The titular beasts themselves are imaginative and fascinating, and how Scamander is connected to the beasts is an interesting commentary on how humans treat something they are not aware of in a negative manner. When the film isn’t dark and scary it’s also quite funny which is a breath of fresh air from the persistent gloom and doom of the previous four films.

If you are a Potterhead, you do not need a reason. But if action is your thing, Fantastic Beasts blends fantasy with it to suit your needs. Catch the movie in 3D to experience the best of the special effects. 

And its shortcomings notwithstanding, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is thoroughly enigmatic and essential to be experienced on the big screen.

There is enough escapist entertainment, from well-staged battle sequences and signature British wit to explorations of Scamander’s never-ending suitcase (occasionally hampered by stodgy CGI), to make the film perfectly primed for the dreary times in which humanity finds itself.