An enchanting film that brings joy and warmth to your heart

Rating: 8/10 (13 February 2017)

I remember feeling very sad when the last Harry Potter film hit the theatres. It was the end of something I deeply loved growing up. Now, JK Rowling's wizarding world is given another chance to be showcased on the big screen. Not only that, the magic moves beyond Hogwarts and London, making its way all the way to 1920s New York.
Instead of Harry Potter, our new hero is Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), a magical creatures enthusiast, who famously wrote 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' - a text book that Harry and his friends would study 70 years later. Donning a fine blue coat and carrying a briefcase filled with magical creatures, Newt arrives in New York with the intention of reaching Arizona to send Thunderbird back to its natural habitat. However, upon the escape of his most adorable, yet incredibly astute Niffler (who also has an insatiable desire for shiny things), Newt meets Jacob (Dan Fogler), a No-Mag (US equivalent of 'Muggle', which essentially means non- magical folk), who accidentally lets some of his creatures loose in the city.
As it turns out, there couldn't be a more terrible time for this to happen. New York is currently ravaged by a mysterious, destructive dark force, and Newt's creatures quickly became suspects by the members of the MCUSA (Magical Congress of USA). One of them is Tina (Katherine Waterson), a disgraced Auror, who quickly grew a liking for Newt but felt compelled to do her duty to report Newt to the Congress in order to keep the magical community safe.
As expected from JK Rowling, the magical world depicted in this film brimmed with wonder and charm. Fans of Harry Potter would be pleasantly surprised at the re-appearance of the familiar spells such as 'Obliviate' and 'Alohamora'. The audience is also introduced to new magical concepts, including the 'Obscurus', an uncontrollable, sinister force that appears inside children when they try to suppress their magical powers and the 'Legilimens' – mind- reading art. We see for the first time, the extravagant, majestic interiors of the MCUSA and the riveting world of fascinating magical creatures inside Newt's briefcase. I felt I was in the shoes of Jacob, gawking as I discover all this for the first time.
All the characters in the film are delightfully likable, particularly Newt and Jacob. Naturally introverted, Redmayne portrays Newt's shyness and innocence magically. His love for his creatures is contagious and we really connect with his passions. Fogler as his unlikely friend is equally brilliant, giving us most of the laughs in the film. The lovely ladies of the film - Waterson and Alison Sudol as her sister Queenie, their beauty and authenticity shines. The relationships they form with Newt and Jacob begins delicately, but we find that they're actually very compatible with each other. Colin Farrell shows his versatility as the villain Percival Graves. It was a little odd seeing him waving a wand instead of a gun, but he was nevertheless believable.
Fantastic Beasts is extravagantly produced, especially in terms of its production and costume design. This, along with masterful CGI to bring the magical creatures to life and a vibrant score (James Newton Howard), the end product is a film that is visually enchanting. It also has plenty of heart, about love and friendships that could form at the most unexpected times. No matter how old you are, or whether or not you're a Harry Potter fan previously, it is a film that would bring joy and warmth to your heart.