Wands, Magic and Beasts, Oh My!

I think all authors and fans like myself, find inspiration and admiration from J.K. Rowling, and there are millions of Harry Potter fans. However, in my honest opinion...Fantastic Beasts is far off course in the fantasy genre.

The world J.K. Rowling created for Harry Potter, made far more sense from beginning to end. Plus, reading the books helps understand the story.

Fantastic Beasts (FB) starts out with wizardry newspapers, showing all these disasters occurring but how are we supposed to know what they mean if nothing's explained? The film didn't have the courtesy of introducing the story with a monologue or anything. It jumped from the opening newspaper credits...to an almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell searching for something that destroyed a neighborhood...then to the protagonist, Newt (Eddie Redmayne) traveling to New York for an unknown purpose.

Now, a few friends of mine told me they were excited to see this film, but once getting into the first hour, they left the theater.

I asked them why?

Their answer? Because they found it boring.

Okay, well...I thought I might enjoy it. I was wrong.

I got 48 minutes into the film and I too, found it a little boring and slow. There were so many unanswered questions and I know you must fully watch a film in order to understand it, but if the first hour doesn't lure me in...then I can't watch it any further. Just like any good book you pick up; after a few pages, if it doesn't begin with some sort of plot, then you know it's going to be a boring read.

I mean...who is this Newt, really?

Where did he come from?

Is he from Hogwarts?

Did Dumbledore send him?

Who's this...kid, Colin Farrell's character is looking for?

Is it Voldermort?

And oh, wow...what's up with that crazy world hidden inside Newt's suitcase? Is it a sanctuary or zoo for animals of the wizardry world?

There were too many fantasy elements to grasp hold of and they really went wild with it.

Scenes jumped from one to the other, which is just another pet-peeve of mine when it comes to movies.

I admire J.K. Rowling as I said in the beginning, but I think this new story has lost its way. But then again...this is just my opinion and review and I can't speak for others that loved the movie.

My rating for FANTASTIC BEASTS and WHERE TO FIND THEM, is a bleak 3 and a half stars.

Sorry, J.K!