Question: How could the Erumpent the size of a whale escape out of Newt's case without Newt around, without his help (magic)? Can Erumpents shrink themselves like Occamies?
Doc
20th Jun 2017
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Answer: This might actually be a valid mistake. The exit of the suitcase is depicted as being inside a hut, at the ceiling. A savanna creature like that would not even consider that to be a route it might be able to take, because that requires (sorry for the pun) out-of-the-box thinking.
Perhaps that would be true for a non-magical creature; however, there are numerous references in the Wizarding World canon to magical creatures have human-like cognitive abilities (Kneazles are one prominent example), so perhaps Erumpents fall into the same category.
I agree under normal circumstances the creature wouldn't try to escape. However, as Newt pointed out, this creature was in mating season and was looking for a partner; which is why she went to the zoo as there were the closest creatures she sensed to herself. Animals going out of their natural habitat when they sense a potential mating partner is a natural survival instinct real animals do. As real animals do this, it makes sense this creature would do the same thing as a real animal.
As said elsewhere, the exit is depicted as in the ceiling. Erumpets aren't displaying any intelligence beyond that of a bull or rhinoceros. Climbing out through a roof hatch is not in their behavioral patterns, mating season or not. A bull won't climb a ladder, no matter how many cows are on the roof.
19th Dec 2018
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Character mistake: Toward the end of the movie, the behavior of Newt is totally out of character - not just for him, but for any sane person. Newt tries to save Credence, and he has just gotten him to stop attacking and actually listening - when the other wizards blast what Newt knows to be essentially a traumatized and abused child to kingdom come. But Newt isn't the least bit distressed or mad, he just shrugs it off in a "shit happens, life goes on" kind of manner, catches Grindelwald for them and helps them save the world, happy as a flea and not giving a damn about the recent death of Credence. Only a complete and utter sociopath would be totally unmoved by the death of a child they were trying to save. A sane, feeling person (like Newt) should be at the president's throat spells blazing, cursing her and the whole American Wizard-hood to the nether regions of hell and not giving a blue damn whether or not they are exposed and in trouble, and whether or not Grindelwald goes free, because in that moment, in his eyes they would be hardly better than him. It is even more out of character since Newt is until that moment depicted as extremely protective of his creatures.
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Suggested correction: Newt certainly does show sorrow for not being able to save Credence, but you are putting too much on Newt. Through the whole movie we are shown and told multiple times that Tina is the one close to Credence. She is the one who saved him once before and lost her job for it. Newt is a stranger and tries to help. And also not a powerful enough wizard enough to start fighting the President and her aurors. You decide he shows no emotion which he does, but at the end of the day he is not the one with closest connection to Credence.
Yes, he does show sorrow (which I never claimed he didn't), but only for a moment, and not nearly as much as say he earlier showed when his suitcase, containing mere animals, was taken from him. His reaction neither feels natural nor would be considered normal in a psychological review. Also you completely overlook the fact that newt is close to Tina, and come to think of it, her reaction is hardly normal either considering her history with Newt. Yes, admittedly I drew a rather colorful picture of a possible reaction newt might show, "spells blazing" is probably a bit on the extreme side. He'd probably rather tell her to go to hell and solve her own problems though instead of being eager to help.
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Chosen answer: Erumpents cannot change their size, however the suitcase is itself enchanted to allow objects of any size to enter and exit its magically expanded interior. Newt's presence is not required for this.
Phixius ★