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Fantastic Beasts and W here to Find The mAbigail PackardFollow this and additional works at; http; //scholarsarchive; byu; edu/cbmr-Movie ReviewTitle: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemMain Performers: Eddie Redmayne, KatherineWaterston, Dan FoglerDirector: David YatesProducer: J.K. RowlingReviewer: Abigail PackardStudio: Warner Bros. PicturesYear Released: AaBbCcDdRun Time: 2016MPAA Rating: PG-13Interest Level: Young AdultRating: OutstandingReviewWhile Newt Scamander listens to a fanatic rant about witches lose in the streets of New York City, a Nifflerescapes the mysterious case he holds. The Niffler enters a bank and Newt goes after it, bumping into “no-maj”Jacob Kowalski and they accidentally switch cases. Newt is taken into custody by Tina Goldstein, a demotedauror, after creating disturbances while looking for the Niffler. In the meantime, Jacob opens Newt’s case and afew of the magical creatures escape. Newt finds Jacob and switches back the cases and the two find refuge inTina’s home. Newt and Jacob embark on a journey to recover the missing creatures, but Tina turns them intothe Magical Congress of the United States of America. Graves, another auror, questions Newt and discoversan Obscurus—a dark magical force that grows within a child who tries to suppress their magical abilities toevade discovery by non-magical people—inside Newt’s case. Tina and Newt discover that Graves is looking foranother Obscurus that has been wreaking havoc in the city. They find a boy Credence and realize he has beenpossessed by the Obscurus after years of suppressing his magic. Credence is destroyed by the MACUSA. Gravesbegins attacking the other wizards and after being subdued, Newt reveals that Graves is in fact Grindelwald,a dangerous wizard that wants to expose the wizarding community in order to create a society where wizardsand witches rule over non-magical people.For fans of the Harry Potter franchise this film was true to the Potter world. Moreover, it gave new informationand expounded on themes of good vs. evil that Rowling has pushed with all of her works since the beginning.There were moments of darkness (abuse, hopelessness) that drastically contrasted with the scenes of lightand goodness and highlighted this particular theme nicely. The setting of late-1920s America is refreshingin its originality and total separation from the present-day English landscape in which the Potter books andmovies are set. The subject matter, although similar in theme, is also refreshingly original and separate fromthe beloved series. Despite these drastic, yet welcome changes, the film is also true to the wizarding worldthat Potter fans know and love: apparition, wands, spells, charms, amazing creatures based in real lore, eventhe music alludes to the famous theme from the Potter movies. The acting was stellar; Redmayne played theintroverted Newt so well and Fogler’s Jacob was humorous and genuine. Avid fans, both of the generation thataged with Potter and those that are now coming to love Potter, will not be disappointed by this new installationin the Potter canon.*Contains mild scenes of physical abuse.