Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review

Rating: 8/10 (2 April 2018)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a film directed by David Yates. I had watched some of the Harry Potter films years ago. Then I came to know about this particular film which was a prequel to the Harry Potter Films. Seeing the craze of the Harry Potter series in many people, I decided to give this film a try. And I enjoyed it.
Plot: Newt Scamander arrives in New York when some of his creatures escape from his suitcase and it is upto him and his allies to save the day.
Story and direction: This is J K Rowling's first film as a screenwriter and I can say she has done a wonderful job in creating a world where both magicians and normal citizens live together. Hats off to David Yates and team, for creating a world for creating a world I so want to be in. The creature designs were fantastic and that goes on to say how talented the crew is. The characters for this story were so mesmerizing. Each of these characters had something to be liked. The comedy also was so good and never felt forced or out of place. The action scenes were so nicely done. The production design and costumes transported me back to the 1920's. But the film, was not all perfect. The film's first 20-30 minutes, felt little flat for me. But that was understandable, as I was getting to know this world and it was a slow-buildup movie. Also the editing and VFX in certain portions of the film felt little haywire.
Performances: Eddie Redmayne was very lovable as Newt. The little chacacters nuances were perfectly performed by him. Katherine Waterston also provided some great support to Newt's character. Dan Fogler was the comic relief and he was impressive. Allison Sudol was good too. Ezra Miller was awesome. You could feel the pain his characater was going through. Colin Farrell was great. And for those who haven't seen this film, I would say just wait for Johnny Depp. Yes, he is there in the film. But I won't go any further.
Favorite Scene: Again no spoilers but there is a scene involving, Newt, Tina, Queenie and Jacob towards the climax that was heart-touching. I also teared up for a bit.
Verdict: I had a fun time watching this film. For a person who has not been updated with the Harry Potter series, I fully understood the film. And was quite happy that the film didn't rely on Harry Potter. It's good on its own.
I am going with an 8/10.