Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Reviewed
Minor and major spoilers for the movie ahead.
While Fantastic Beasts wasn’t fantastic, it was a pretty good beginning for the rumored seven movie series. I’m not convinced that Newt’s “Tartus” of a suitcase holds enough plot bunnies in their native habitat for seven five --and we’ll see if that number rises or drops as time and money rear their heads -- more movies, but as long as JK is actively writing the series rather than signing off on what seems to have been poorly written fanfiction(if you’re going to do bad at least get a bit of slash in there, Cursed Child), I’ll continue to watch.
What was fantastic was officially visiting the wizarding world again, even if it’s like none we’ve seen. It’ll be interesting to see if the “murder first, ask questions later” method of magical law enforcement is an American thing or if we’re simply seeing a less civilized, pre token-justice, wizarding world. I enjoyed the characters and felt that, much like the Harry Potter series --and the universe needs a name at this point. I vote for the 9 3/4 universe -- the story felt more like an ensemble than a straightforward hero's journey.
My biggest disappointment was the Scooby Doo ending, especially since Colin Farrell was the most interesting he’s been in years, oozing a dark, disturbingly homoerotic chemistry with Ezra Miller. It made me want to take a shower for two reasons. Hopefully his character will return and hopefully Grindelwald will continue to take on a variety of personas so that I’m spared one more Johnny Depp turn as a dark/quirky character. His wild eyed persona is starting to seem like less of a schtick, more of a tick.
Final thoughts -- 7.5 out of 10. Minus 1 point because they laid deliberate ground work for the next movies by leaving a bunch of unanswered questions and I hate that shit, what if I get hit by a bus tomorrow? Minus 1 point because I’d much rather this be another series of books first. Finally, minus .5 points for Johnny Depp.
While Fantastic Beasts wasn’t fantastic, it was a pretty good beginning for the rumored seven movie series. I’m not convinced that Newt’s “Tartus” of a suitcase holds enough plot bunnies in their native habitat for seven five --and we’ll see if that number rises or drops as time and money rear their heads -- more movies, but as long as JK is actively writing the series rather than signing off on what seems to have been poorly written fanfiction(if you’re going to do bad at least get a bit of slash in there, Cursed Child), I’ll continue to watch.
What was fantastic was officially visiting the wizarding world again, even if it’s like none we’ve seen. It’ll be interesting to see if the “murder first, ask questions later” method of magical law enforcement is an American thing or if we’re simply seeing a less civilized, pre token-justice, wizarding world. I enjoyed the characters and felt that, much like the Harry Potter series --and the universe needs a name at this point. I vote for the 9 3/4 universe -- the story felt more like an ensemble than a straightforward hero's journey.
My biggest disappointment was the Scooby Doo ending, especially since Colin Farrell was the most interesting he’s been in years, oozing a dark, disturbingly homoerotic chemistry with Ezra Miller. It made me want to take a shower for two reasons. Hopefully his character will return and hopefully Grindelwald will continue to take on a variety of personas so that I’m spared one more Johnny Depp turn as a dark/quirky character. His wild eyed persona is starting to seem like less of a schtick, more of a tick.
Final thoughts -- 7.5 out of 10. Minus 1 point because they laid deliberate ground work for the next movies by leaving a bunch of unanswered questions and I hate that shit, what if I get hit by a bus tomorrow? Minus 1 point because I’d much rather this be another series of books first. Finally, minus .5 points for Johnny Depp.