Enjoyable, Cinematography Could Have Been Better

Rating: 7/10 (16 November 2016)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was an enjoyable film, but suffered from a few flaws.
First, I felt there was too much screen time used on filler material; bits that did nothing for the story but just added to the length of the film. The primary of these was the time spent just watching the obscurial fly around. The effect of these beasts could have been accurately portrayed with less time than they were given. There were other smaller segments that were extended beyond necessary, but none as glaring as the time dedicated to the obscurial. I will admit that the screening I received tickets to was 2-D, and these scenes may have been more enjoyable in 3-D, but were filler none the less. If these scenes were just used to remind the audience that the film is 3-D, then this is just as amateurish as the early 3-D kids' movies like Spy Kids 3- D.
Second, I feel the camera work could have been better in some parts, and I am not a fan of the camera view from inside the obscurial. Again, this may have been more interesting in 3-D, but I rarely enjoy camera angles that have special effects obscuring part of the screen just for emphasis of an already understood point.
Third, many of the names of the beasts are mumbled or said quickly with a heavy accent, which makes it very challenging to know what the heck to actually call the multitudes of creatures. More care should have been taken to ensure that the audience could actually comprehend and recall the names of the creatures.
Finally, why on Earth did Johnny Depp only have 30 seconds of screen time?! Just kidding, that part seemed appropriate for him. I'm sure he'll be featured more in the future films.
On the positive side, the characters were genuine, and the creatures were interesting. The story was well built, with a surprise twist that even cinephiles couldn't expect.
Thanks for reading!