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Thrilling, funny and a little bit sexy: J. K. Rowling's new film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is just magic

By Matthew Bond, Film Critic For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 21:30 EST, 12 November 2016 | Updated: 22:46 EST, 12 November 2016

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Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

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For five long years, Harry Potter fans have eagerly anticipated the latest spin-off to J. K. Rowling’s blockbuster series, and I am delighted to report it has been worth every second of the wait.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which I caught at its New York premiere on Thursday, is quite wonderful.

It’s every bit as good as Potter and quite possibly even better. I absolutely loved it.

Magical: Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston in the film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which held its premiere in New York this week, is quite wonderful

For five long years, Harry Potter fans have eagerly anticipated the latest spin-off to J. K. Rowling’s blockbuster series, and it has been worth every second of the wait

Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) is a magizoologist who travels the world with a battered suitcase which contains all the endangered magical animals that he has collected, such as a Niffler, a Bowtruckle and a vast pachyderm called an Erumpent.

But this is so much more than a film about silly-sounding animals. As Newt arrives in New York, he finds himself in desperate need of help.

For his arrival has coincided with a period of tension between the Magic Congress of the USA (Macusa) and what they call ‘non-majs’ but we know as muggles.

When some of his charges escape and cause chaos, the division widens dangerously.

This is so much more than a film about silly-sounding animals. As Newt arrives in New York, he finds himself in desperate need of help

His suitcase contains all the endangered magical animals that he has collected, such as a Niffler, a Bowtruckle and a vast pachyderm called an Erumpent

It’s every bit as good as Potter and quite possibly even better: It’s thrilling, funny and a little bit sexy too

Irish actor Colin Farrell plays the part of Percival Graves in the movie

But is it all Newt’s fault or are there darker forces afoot, such as the wizard Gindlewald (Johnny Depp)? Thank heavens, there’s a nice girl from Macusa, Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston), to help.

This is the first in a five-film series but sets such a high standard. Veteran Potter director David Yates paces things perfectly and Rowling’s story will delight fans.

It’s thrilling, funny and a little bit sexy too. I’m looking forward to part two already.