I really like Jacob and him and Newt going to find the beasts was very entertaining. I liked how the beasts were portrayed and the scene where they go inside the briefcase and see all of the beasts was really well done.
Now to the not so good things. What the hell was the point of Ezra Miller? Every once in a while we'd just go to his character and this weird witch organization with this little girl and I was so confused??? I did not understand the significance/relevance of those parts at all and I was very bored.
I also didn't really get the end. The crisis seemed so out of loop with the whole "fantastic beasts" story and I just couldn't grasp it. And then Johnny Depp shows up and I was like: whaaattt?? I did not understand.
So overall, a good movie, but not as great as everyone says it was. I needed more of the beasts storyline and less of the orphanage to have been thoroughly engaged throughout the entire thing.
Have you seen Fantastic Beasts? What did you think?
Emily @ Paperback Princess
Great review, Emily! I'm not a fan of Redmayne, but I'd still like to watch Fantastic Beasts.
ReplyDeleteSorry it wasn't as great as you'd hoped :(
I would literally watch anything that he is in lol! Thanks Amy :)
DeleteGreat review!
ReplyDeleteLike I said, I think Credence was mainly for the reveal for the dude. But he was also a metaphor for what happens when you suppress your true nature - which may very well be more apparent from a queer perspective (which, since Ezra Miller's queer, he might've got too.)
I totally agree that the two halves of the story could've been bound together more cohesively but I kind of think it was good that they actually had very little to do with each other. Newt was in the wrong place at the wrong time and was the perfect scapegoat - which is actually quite realistic (unfortunately.)
I get it when you explain it like that but in the moment of watching I was so lost lol! I liked the sequence of events with Newt but the other parts in the orphanage were just so lost on me.. idk.
DeleteI think there was a lot of setting things up for future films which might clarify things later.
DeleteAlthough, I have to say, the guards were v polite in letting the dude (calling him the dude because I don't want to spoiler people reading your comments section) stop to talk to Newt in the subway.
It's like: 'Hey, the evil guy look's like he might have something vague, cryptic, and slightly creepy, to say to the random British feller, let's stop and let them chat!' ;)
Lol that's true! The dude talking to Newt was very set up that's for sure.
DeleteI watched it and I feel exactly the same way: underwhelmed and confused.
ReplyDeleteI don't really like Ezra Miller (I don't know why, but he just doesn't work for me!) so I was extremely bored everytime he showed up on screen.
For me, the most exciting scenes were the ones involving the actual beasts! I watched it on 3D format and it was amazing! It was more than just watching the movie; it was a total experience!
My only problem with the movie (besides Ezra Miller) is because I felt it was a bit too long. I think some scenes could've been left out. I know that, for fans of Harry Potter, it was the perfect length, but I was already tired by the end of the movie, you know? Hahah. And I also didn't like the romance between Newt and that woman. I don't know why, but I feel less and less inclined to romance nowadays.
Anyways, great review, Emily!
Thank you Lais! I definitely agree that the romance was kind of random and to be honest very forced. There was no chemistry whatsoever between them! I think the Beasts would have been a lot better if I had seen it in 3D, then maybe that would make up for everything else!
DeleteI agree with you completely. The side plots seemed so out of place. I honestly don't see how they are gonna milk five movies out of this series.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know either. Money grab I guess.
DeleteI, too, love Eddie Redmayne. I really loved the movie but I really didn't understand the Credence storyline until I'd read up on it online afterwards. It felt a little out of touch with it all. I adore Ezra Miller, I'd absolutely watch anything he was in but I wasn't sure how relevant his characters storyline was.
ReplyDeleteExactly. In the moment I totally didn't get him at all. And I usually love his acting :(
DeleteI still haven't been able to make myself watch this *shrugs* I don't honestly know why, but it may or may not have been due to Johnny Depp. Also, a quintology? Wow. I don't know if I'd be able to sustain my excitement for such a long period lol :D Or maybe I'm just weird :D
ReplyDeleteI was thinking if boycotting it to be honest because I thought that they were seriously milking HP now and this was all such a money grab, but I decided to see it just for Eddie.
DeleteAh, the things we do in the name of love!!! :D
DeleteAw I'm sorry you didn't think it was super phenomenal...personally, I thought it was one of the best movies I've ever seen in a theater. Eddie Redmayne is (SO BEAUTIFUL) an incredible actor- he completely immersed himself in the character of Newt. I was in love with the visual setting of New York in the 1920s and the historical aspects as well. As for the plot, to me, I found it coherent and connected to the series.
ReplyDeleteCredence was an interesting character, but I think his storyline and connection with the anti-witch organization made sense because the concept of an obscurial wasn't out of place from the series (unlike Cursed Child, which I felt was very forced). Ariana Dumbledore may have been an obscurial. Grindelwald also wasn't a new figure, we had been introduced to him a little before.
I completely understand your points :) but I was so excited to see this and I think it was INCREDIBLE. Thanks for such a well thought-out review!
Eddie definitely made the movie for me as I would watch literally anything he is in! And the setting too, it was very vivid.
DeleteI think for me, I don't like change. I kept comparing it to HP and just feeling like the story was unconnected from HP that I wasn't interested. I felt that way with Cursed Child too. For me, I'm really just into the classic story we all know and love.