The Dom Reviews: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them

Dear God... I just read how they kill prisoners in wiki. THIS IS IN A KIDS MOVIE?!

Saw it less than an hour ago and thought it was pretty good in general. It is quite obvious that Rowling wrote it herself, since it felt a lot like a book type of story - you could quite easily divide it into "chapters". And, at the New York high society party, did anyone else think "so, that's what an American Downton Abbey would look like"?

Robin Isomaa

I was gonna see it, but then they announced there's gonna be like 173 more and I was like.... no. I'm leaving this cash cow alone.

I touched on many of the same points when I reviewed this one, except regarding this feeling like a contained, stand alone effort. I don't feel like we learned anything about Newt as a character (apart from 'quirky'), nor did he develop as the story progressed. Instead everything about him was a tease for a future instalment. His departure from Hogwarts, his lost love with a LeStrange...it was all left unexplained.

Jo and Gareth

90%? Well, so long as you don't blindly exaggerate it...

Jo and Gareth

As someone who doesn't fully understand American culture, why is it that referencing Native American culture is racist, but not British (Hogwarts), French (Beaubatons), or Scandinavia (Durmstang)? If it's because they are Caucasian, would it be the same if they referenced Japanese, Chinese, Indian (the country), Egyptian, or Aztec culture? I'm not trying to start a flame war, I genuinely want to understand why such a harsh sentiment comes about.

Will Herrmann

Terrence, your vocal impressions are hilarious. I agree with most of your review. The only thing I'd add is that I didn't care for the acting of the magic president lady. She was so deadpan in even the most dire of circumstances. "Contain this or we will all be exposed" she said like a cyberman. Lady, please emote - get some panic or emphasis in your words when the fate of magical secrecy and the threat of war hang in the balance.

Your Librarian

"But no. You couldn't let Britain have this one thing, could you?" Never mind that 90% of all celebrated English-language literature is British in origin or reputation. (Hell, the English language comes from Britain. English-speaking countries got their language from England!)

If you think setting a movie from the HP-verse in America is bad and makes us the "Kanye West of countries" you should see the ranting on Tumblr about Ilvermorny, about how "Rowling knows nothing about America" and claiming she's "appropriating Native American culture." They basically call her a racist.

Kanye West of the Countries? I've never heard put that way before but yeah I can see where you'd get that. And yeah it could have been anywhere BUT I did love seeing the American wizarding world. It's pretty cool and unique. Still don't worry you guys got Hogwarts and Potter.

Oh God, yes, the execution scene was so fucked up. Why is the killing curse so despised and yet enough people thought THAT is perfectly acceptable?!