Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them burst onto screens in 2016, promising a thrilling expansion of the beloved Wizarding World. It introduced a vibrant new setting in 1920s magical America, complete with dazzling spellwork, enchanting creatures, and truly awesome visuals that transported audiences to a bygone era. Yet, despite its undeniable charm and spectacle, something felt a little off for many viewers, a narrative untidiness that prevented it from soaring as high as it could have.
The Original Story’s Stumbles
Perhaps the film’s greatest strength, ironically, highlighted some of its most significant weaknesses: the inclusion of Jacob Kowalski, the bewildered No-Maj baker. Dragging this ordinary man through the extraordinary wizarding world was a masterstroke, grounding the fantastical elements and providing an audience surrogate who reacted with genuine awe, fear, and humor. Jacob quickly became the heart of the movie, our primary connection to the sheer wonder and terror of magic. But this very strength inadvertently cast a spotlight on areas where the film’s narrative faltered.
For one, the central plot of chasing escaped magical creatures across Manhattan, while delightful and visually inventive, often felt like a distraction from the larger, darker, and ultimately more crucial story unfolding. While delightful, these capers often pulled focus from the insidious rise of Gellert Grindelwald and the terrifying emergence of the Obscurus. The sheer spectacle of magic, much like in the later Harry Potter films, at times seemed to overshadow deeper character work. Newt Scamander himself, the supposed protagonist, largely lacked a compelling internal journey. He remained flat, his initial awkwardness and creature-loving nature consistent throughout. His sudden, almost unearned shift into an action hero, bravely facing down danger in the climax, felt far-fetched, devoid of the emotional buildup that makes such moments truly impactful. This disconnect was particularly jarring given that he often faced these crucial confrontations without his iconic suitcase, the very core of his character and the film’s title, making his actions feel inconsistent with his established reliance on his fantastic beasts.
The concept of the Obscurus, a dark force born from a child repressing their magic, was undeniably brilliant – a poignant metaphor for abuse and psychological torment. Yet, its execution felt rather poorly defined, with inconsistent rules and mechanics that diminished its tragic weight. Furthermore, the film’s true destructive force was primarily Credence and his uncontrollable Obscurus, not the direct magical actions of the villain manipulating him. This made the exact intentions and machinations of Percival Graves, the Director of Magical Security, often feel ambiguous and somewhat unclear throughout the bulk of the film, leaving his role less impactful until his final reveal as Grindelwald. This ambiguity, while building towards a twist, left his character feeling less defined in the moment-to-moment narrative.
An Alternative with a Muggle in the Lead
Given that Jacob Kowalski was such a clear highlight, a true link with the audience, it’s compelling to imagine an alternative plot where he takes a more central role, if not the outright lead. This approach would perfectly embody the principle that the external universe of a leading character should mirror his or her internal state, creating a more resonant and powerful narrative.
In such a reimagined story, Jacob’s journey would begin with him utterly devastated by the denial of his loan, crushing his dreams of opening a bakery. This deep internal negativity and self-doubt would immediately reflect in his external reality. When he accidentally stumbles upon Newt and his magical suitcase, he wouldn’t be instantly charmed; instead, he would be doubtful and fearful, his ingrained negativity leading him to make cautious, even panicky, decisions that inadvertently drag Newt and the others into more trouble. Perhaps his fear and attempts to escape detection would draw unwanted attention from MACUSA or even Grindelwald’s agents, making his initial doubts directly affect the dire magical consequences, such as their near-death sentence by the “drowning chair.” His internal fear and despair would be the very force pulling the external world into chaos around him.
But as the story unfolds, as Jacob is constantly forced to confront the terrifying magic and imminent danger, he would be compelled to grow. Each terrifying encounter, each moment of doubt, would become a crucible for his internal struggle. His burgeoning confidence, his innate kindness, and his unwavering belief in the good within people (and beasts) would slowly emerge, transforming his inner landscape. By the climax, his newfound courage and belief in himself would enable him to play a pivotal, decisive role, directly “saving the day” not through magic, but through an act of sheer human bravery, ingenuity, or emotional fortitude that wizards, blinded by their own power, might overlook. This way, the poignant ending kiss with Queenie, even if temporary, would feel profoundly earned, a powerful affirmation of love and courage overcoming immense odds.
Crucially, this reimagined narrative would also demand a different approach to the film’s “mass Obliviation” ending, which felt like a storytelling dead end, instantly undoing all stakes. Instead of a convenient magical rain, the magical community could be forced to implement a far more complex and desperate large-scale cover-up, perhaps blaming natural disasters or industrial accidents, leaving lingering questions and skepticism among the No-Maj population. Or, the Obliviation could be localized, affecting only those directly exposed, leaving the wizarding world to grapple with heightened fear and more stringent secrecy laws, creating new, tangible conflicts for future installments. Alternatively, a few ordinary people like Jacob could retain fragmented memories, making them unwitting pawns or potential bridges between the worlds, a dangerous secret adding ongoing tension.
Ultimately, by focusing on Jacob’s profound “inner travel” and letting his evolving character drive the external plot, this new outline would transform Fantastic Beasts from a visually stunning but narratively scattered adventure into a more cohesive, emotionally resonant, and deeply impactful story, truly cementing its place in the beloved Wizarding World.
Thanks for stopping by!
Ira
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