WB's 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' original script by J.K. Rowling - Part 1

[Sleiek]

Never read the books but PoA is my favourite and I really enjoyed GoF which is a very close second.

 

[Octoberist]

Those two movies should've been split up, not the last book.

 

[Octoberist]

I still get mad how some characters (like Ginny or even Lupin and his girl) get the short end of the deal.

 

[jmc]

It seems like it was written directly for the fans, instead of a broad audience. Not so much on the lingo and terminologies but the other stuff? Like knowing who the Goldstein sisters and the big baddie are, historically speaking, and their significant to the lore?

I think the main issue is there's a real lack of set up for just about everything. All the terminology wouldn't be an issue if it was explain a little better. That goes for the characters too, it's almost like this isn't the first film in this series, that this is actually the second or third movie and we already know everything about Scamander, the Magical Congress and general wizardry in the US.

 

[tanita_mors]

One thing is nagging at me. When does Grindewald get the Elder wand in cannon ? Because I'm not sure he had it in this movie. But this is 20 years before his duel with Albus, so there is room for that.

 

[Octoberist]

AHHHHHH..I see. I can see doing too much.

Like the basis of 'Fantastic Beasts' could've been a Pokemon Go type movie alone. But that's not enough narrative weight to carry a movie, hence adding in the new American stuff, along with the emergence of the new (or old) villain.

So as the movies go on, it'll be less about Newt and his textbook, and more about Dumbledore and his fight against former..maybe male lover? I can see that happening.

 

[tanita_mors]

In a way yeah. there is newt and his beasts, but the real story is this mystery that is happening in new york that may or may not have something to do with grindewald. it's intertwined solidly enough, but it's obvious that the beasts are a secondary plot line.

in the trailers it looked like the political upheaval and impending war was going to be teased rather then dominate. i'd say it's a 60/40 split in favor of the political intrigue and mystery compered to the fantastical beasts.

 

[jmc]

In a way yeah. there is newt and his beasts, but the real story is this mystery that is happening in new york that may or may nt have something to do with grindewald. it's intertwined solidly enough, but it's obvious that the beasts are a secondary plot line.

I guess that kinda through me off a bit, because I assumed the entire plot of the movie would be about having to capture all of these escaped magical creatures.

 

[Octoberist]

Even then, how would that be interesting. I would think after a while, it would be difficult to make the whole monster catching plot less tedious.

 

[tanita_mors]

I guess that kinda through me off a bit, because I assumed the entire plot of the movie would be about having to capture all of these escaped magical creatures.

That really would have been a Pokemon GO movie. Thank God that that isn't the case.

 

[Octoberist]

Yeah..I just can't see how that would be interesting enough for a two hour movie.

 

[tanita_mors]

I would watch a two hour movie featuring the shenanigans with this guy. He is just obsessed with anything and everything that shines and will stop at nothing to get it. HE has two excellent staring scenes. The real star of the movie. I want one. t:

 

[Marvolo]

I guess that kinda through me off a bit, because I assumed the entire plot of the movie would be about having to capture all of these escaped magical creatures.

That would have been awful.

 

[TheVileOne]

The Potter movies though had at the very least interesting characters. FB lacks that. I couldn't even tell you the names of half the characters in this movie.

I agree. There is no one as interesting and likable in Beasts as the original Harry Potter films. All actors at a young age had distinct characters.

Scamander, he's an introvert and not very charismatic. That's fine and everything. But no one really balances him out.

The plot does meander around a bit.

This is just my opinion but I think what needed to happen is that Scamander basically needs to get caught right after he goes to New York and put before the MACUSA. So it's like, "you better clean this up in such and such time or you're dead." Just because the story seems to struggle up until these points.

In a way yeah. there is newt and his beasts, but the real story is this mystery that is happening in new york that may or may not have something to do with grindewald. it's intertwined solidly enough, but it's obvious that the beasts are a secondary plot line.

in the trailers it looked like the political upheaval and impending war was going to be teased rather then dominate. i'd say it's a 60/40 split in favor of the political intrigue and mystery compered to the fantastical beasts.

I think my issue with the writing though is that Scamander isn't even aware of the mystery or the danger until more than halfway into the movie.

 

[Marvolo]

One thing is nagging at me. When does Grindewald get the Elder wand in cannon ? Because I'm not sure he had it in this movie. But this is 20 years before his duel with Albus, so there is room for that.

He stole it when he was young. In his 20s. We see it happen in Deathly Hallows during one of Harry's visions. Here is a screenshot of it:

So he has the elder wand at the time of Fantastic Beasts.

 

[tanita_mors]

I think my issue with the writing though is that Scamander isn't even aware of the mystery or the danger until more than halfway into the movie.

But why would he be aware. He just arrived in NY - knows no one there, and the incidents have already been happening for some time. Then his beasts get lose and everyone wants to pretend that that was the problem all along, just catch his creatures and the problem is over. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. And once he is aware of the "problem" i love the fact that he identifies it right of the bat (as he would know what it is) - and then the magical congress knows what they are after.

 

[tanita_mors]

He stole it when he was young. In his 20s. We see it happen in Deathly Hallows during one of Harry's visions. Here is a screenshot of it:

So he has the elder wand already.

that's what i thought so. i didn't see it, but i don't always pay attention to details during a first viewing.

 

[TheVileOne]

But why would he be aware. He just arrived in NY - knows no one there, and the incidents have already been happening for some time. Then his beasts get lose and everyone wants to pretend that that was the problem all along, just catch his creatures and the problem is over. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. And once he is aware of the "problem" i love the fact that he identifies it right of the bat (as he would know what it is) - and then the magical congress knows what they are after.

To me that's the problem of the writing.

 

[jmc]

A review I was listening to said it felt like there were two movies trying to merge together, and I can't say I disagree with it. There's a real lack of focus on what exactly the core of this story is, is it about Newt trying to find lost creatures or is it a story about magic consuming someone? The film doesn't seem to know which of these two things it wants to be.

 

[Marvolo]

How is that any different from rhe Harry Potter movies? All of them have Harry's school stories (day to day school life, quidditch, tri wizard tournament, umbridge, half blood prince book etc) and the larger threads (the philosopher's stone, COS and basalisk attacks, Sirius, Voldemort's return and the mystery of who is puttng Harry in harm's way, Harry's visions and the Department of Mysteries, Voldemort's plot to have Draco assassinate Dumbledore, the memories about Voldemort's life...)

 

[fancyarcher]

Never read the books but PoA is my favourite and I really enjoyed GoF which is a very close second.

I've read all the books, and my favorite is GOF (the movie unfortunately butchered the book a bit, but I still quite like it), my favorite Potter film is probably DHP2, although I always go back between that and POA.

 

[jmc]

How is that any different from rhe Harry Potter movies? All of them have Harry's school stories (day to day school life, quidditch, tri wizard tournament, umbridge, half blood prince book etc) and the larger threads (the philosopher's stone, COS and basalisk attacks, Sirius, Voldemort's return and the mystery of who is puttng Harry in harm's way, Harry's visions and the Department of Mysteries, Voldemort's plot to have Draco assassinate Dumbledore, the memories about Voldemort's life...)

One is executed better than the other.

 

[Drizzle]

Those two movies should've been split up, not the last book.

There was no need. Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire pretty much got all of the essentials from the books. The one glaring omission from POA was the backstory of the Marauders. GOF had a little bit more excised from the book, but it didn't really effect the narrative. Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince are a different story, those had too much important stuff left out of the films, especially HBP. While I appreciated that Deathly Hallows was split into two films since it adapted most of the book, I do think they could have done it in one 3-hour film. But, you know, money.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

All the movies after the first 2 could have used another 15 mins, except for the last two. Should have been one movie.

 

[Guts]

There was no need. Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire pretty much got all of the essentials from the books. The one glaring omission from POA was the backstory of the Marauders. GOF had a little bit more excised from the book, but it didn't really effect the narrative. Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince are a different story, those had too much important stuff left out of the films, especially HBP. While I appreciated that Deathly Hallows was split into two films since it adapted most of the book, I do think they could have done it in one 3-hour film. But, you know, money.

You know the school romance is way better Voldemort's origin. Which would you rather have?

This

or this