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MOVIE REVIEW: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

Arrival of the “Suitcase of Many Troubles”

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Newt in New York
Newt Scamader arrives New York City

In 1926, wizard and zoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York by boat carrying a mysterious suitcase that is home to dozens of magical creatures. At the harbour, he comes across Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) who runs the Second Salemers, an anti-magic group that wants wizards and witches hunted and destroyed.

While listening to Mary Lou, a Niffler escapes from his suitcase into a nearby bank. Mayhem ensues as Newt chases after it, dragging Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) – a “No-maj” (the American name for  Muggles) – with him. Thereafter, Newt is caught by Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein (Katherine Waterson) who takes him with her to MACUSA (the U.S. equivalent of the Ministry of Magic) so he could display magic before then, but when the case is opened, what they see inside are pastries baked by Jacob. It is at this point that they figure out that their suitcases had been switched!

The Beasts Are Let Loose

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Jacob
Jacob, startled when the beasts start to protest

At his home, Jacob puts the suitcase down, only for some of the magical beasts inside it to protest. Confused, Jacob opens the suitcase and lets loose several of the magical creatures, getting hurt in the process. Meanwhile, Mary Lou Barebone is revealed to be running an orphanage of sorts, where she indoctrinates the children with stories about evil witches. Her youngest daughter, Modesty (Faith Wood-Blagrove), proudly sings about witch torture; while her eldest son, Credence (Ezra Miller), doesn’t quite believe in their way of life. 

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Jacob, Newt and Tina
Jacob leading Newt and Tina to the suitcase containing the beasts

Newt and Tina arrive at Jacob’s place to find it nearly destroyed, and Jacob ill from a bite given by one of the beasts. Newt restores the apartment to its original state, even as Tina invites them over to her place. There, they meet her younger sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol) who has the gift of Legilimency. While at Tina’s house, Newt and Jacob disappear into his suitcase, where Newt shows him his collection of magical beasts, pointing out an especially dangerous one named Obcsurial

Hunt For the Evil Obscurial

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Tina brings the Suitcase
Newt and his suitcase is brought before the MACUSA president, and a roomful of wizards

While doing a headcount, Newt finds out some of the beasts are missing and sets out to track then down. The Nifler (which escaped earlier) is found in a jewelry store and captured, but it was while they were retrieving another, the Erumpent that Tina realises what they’ve been up to. Determined to impress MACUSA with her find, she locks the suitcase and takes it with her to show MACUSA President, Seraphina Picquery (Carmen Ejogo), Head Auror, Percival Graves, (Colin Farrell) and a room full of international wizards. But her effort is not rewarded, instead she’s arrested and locked up with  Newt and Jacob, while the suitcase is confiscated.

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Erumpet
The magical beast, Erumpet

Events that follow show Percival Graves searching for a young child possessed by the evil Obscurial, and after questioning Newt about the presence of one in his suitcase, sentences him and Tina to death. But not if Newt has anything to do with it! Using one of his recently captured beasts, he escapes the Aurors, teams up with Queenie, and together they retrieve Jacob and sneak out of MACUSA in search of the remaining escaped beasts. They are able to retrieve the last of the beasts, the Dougal and later the Occamy –  a magical creature capable of expanding or shrinking itself to fit any available space – after tricking it to shrink until it fit into a teapot.

The Suspense-Filled Finale

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Mary Lou Barebone
Mary Lou Barebone and her orphan children. L-R Mary Lou Barebone, Chastity Barebone, Credence Barebone and Modesty Barebone

Meanwhile at the orphanage, Credence is being falsely accused of possession of a wand found under his bed, but which really belongs to Modesty. Just as he’s about to be whipped as usual by Mary Lou, an Obscurial appears from nowhere and destroys the entire house and its inhabitants save for Credence and Modesty. This event makes Percival Graves suspect Modesty is the child from an ancient prophecy, and enlists the help of Credence to track her down. They track her to her old home where she used to live with her real family, and the events that happened thereafter will keep you in pure suspense.

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The Obscurial
Newt Scamader soothing the Obscurial – the form assumed by Credence in his rage

Credence reveals he was the child possessed by the Obscurial all along! (can you believe that?). Angry at all he has suffered, Credence lets loose and is unable to control the Obscurial anymore, thus leaving destruction in his path. Knowing what the Aurors would do to Credence if they find him, Newt rushes ahead of them to try to soothe Credence back to his former state.

But will he succeed? Why is the MACUSA so hellbent on destroying magic? What dirty little secret has Percival Graves been trying so hard to hide? And what will the future hold out for all the characters – good, fair or bad?

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