Critic Reviews About Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

As promised, the title critters in Fantastic Beasts are whimsically entertaining and occasionally as entrancing as those animals crawling through a medieval illuminated manuscript.
Manohla Dargis
The NYTimes

“Fantastic Beasts” does double-duty as yet another imagination-tickling fantasy adventure and a deeply troubled commentary on tolerance, fear, and bigotry in the world today.
Peter Debruge
Variety

Immersing yourself in JK Rowling’s magical universe is always entertaining, but fans should know that this exploration of America’s wizarding world is definitely a more grown-up movie.
Sandie Angulo Chen
Common Sense Media

The picture—directed by David Yates, who also gave us the last four Harry Potter films—feels both sprawling and crowded, as if it were trying to pack too much mythology into one cramped crawlspace.
Stephanie Zacharek
Time

Rowling’s quintessentially British fantasy seems to have lost a chunk of its appeal in being moved to the United States.
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky
A.V. Club

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a solid Harry Potter series movie but often prioritizes setup over memorable drama or spellbinding action.
Ben Kendrick
Screen Rant

This time the script is by Dame J.K. herself, and from the outset — before we’ve even gotten to know the characters or the stakes — it’s hectic, cluttered, and ineptly staged.
David Edelstein
Vulture

With the debut of this new character, Redmayne has a tall order: make himself not just lovable, in two hours, but indispensible. There are already four “Beasts” sequels planned.
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post

Extravagant creatures of digital descent can’t sustain a story that does little more than set the scene for a long string of sequels.
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal

Much of this movie’s magicking revolves around Harry Potter-style witchcraft.
Bob Hoose
Plugged In