The “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” movie premiered on November 18th, 2016. It covers the adventures of Newt Scamander exactly seventy years before we are introduced to the world of Harry Potter at Hogwarts. The movie takes place in a 1926 New York, where dark forces are causing destruction and turmoil within the city. J.K. Rowling is just getting started with this fantastic new series. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” gives fans the ultimate time travel to the early years of wizardry and an inside look into an enchanted briefcase filled with some of the most powerful creatures.

Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, is an employee of the Ministry of Magic, a magizoologist and a former student at Hogwarts. Scamander is quirky and shy, but nothing short of brilliant. Scamander has spent his time traveling the world in effort to save magical beasts and to one day, become an author and educate his fellow wizards on how to keep the magical beasts safe. His book on how to protect fantastic beasts will later fall into the hands of in Harry Potter at Hogwarts.

 At the beginning of the movie, there is a dark force wreaking havoc in the streets of New York City. Oblivious to the destruction going on, Newt Scamander arrives in New York City, briefcase in hand, continuing his journey to rescue magical creatures. Trouble occurs when a no-maj named Jacob Kowalski accidentally unleashes some of the magical beasts from the briefcase. When the no-maj is exposed to the magical realm, Tina Goldstein, (Katherine Waterston) a former employee of the Magical Congress of USA, steps in. Tina is a practical, collected, and courage comes natural to her. Despite Tina’s intentions to turn Newt in, things take an unfortunate turn for the both of them. When a series of sudden deaths occur by a dark force, Newt’s briefcase is taken into custody where an Obscurus, which is a volatile force that awakens when a young witch or wizard suppresses their magic, is found inside. On the other hand, the beasts that escaped are still on the loose. Nonetheless, Tina, her sister Queenie, Newt, and surprisingly, the no-maj Jacob Kowalski, team up to find all the escaped fantastic beasts and bring them back before they are captured into dangerous hands.

Among Jacob Kowalski’s humor, Tina Goldstein’s level-headedness, Queenie’s flirtatious side, and Newt’s dedication and intellect, this group provides their audience with a feeling as if they are on the adventure with them. It is evident that this group is nothing but ordinary compared to other movies. The peculiar mix of characters and their unique personalities makes them an even more entertaining group to watch.

A strange connection is made when Leda Lestrange, who is not particular seen in person in the movie but rather, she’s seen in a photograph that Newt Scamander stores in his briefcase. Remember the Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange? There was a hint in the movie that the two women may share a possible connection. As viewers, we can only prepare to see the relationship between the faultless Newt Scamander and the possibly not so flawless, Leda Lestrange, play out in the upcoming series.

Buried beneath all of the beast chasing and strange deaths, the film has an eerie, foreshadowing side, which brings an extreme level of darkness. Before Voldemort reigned as the most evil wizard, the wizarding world was victimized by the villainous ways of Gellert Grindelwald. Fans can fill in the gaps by going back to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where a major piece to Grindelwald’s past involves an accident, resulting in the death of Dumbledore’s sister. Her death was so traumatic that it resulted in ruining Grindelwald’s friendship with Dumbledore and Grindelwald fled. Although, these details are not exactly in the movie, they are left for the viewer to make the connection themselves. As Rowling has hinted in her tweets, more details of Dumbledore and Grindelwald will be revealed in the upcoming films of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them.”

Overall, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is the ultimate connection to the early wizarding world. This is only the beginning of a new phenomenon, which raises anticipation for all fans of what is to come.     

Click here to catch a glimpse of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”