PLOT:
Holding a mysterious leather suitcase in his hand, Newt Scamander, a young activist wizard from England, visits New York while he is on his way to Arizona. Inside his expanding suitcase hides a wide array of diverse, magical creatures that exist among us, ranging from tiny, twig-like ones, to majestic and humongous ones. It is the middle of the 20s and times are troubled since the already fragile equilibrium of secrecy between the unseen world of wizards and the ordinary or "No-Maj" people that the MACUSA Congress struggles to maintain, is at risk of being unsettled. In the meantime, the voices against wizardry keep growing with daily protests led by Mary Lou Barebone and fuelled by the increasing disasters ascribed to a dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald. At the same time, by a twist of fate, Newt’s precious suitcase will be switched with the identical one of an aspiring No-Maj baker, Jacob Kowalski, while demoted Auror, Tina Goldstein, arrests Newt for being an unregistered wizard. To make matters worse, with the suitcase in the wrong hands, several creatures manage to escape to unknown directions. Before long, this situation will catch Senior Auror Percival Graves’ attention who will target both Tina and Newt amid panic caused by an invisible, devastating and utterly unpredictable menace that still wreaks havoc in New York’s 5th Avenue. Is there a hidden agenda behind Graves’ intentions and ultimately, what will happen to the remaining magical creatures still loose in the streets?
SOUNDTRACK:
Main Titles - Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them - 2:56
There Are Witches Among Us / The Bank / The Niffler - 6:55
Tina Takes Newt In / Macusa Headquarters - 1:57
Pie or Strudel / Escaping Queenie and Tina’s Place - 3:06
Credence Hands Out Leaflets - 2:05
Inside The Case - 9:10
The Erumpent - 3:30
In The Cells - 2:12
Tina and Newt Trial / Let’s Get The Good Stuff Out / You’re One of Us Now / Swooping Evil - 8:01
Gnarlak Negotiations - 2:58
The Demiguise and The Occamy - 4:07
A Close Friend - 1:52
The Obscurus / Rooftop Chase - 3:50
He’s Listening To You Tina - 2:07
Relieve Him of His Wand / Newt Releases The Thunderbird / Jacob’s Farewell - 12:34
Newt Says Goodbye to Tina / Jacob’s Bakery - 3:28
End Titles - Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them - 2:22
CASTE PERFORMANCE:
Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander an eccentric, introverted wizard, magizoologist and an employee at the Ministry of Magic. Winner of the best actor award for The Theory Of Everything, yet again shows his capabilities and uniqueness.
Katherine Waterston as Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein, a grounded, down-to-earth witch and a former Auror employed by the Magical Congress of the United States of America(MACUSA). Great amount of effort put in by the sensational actor. The audience admired her acts.
Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski: a genial No-Maj cannery worker and aspiring baker who is accidentally exposed to the New York City magical community after meeting Newt. Nice acting, versatility observed yet again.
Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein Porpentina’s younger sister and roommate, described as a bombshell, free-spirited, and big-hearted, and is accomplished in Legilimency. Talented, tenacious, acted very well, I was expecting more enthusiasm from her side.
Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone Mary Lou’s troubled and mysterious adopted son. I loved his role. The suspense created till the end was fabulous to watch and of course, his villain role.
Colin Farrell as Percival Graves a high-ranking Auror and Director of Magical Security for MACUSA. He is charged with the protection of wizards and assigned to track down Newt.
Samantha Morton as Mary Lou Barebone a narrow-minded No-Maj and the sinister leader of the New Salem Philanthropic Society(the NSPS, or "The Second-Salemers"), an extremist group whose goals include exposing and killing wizards and witches.
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
It may not be particularly bold or daring in terms of visuals, but it will have flair. The story’s the ticket on this one and with a plot that doesn’t have longstanding fans, the film industry may be taking a risk on this potential tentpole picture. However, if there’s one fan base that is open to an expansion of the world, it’s Harry Potter fans. Chances are if it has J.K. Rowling’s seal of approval, the fans will see it regardless. Expect a visual feast in terms of creature design. Summing up, a wonderful work done by Philippe Rousselet.
Overall, I loved this movie because I am a big fan of Harry Potter too. A lot of magic can be seen especially when you are watching on IMAX. Looking forward for the sequels.