Sometimes a Bit Hard to Know The Foundation of Good and Evil

Rating: 9/10 (21 November 2016)

I really enjoyed watching this film. It is visually astounding with some amazing creatures which inhabit a world that is familiar to us, New York of the 1920's. Eddie Redmain comes to the big city from London to find a weird creature. It is quite destructive and his task is difficult because laws have been passed against magic. There are several factions in the city, the strength of whom is difficult to pinpoint. We have no trouble realizing who the heroes are, but the infighting within the administration is not totally clear (although I'm probably too inept to get it the first time). There is a delicate balance between the edgy, dire blackness of Harry Potter and its humor. Some of the creatures are hilarious, but when push comes to shove, there is nothing funny about what is happening. Lives are being lost and religious fanatics are seizing power. Life in the city is crippled by poverty and despair. I understand there are several films yet to be made that bank on the unanswered questions in this one. I am hoping to watch this again to get more of an understanding of it. Oh! The special effects are beyond belief.