Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

If you want science fiction that respects its own premise, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is available in Australia on HBO Max, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and Peacock Premium right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 19,788 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Eddie Redmayne sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Put it on tonight on HBO Max and see for yourself.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them treats its concept seriously enough to follow it all the way through. In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with 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, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations. The human element stays intact thanks to Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston, who anchor every scene. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them came out in 2016. The rules of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them's world are consistent enough that the big swings never feel like cheating. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Viewers burned by ambitious sci-fi that could not sustain its premise should give Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them a chance. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Watch for Eddie Redmayne in particular — the performance elevates the material. Satisfying on multiple levels.