Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Reaction Post

[author_by_night]

Warning: SPOILERS under the cut.



First, I loved the creatures! I think everyone did, there was a lot of laughter. I especially loved the niffler.

I also found the different in graphics striking; I was surprised at how different House Elves looked, then I realized: "aha, 2016 technology versus 2002 technology." And actually, IIRC Kreacher looked close to those House Elves as well.

Now, onto what I thought about the story.

When the sixth Harry Poter book came out, my reaction (apart from being giddy over the Remus/Tonks) was pretty much "hum. Interesting." And then, "I think I have to read Deathly Hallows to really appreciate this one."

That's pretty much my consensus here. I LIKED it enough, but it didn't leave me with my head spinning. Mostly with a desire to read fanfic  (and maybe write some of my own fanfic) that may or may not expand a little on the movie's themes. I know there'll be more, and I hope when there is I'll be able to go back and appreciate the first one (the way I actually really like The Half-Blood Prince now), but for the time being I just don't really know... what to think.

The difference with HBP and Fantastic Beasts is, of course, that we already knew the characters and the basic premise. Here, we really don't, and I never felt engaged enough with them. I liked Jacob and Queenie, although I still had to ask my cousin what her name was afterwards, and we scrambled our brains a bit before landing on "Queenie."

 Newt... I felt like he should have been way more lovable than he was. I'd read in other responses that he was, so maybe it was just me raising the bar too high, but I didn't really feel that strongly about his character. I think he has potential to become very cool future films, though; the same can be said for Tina. I think the movie was too busy with magical creatures to really add depth to their characters, and I do hope that future ones give them nuance. The fact that Newt was in love with a Lestrange(!!!) is a start.

I found the American wizarding world interesting. They're definitely less tolerant of wizards and witches; dangerously close to Voldemort, really, although it was always implied the UK wasn't much better, just... better at hiding it. (Plus, this was when America had segregation, so perhaps there's also a parallel there as well.)

So... there you have it. Is there going to be a novelization, or is it just a script like The Cursed Child? Because I think a novelization could add a lot. In the meantime, I'll satisfy myself with fanfic. Because like I said, I DO think the movie had potential - it just didn't quite get there. Hopefully future films will be more satisfying.

Comments

[icecream-junkie.livejournal.com]

Hi, I don’t think our paths have crossed on LJ before (except for me barging into you conversation with rogueslayer452 over on her LJ), but since this post was public and I’m desperate to discuss Fantastic Beasts I thought I might as well leave a comment.


I especially loved the niffler.

I think most of us did. *lol* The little guy was way too cute not to love him.


I LIKED it enough, but it didn't leave me with my head spinning. Mostly with a desire to read fanfic (and maybe write some of my own fanfic) that may or may not expand a little on the movie's themes.

I absolutely agree. The only reason why I am fangirling as hard as I am is that I fell in love with the character Percival Graves as soon as I saw him in the trailer. If that had not been the case I’m not even sure I would have watched the movie. I wasn’t very interested in it before I fell for Graves.
Now that I’m sucked into fandom though, I share your desire for fanfics and general discussion of the movie. This is probably due to the fact that the movie raised more questions than it actually answered. Some of these (e.g. What happened to the actual Percival Graves?) will probably never be answered in canon, but I need to know and I need to feed my own headcanons. So fanfic it is.


I think a novelization could add a lot.

Same here, I really wish there was a novelization or even a prequel leading up to the film that gives us more information about the wizarding community in America. I know a lot of people have criticised the lack of research JKR did when she came up with these things for her Pottermore essays, but personally, I would really like to know more about this extension of her wizarding world.
One of the reasons why I wasn’t interested in the movie before seeing the trailer was that, for me, it was always more about the world she created than the actual story. I loved all those little details she put in the Harry Potter books. However, most of the things I really enjoyed while reading the books never actually made it into the movies, because those focussed on the main plot. Unfortunately, Fantastic Beasts does pretty much the same. It gives glimpses into a world that I really want to know more about, but doesn’t go into detail. I really would have liked to know more about how MACUSA operates and about their struggle to hide the wizarding community, especially with the Second Salemers around.
However, no matter how much I wish it was otherwise, I doubt there will be a novel and even if, JKR probably won’t be able to write it until the next four movies are done. So it would be years until she would get around to it.
Looks like we will have to make do with the screenplay and the movie tie-in books and whatever deleted scenes and extras make it on the DVD. :(

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Hi, I don’t think our paths have crossed on LJ before (except for me barging into you conversation with rogueslayer452 over on her LJ)

You weren't barging!

I already have a headcanon that's very dark and I will eventually write into a fic. For simplicity's sake, Gellert kind of did what he did with Credence to the old Graves, and manipulated him into basically giving his identity. This is also why Tina didn't really balk at his trying to murder her and Newt (with the execution Pensieve - I don't want to think Seraphina Whatsit had intended that to be the punishment, and the attendants looked Imperiused or Confunded), he'd been acting strange for so long that in her mind, he'd finally made his true intentions clear and it all "made sense." :/ But that's only headcanon. That's the problem.

yit was always more about the world she created than the actual story.

I loved her world so much. Someone also pointed out how many characters were were to love. Although in fairness, the first two books didn't give us nearly as many either - but we still had the twins and the Hogwarts staff and... yeah. This was basically like if CoS only had the trio, we find out Ginny is Ron's sister halfway through, and the only times we meet McGonagall are when she's mad at someone. Whereas we know she was there the night Harry was left with the Dursleys - tried to spare him, even - and instead of punishing him for flying, she put him on the Quidditch team. She was still the "strict teacher" for several more books, but she had those little moments. We don't get that here.

[icecream-junkie.livejournal.com]

For simplicity's sake, Gellert kind of did what he did with Credence to the old Graves, and manipulated him into basically giving his identity.
Interesting idea and I’d definitely read that fic. Though, personally I’d rather have the poor guy being kidnapped and tortured and finally rescued rather than having him fully convert to the dark side. Not sure what that says about me though that I’d rather have him tortured and suffering from PTSD than happily serving the Dark Lord (or whatever fancy title Grindelwald invented for himself). *lol*

I loved her world so much. Someone also pointed out how many characters were were to love.
Yes, indeed, and they kept showing up more than once. Even if you thought you would never see a character again they would make an appearance in another book; even people like Umbridge who you didn’t want to see again. It seems such a waste that there will be at least some Fantastic Beasts characters that we will never see again.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Oh, the idea is definitely that it would lead to pretty dark stuff for real!Graves. Not sure what yet, though. But it began with a tragically false sense of trust. Basically, I see it being like Ginny in the second Harry Potter book; she thought Tom was her friend and trusted him, then bad stuff started happening and he was who she told because again, she trusted him. By the end she's almost killed people and would have died were it not for Harry. That's kind of how I see it - not literally, but the guy being taken advantage of and not realizing it until it was too late. :(

[icecream-junkie.livejournal.com]

pretty dark stuff for real!Graves
Now we’re talking. ;)

No, but seriously, that would be a pretty bad situation for anyone to be in. If he’s been kidnaped and tortured nobody can really blame him for what Grindelwald did while wearing his face. He might be a broken man, but he can at least try to get his old life back.
If he voluntarily gave up information, even if he was tricked into it, others will most likely blame him for what happened and he has nowhere to go.
Either way, the poor man needs hugs – lots of them. ;)