FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​In 2011, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released. It was a dramatic and emotional conclusion to one of the biggest franchises. It was emotional because many fans thought this was the last we would ever see of the wizarding world. Fortunately, J.K. Rowling, who wrote the best selling books, has admitted to not being able to let go of her beloved world and the characters that exist within that world. Not only has she written a play set 19 years after the events of Deathly Hallows Part 2, she has also written her first screenplay, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. However, is it as good as the Harry Potter films?

The year is 1926 and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident...were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

This is one of the most anticipated films this year and, unlike other highly anticipated films, Fantastic Beasts not only met my expectations, it beat them. Making a motion picture that is as enjoyable as the Harry Potter films must have been incredibly stressful but both the cast and crew have succeeded. I can't imagine any Harry Potter fans being disappointed. David Yates, who directed the final four films in the Potter franchise, returns and I couldn't think of anyone else better than Yates at directing. He brings J.K. Rowling's imaginative world to life once again. The setting is completely different to anything we've seen before in the Potter films as it's in New York and is set in the late 1920s. Both the setting and costume design are perfect. It felt like I was transported to New York in 1926.

The performances all round are brilliant but the stand out is, of course, Redmayne as shy and awkward Newt. It's hard to believe that almost three years ago he gave an Oscar-winning portrayal as Professor Stephen Hawking in the 2014 drama, The Theory Of Everything. This role is further proof that Redmayne is one of the best actors of this generation. Other strong performances come from Katherine Waterston as the brave ex-Auror (dark wizard catcher), Tina Goldstein, who is willing to help Newt, Dan Fogler, who brings comic relief as Jacob, and Alison Sudol, who is perfectly flirtatious as Tina's sister, Queenie. Recognisable actors include Colin Farrell as Percival Graves who is a high ranking Auror but has a dark side to him. Ezra Miller gives a sympathetic performance as, Credence Barebone who is the mysterious son of the sinister leader of New Salem Philanthropic Society. Credence also plays an important part in the film's exciting climax. Overall, there's not a bad performance to be found.

The creature themselves really are fantastic and are probably the best parts of the film. One of the best scenes is where Newt and Jacob go inside his briefcase and we meet all his magical creatures. The special effects are stunning. The Niffler is probably the most popular creature as it spent the majority of its screen time running away from Newt and trying to steal shiny objects including various pieces of jewellery.

Rowling recently announced that Fantastic Beasts is going to have four more sequels in the future so fans of this film shouldn't worry about the end of the wizarding world any time soon.

While the film will undoubtedly please fans of Harry Potter, I think that people who haven't seen the films will enjoy this because it's entertaining throughout and may convince them to watch the aforementioned films.

Overall, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them draws on Harry Potter's rich mythology to deliver a spin-off that impresses with franchise-building magic all on its own.

8/10