Check out what the critics are saying aboutFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themin the review excerpts below.
And like those films, its phantasmagorical special effects are easy on the eyes.
So why doesFantastic Beastsfeel so oddly lifeless?
Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Why doesnt it cast more of a spell?
First, there are the performances, which aside from Redmaynes are surprisingly flat.
And second, the thinness of the source material gives the whole film a slightly padded feeling.
Maybe this is all necessary table-setting that will lead to bigger payoffs in chapters 2 through 5.
Because for a movie stuffed with so many weird and wondrous creatures, there isnt nearly enough magic.
They strike a savvy balance between shiny new elements and recognisable ones for Potterheads.
Redmayne radiates a wet-eyed warm glow as stumbling, bashful Newt an English wizard in New York.
And Redmaynes lovely performance sets up the emotional core of the franchise.
So yes, the magic is still there.
(Avoid IMDB if you want that cameo to surprise you.)
