When it comes to looking at any form of media, you’d have a hard time finding a more powerful and influential force than sheer nostalgia. And to help prove this theory, let’s look at the Harry Potter series, a film saga built entirely on nostalgia. Now, I’m not saying this as an immediate negative of the work itself but rather a side effect of the series as a whole. The film series started and concluded at precisely the right times to latch onto the global millennial mindset, creating that rare form of entertainment that people have grown up alongside with. Those who grew up on these films tend to reminisce on them with the same fidelity and clarity as their own real-life schooling experiences. In today’s era of YA films desperately trying to align themselves with teenaged kids, it’s surprising that this series managed to do everything that they have been aiming for without really trying for it. Naturally, with all this in mind, the announcement of a new film set in the same universe was met with the exploding of several animal heads from the shrill levels of squee that were uttered in response. But this is where the flip side of nostalgia kicks in; the thought that what is considered perfect through rose-tinted glasses cannot be improved upon, and any additions to the canon would only sully it. Well, time to put that to the test with today’s film.
The plot: Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in 1920’s
New York, carrying an enchanted briefcase full of magical creatures. When some
of the creatures escape and wreak havoc on the streets, he catches the
attention of the Magical Congress, specifically demoted Auror Tina (Katherine
Waterston) and Director of Magical Security Graves (Colin Farrell). In the
midst of his stop-over in New York, the Wizarding World is on the cusp of
all-out war with the Muggles/Non-Majs, and it’s up to Newt, Tina and bystander
Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) to not only retrieve the escaped creatures, but
also get to the bottom of a mysterious force that could end up shattering the
line between the normal world and the Wizarding World.
The cast here is really good with a lot of solid casting
choices. Redmayne has the gawky but clever Brit persona down pat by this point,
and he works well at making Newt come across as a little awkward but still
incredibly proficient when it comes to magical creatures. Waterston works well
as the very driven and determined witch who brings a lot of emotion to the
proceedings. The last film I saw Dan Fogler in was the woeful Good Luck Chuck,
so imagine my surprise at how well he plays this affable but loveable normie of
the main cast. He basically serves as the audience surrogate and he does a
tremendous job at channelling that. Alison Sudol as Tina’s sister is very sweet
and charming, Farrell is staggering in how he portrays the surprising depth of
his character in terms of morality and how flawlessly he does it, Samantha
Morton as the leader of a local anti-Wizarding organization keeps the character from
descending into blind hatefulness and comes across as surprisingly even, Ron
Perlman as the owner of a magical speakeasy is as memorable as you can expect
from one of the most cult-lauded actors in the realms of fantasy, and Ezra
Miller as the orphan Creedence is… holy shit, I promise you that you are not
prepared for how intense this guy gets.
Not only is this film an introduction into a different era
of the Wizarding World than what we saw through Harry Potter, but also a reintroduction into the Wizarding World
as a whole after a good five-year gap from almost back-to-back releases. In
that respect, this was probably one of the best ways of doing in many aspects.
For a start, it does a good job at bringing more of the rich series mythos into
the foreground through new locales, characters and creatures, all of which feel
like they fit right into the world that gave us Hogwarts. For another, its
depiction of those additions is done quite well through slightly wonky but very
creatively realized effects work, making this feel like a universe onto itself. I’ve made mention many times
before about how much regard I have for good world-building, and this is the
kind of film that highlights why I love it when it works as much as I do. I’d
hardly call Harry Potter a franchise that needs a new entry point for newcomers
but, with how well this film brings imagination to life through not only the
Wizarding World but how it is depicted in relation to the real world, this
works in that regard as well.
This isn’t exactly the most plot-heavy fantasy film I’ve
seen, in all honesty. Mainly a fun magic-filled adventure through old-timey New
York, this feels more like a sightseeing tour of the Wizarding World rather
than anything resembling strict narrative. That may sound like I’m badmouthing
the film, but far from it; if this is meant to give audiences a deeper look
into J.K. Rowling’s world, it does that spectacularly and I’m hardly in a mood
to argue with it. This is where the world-building aspect comes into play
because, between the locales like the magical speakeasy, the Magical Congress
and its occasionally terrifying aspects, not to mention how the very streets of
New York feel like they’re living and breathing without even a hint of magic
being used, this feels like an actual world. After sitting through so many
films, fantasy or otherwise, that fail to create that real sense of artificial
reality in their stories, trust Rowling to be able to bring standards back to
where they should.
Not that this film is entirely mindless, though; again, far
bloody from it, as this builds not only on the mythos but also the thematic
themes of Harry Potter. From Mudbloods to Voldemort’s magical Reich when he takes
over the Ministry of Magic, prejudice has been in the DNA of the series from
the beginning. However, for as much as it did indeed help give the series its
identity and some of its best dramatic moments, it’s always come across as
rather surface-level; just deep enough to make itself work but not so deep as
to warrant intense study. And then comes this film, which not only heavily
amplifies those notions of prejudice but also transmogrifies them into easily
the most morally complex addition to the canon.
This is mainly due to the Obscurus, the mysterious force that is tearing through the city, and Graves’ attempts to track it down. I’ll try not to get into heavy *SPOILERS* territory, but the way this film turns what was already a thinly-veiled bit of darkness from Harry Potter’s backstory and goes full force with it is astounding. Through not only very clever writing but also very stable acting, what should be a clear-cut example of taking down the dark forces turns into a situation where, more than anyone else, the audience sympathies more with the purported ‘dark wizard’ than the main good guys. For a series as morally basic as the one where Pale Noseless Hitler is the main bad guy, this is a remarkable breath of fresh air that shows an ability for variety that indicates rather good things if this is the kick-starter for a new film series. Not only that, the way it highlights how institutes like Hogwarts are so desperately needed in this world strengthens the series’ mythos even more.
This is mainly due to the Obscurus, the mysterious force that is tearing through the city, and Graves’ attempts to track it down. I’ll try not to get into heavy *SPOILERS* territory, but the way this film turns what was already a thinly-veiled bit of darkness from Harry Potter’s backstory and goes full force with it is astounding. Through not only very clever writing but also very stable acting, what should be a clear-cut example of taking down the dark forces turns into a situation where, more than anyone else, the audience sympathies more with the purported ‘dark wizard’ than the main good guys. For a series as morally basic as the one where Pale Noseless Hitler is the main bad guy, this is a remarkable breath of fresh air that shows an ability for variety that indicates rather good things if this is the kick-starter for a new film series. Not only that, the way it highlights how institutes like Hogwarts are so desperately needed in this world strengthens the series’ mythos even more.
All in all, an exemplary addition to the Harry Potter canon
that not only reminds audiences of what made it so good and memorable in the
first place but also builds on previous themes to create a story that well and
truly stands on its own as a good bit of fantasy storytelling. The acting is
top-notch, with a very impressive turn from Colin Farrell, the effects work is
a little off in places but still succeeds in bringing more of the Wizarding
World to life and the writing reaches new avenues for the series that, if this
does lead to a new film series, sets a very impressive precedent.
No comments:
Post a Comment