Mixed Reactions to ‘Fantastic Beasts’

Michael Payne, Staff Reporter

Want to be enthralled again by the Harry Potter movies? Want to become captivated with more of the magic universe? That will happen when you see “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” an action-packed magical fantasy adventure. Definitely a movie for magic lovers!

After seeing the movie the first time, my impression was that it seemed too long and was dreadful.  Watching it a second time, however, opened my eyes to a new adventure. You really have to look into the depths of the movie to get what’s really happening.   

I didn’t know what to expect, but I liked it. It was a really good way to show what happened before Harry Potter’s time.

— David and Caitlin Siskin

The main character isn’t really that great and doesn’t really pull the story along. The real hero is the nomad – the character that does not possess the power to cast magical spells.

Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), the nomad, really pulled the weight the main character failed to lift. He was a really lovable character who brought humor into the movie.

Some of the horrible things in this movie, like the plot holes, didn’t totally ruin the story. It seemed like they were trying to make the story more kid friendly. Some of the groundbreaking spells, for example, seemed to completely defy logic.

Coming out of the movie theater, I heard mixed opinions all around. David and Caitlin Siskin said, “I didn’t know what to expect, but I liked it. It was a really good way to show what happened before Harry Potter’s time.” They loved the unexpected twists and turns.

Lori Ferriell, on the other hand, hated the movie. “I thought it’d be more like the Harry Potter films. This film just doesn’t seem to be what I thought it would. The movie was also super long, and I generally didn’t like it.”

No doubt, the movie could have been better. It is more suited for little kids who love magic and the Harry Potter realm.

Jess Crawford summed up the main mixed reactions: “The movie was way too long, and I didn’t really know what to expect — but overall the movie was good.”

“Fantastic Beasts” had good intentions, but could have been much better divided into two shorter films.