Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Poster

In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.

Film Overview
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is a 2016 dream movie, directed by David Yates and composed by J.K. Rowling. It's a prequel to the Harry Potter series, set in 1926 New York. The film follows the story of Newt Scamander, a British wizard and magizoologist, and his wonderful adventures.

Plot Summary
The film starts with Newt Scamander, a British wizard, showing up in the bustling city of New York bring a strange travel suitcase housing a variety of wonderful animals. When a few of these animals mistakenly get away, Newt draws the attention of both the wizarding and No-Maj (Non-Magical) neighborhoods.

Throughout his mission to recuperate his animals, Newt accidentally changes travel suitcases with a No-Maj named Jacob Kowalski. This leads to more mayhem as Jacob unwittingly releases a few of the wonderful creatures into the streets of New York.

Linking Storyline
In the middle of the unfolding mayhem, a darker storyline begins to take shape. A destructive wonderful entity known as Obscurus has been creating chaos in New York, and the American wizarding neighborhood, headed by the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), struggles to stop it while keeping the wizarding world a trick. Suspicion falls upon Newt due to the turmoil brought on by his missing animals while the true roots of the Obscurus lay elsewhere.

Characters and Development
Newt befriends Queenie Goldstein and her sis Tina, both previous Aurors in the MACUSA. Together, they partner with Jacob to help Newt in recapturing his left beasts. Along the way, they unravel a sinister plot involving dark magic and deceptiveness connected to the track record of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.

Climax and Resolution
The climax reveals that Credence, a repressed wizard, has been the Obscurus all along. A confrontation unfolds where Percival Graves, a high-ranking official at MACUSA, is exposed to be Gellert Grindelwald in camouflage. He attempts to persuade Credence to harness his damaging power against those who have oppressed him.

In a heartbreaking standoff, Credence is eliminated, Grindelwald is caught and the wizarding world is protected from direct exposure thanks to Newt's thunderbird. In the end, Newt departs New York, leaving Jacob with the required resources to restart his pastry shop; a wonderful memory-removal rain spares him of his magical experiences.

Final Thoughts
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" stands out for Rowling's enchanting storytelling and imaginative visualization. The spectacular visual effects and the large selection of beasts considerably enhance the fantastical components of the film. The performances, particularly Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, are compelling and the plot provides a wonderful story, resounding with the familiar beauties of Harry Potter while developing a world of its own. The film is the first in the "Fantastic Beasts" series and sets an interesting platform for the sequels.

Top Cast