An Entertaining TransAtlantic Excursion

Rating: 9/10 (4 April 2017)

I deliberately avoided this one for a while because I initially thought, "oh no, not some diluted hogwarts cash-grab" but you know what? I really enjoyed this film. Set in roaring 20s NewYorkCity, we get to explore the differences in how wizard affairs are handled on the other side of the pond, how bureacracy and bias affect relationships between the magic world and the "no-majs" (yankee for muggles) and how this leads to misunderstandings and internal strife.(This is much more exciting than I just made it sound) The pacing, visual effects and characters are all excellent. Great performances from a great cast. Eddie Redmayne is suitably quirky as a secret agent/zookeeper with a soft spot for muggles and creatures of all kinds. Also delightful in the role of Queenie is Fine Frenzy who bears an uncanny resemblance to Rachel Weisz (I am in love with both actresses) She is one to watch out for. Colin Farrell turns in his best performance since In Bruges. I really cannot overstate how much I liked this cast and cared what happened to them (even the cgi beasts, that range from adorable to terrifying) There are some minor plot points that could have been better handled, but they really did not take away from my enjoyment of this film. I would definitely recommend this on 4k bluray, streaming or wherever you may find it.