The Harry Potter franchise has always had dark moments. If you don’t believe this, just remember, Voldemort is Hitler and the Death Eaters are the Nazis. Without a boy destined to save the world and all the magical wonder, you’re essentially watching a film about World War II. There’s a scene that highlights this brilliantly in the second last film of the series. A witch who teaches about muggles is being tortured, floating over a table. She is surrounded by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The dark lord says that she would, if she had her way allow them to mate with muggles. The idea disgusts him. Hitler believed that the jewish and the disabled were no more than animals, demonstrated through propaganda. Now, you can take two things from this. First, there’s no such thing as completely original idea. Second, don’t believe the people who think Fantastic Beasts is going to be a fun jaunt through New York looking for magical creatures. There’s quite a lot of evidence gathering this isn’t the case. The Harry Potter universe could be about to put a magnifying glass over a violent and tragic part of society.
What Is Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them About?
Watching the trailer and reading the book, you’d be forgiven for thinking it is a fun monster romp. But the official synopsis does give the game away a little:
In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America for a meeting with an important official. At this meeting is a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt.
So far so good right? Nothing suggesting anything particularly sinister here. But if you read on:
The situation threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations, which is already in a dangerous place, due to the threatening presence of the fanatical New Salem Philanthropic Society, an extremist organization dedicated to the eradication of wizard-kind. Newt battles to correct the mistake, and the horrors of the resultant increase in violence, fear, and tension felt between magical and non-magical people.
Now we’re getting to what will provide the meat of the story and the drama. Yes, there will be some wonderful scenes of beautiful monsters being chased through New York. But my guess is there’s going to be a lot of focus on that second part. Particularly when it is of such incredible relevance and significance today.
Black Lives Matter, Donald Trump spreading fear, Brexit over immigration and the list goes on. JK Rowling has previously stated there is no villain in this story. My guess is she means the characters are victims of circumstance. There are agendas, motivations and all sides will, to a certain extent be understandable. We have moved past the days where baddies where black stetsons and goodies white.
So what could Fantastic Beasts be shining a light on? Well, there’s the way black lives are still being treated in America. The fear felt by and towards the muslim community due the ongoing threat of terror. All of these issues could be on display in this story, exposing them through fantasy. It’s not the first film to do this and it would be precisely the right time to release a film with this type of plot.
You might think I’m stretching with this speculation, but there is a key line in the latest trailer.
“I Won’t Let Another One Die”
Who is Newt talking about when he says this? A muggle, a wizard, a witch? I imagine it’s one of the beasts that is going to be collateral damage here, but I wouldn’t be too surprised to see a wizard or muggle die. The dark themes in Harry Potter have always been forgiven or glossed over by critics and audiences. Perhaps, because it’s so easy to separate it from reality and our world. It will be interesting to see is Fantastic Beasts is awarded the same response. Or will the depth in the story be too much, particularly for parents who are surely planning to take their children to see the next Harry Potter.
It’s not the first time issues like this have been approached by Rowling through Potter. The fourth book examined the issue of slavery through the treatment of the fictitious house elves. The mudbloods have their rights taken away towards the end of Order of The Phoenix. The fact that Harry Potter tackles issues like this could be the reason why subconsciously or consciously, so many people love them. Under the guise of magic and mayhem topics such as segregation, prejudice and extremism are all approached.
Of course, I could be wrong. Perhaps these types of themes are only lightly grazed, rather than being embedded in the story like Zootopia. I for one will be a little disappointed if there isn’t some more depth to this plot than a basic monster hunt as fun as that could be. The latest trailers and the synopsis do seem to be promising a little more.
Not to mention we have the casting of Eddie Redmayne. A man who certainly has the acting chops to tackle more serious themes, even in a fantasy film.
I suppose We’ll have to wait and see when Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them opens next month. If it delivers even slightly on the promise of the themes shown in the trailers, I think it could be a contender for one of the best films of the year.