This was a nice spin-off from the Harry Potter series which I found boring two movies in but I will always have a favorable attitude to the novels because getting children to enjoy reading is critical. Somara told me the “book” this is based on is really a bestiary on magic creatures so Rowling and others had to make up a plot. Works for me. Kubrick just ad libbed what was in the novel form of A Clockwork Orange.
As per the pilot, wizard/Hogwart’s dropout Newt comes to New York in the Twenties carrying a magical case filled with the title’s creatures. Through a series events, a couple get loose and proceed to wreak havoc upon the metropolis. It doesn’t help that there’s a fringe element led by Mrs. Barebone demanding a second Salem to eradicate the witches amongst us; Newt’s “luggage” gives Barebone some credibility to a skeptical public and newspaper. We also discover there’s an entire American infrastructure to police and educate future wizards/witches (Ilvermorny).
Overall I did like Beasts due to my personal weakness for seeing stuff set in the Twenties, a period I would use a time machine to see firsthand. The story is predictable but at least there was a focus on magic being a tool, not the macguffin for another boarding school soap opera. Also having a main character without magical power worked well to comedic effect; he’s the audience’s surrogate.
Will Harry Potter fans like this? I have no idea. I’ve been told by those more in the know, it has been divisive film. To me, I think it’s a nice addendum like Rogue One will be to the Star Wars franchise. Plus, it’s an inspiration to run a d20 Modern Urban Arcana campaign or plane hop from D&D.
Alamo Extras: Silent movie showing magic tricks through jump cuts; stop-motion movie of Chip the Woodman; a Japanese woman wearing the sorting hat and then going nuts when she meets Daniel Radcliffe; a movie showing kids in line to meet JK Rowling in the late Nineties; Robot Chicken‘s Voldemort gag; Japanese monkey show; Funny or Die’s bit with David Copperfield showing how Harry Potter ripped him off.