On November 18, nearly five years after the last Harry Potter film hit the theaters, fans of the series finally get to enjoy the Wizarding World come to life on the big screen once again with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The movie takes place in the 1920s, and follows Newt Scamander, a wizard with a fascination for magical creatures, as he travels from England to America in order to return one of his creatures to its former home. He carries this creature, along with many others, in his magical suitcase. When the suitcase opens and a few of his creatures escape in New York City, he must find them with the help of two sisters Porpentina and Queenie Goldstein, as well as non-wizard Jacob Kowalski.
Interestingly this new series is that is a spinoff of the Harry Potter series, but not a prequel. Newt Scamander may have been mentioned in the Harry Potter books, but only because students at Hogwarts were required to read his textbook. You don’t have to be a fan of the Harry Potter series to appreciate or understand this movie. It might be better if one is familiar with certain words and phrases from the original series, but overall everyone will be able to pick up on what’s going on.
Without giving anything away, this movie also has potential as a series. Though the main plot line is about Newt Scamander, it also features a subplot about the anti-wizard culture in the United States at the time. The differences between the way that American wizards live and Newt’s lifestyle causes conflict between him and many of his fellow wizards. The final conclusion to this conflict in the movie promises that more is yet to come, and in fact, it is rumored that there will be five movies in the series.
All in all, this movie was a truly magical experience. The true magic, however, is that the adults who read Harry Potter as kids are still able to experience the wonder of the wizarding world and continue to love it.