As a Harry Potter fan, I was ecstatic to go see "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." Directed by David Yates (who directed the last four "Harry Potter" films) and written by J.K. Rowling, we knew we were going to be receiving the best. Both a continuation of the world we love, and an entirely new story, here are the thoughts of a Harry Potter fan while watching "Fantastic Beasts."
*Warning, there are some spoilers.*
1. This is... different.
No Harry, no Hogwarts, no owls or Quidditch -- "Fantastic Beasts" certainly did have a different feel than any of the other films we've seen in the Wizarding World. We were following the story of adults in New York instead of our trio at Hogwarts. And although it admittedly was a bit jarring to begin with, entering back into that Harry Potter feeling was all too easy.
2. I did NOT know that.
The beautiful thing about being in a whole new wizarding environment, is that we get to see aspects of magic that we had zero experience with previously. (For example, fantastic beasts.) J.K. Rowling really got to expand the world for her fans, showing not only what wizards were like in a different time and place, but also showing us whole different dimensions of the magical world.
3. DUMBLEDORE!
Pretty much your reaction at that one subtle name drop.
4. Dun Dun Dun Dun Dun DUN DUN DUNNNN
(In case that caption wasn't clear, that's what you sing when you're singing the Harry Potter theme song.) As far as I could tell, we only heard that familiar melody once in the soundtrack of the movie, but when we did, it was emotional.
5. A muggle?
Possibly the luckiest muggle alive, Jacob Kowalski gets to see the full extent of the magical world, and he's the first muggle main character we've met. For the entire first half the of the film, the audience is waiting for him to get his memory wiped. But instead, he gets to see all the creatures in Newt's case and go on magical adventures.
6. JOHNNY DEPP?!
He plays Gellert Grindelwald (who only really appears for, like, five seconds at the end of the movie), who is considered to be a dark wizard even more evil than good ol' Voldemort. Grindelwald is mentioned several times in "Harry Potter," but we never really see him. So it seems like we're going to be seeing a lot of Johnny Depp in the next movies (there are apparently going to be five total) as the Wizarding World's super villain.
(See EW's full article on "Fantastic Beasts" for a full explanation on Grindelwald's history and character.)
7. Just kiss already!
I mean, sure, it does seem way more in character for Newt to run off and leave the audience with simply the promise that a romance with Tina might be in his future, but, I mean, COME ON. (Maybe this isn't a Harry Potter fan thing, maybe it's just a romantic-movie-lover thing.)
Well, until the next movie, at least we now have nine movies we can binge-watch.
