Fantastic Beasts
Nov. 29th, 2016 02:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alobearMy anticipation levels for Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them fluctuated a lot in the months leading up to its release. I was initially sceptical, then excited by the awesome-looking trailers, then wary after reading some reviews, but still looking forward to it overall.
I thought it took a little while to really get going - there was nothing to dislike, but it was only in the second two thirds that it really grabbed my imagination and started to fly. There were many moments of pure magic and wonder, several points that made me laugh quite a bit, a lot of very cute aspects, and also some quite horrific ones. In particular, I wasn't expecting one plot strand to be quite so sad.
Parts of it felt like filler - entertaining, world-building filler, to be sure - but not necessarily serving the story. But mostly, it was a joy, and a very welcome couple of hours of enjoyment after a very stressful journey from central London to Finchley.
Eddie Redmayne made a very appealing hero, and was supported by a largely excellent cast. The creatures were wonderfully realised and I really loved several of them. There were some great set pieces and lots of lovely smaller touches. It was also refreshing to see a neuro-atypical protagonist in a story that wasn't actually about him being neuro-atypical, not to mention the fact that the central group of characters were also not ridiculously over-attractive.
So, lots to like, and not a lot to criticise. I will very happily spend more time in this universe, and am already looking forward to the next instalment. Even the member of our group who has never read or seen any Harry Potter thought it was good!
I thought it took a little while to really get going - there was nothing to dislike, but it was only in the second two thirds that it really grabbed my imagination and started to fly. There were many moments of pure magic and wonder, several points that made me laugh quite a bit, a lot of very cute aspects, and also some quite horrific ones. In particular, I wasn't expecting one plot strand to be quite so sad.
Parts of it felt like filler - entertaining, world-building filler, to be sure - but not necessarily serving the story. But mostly, it was a joy, and a very welcome couple of hours of enjoyment after a very stressful journey from central London to Finchley.
Eddie Redmayne made a very appealing hero, and was supported by a largely excellent cast. The creatures were wonderfully realised and I really loved several of them. There were some great set pieces and lots of lovely smaller touches. It was also refreshing to see a neuro-atypical protagonist in a story that wasn't actually about him being neuro-atypical, not to mention the fact that the central group of characters were also not ridiculously over-attractive.
So, lots to like, and not a lot to criticise. I will very happily spend more time in this universe, and am already looking forward to the next instalment. Even the member of our group who has never read or seen any Harry Potter thought it was good!
