Some people find the Twilight Saga tacky, poorly written and peculiar, but it is for this reason I believe the franchise has become a best-seller. This movie pushed the boundaries of what vampires and other super natural creatures had always been.
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” was a decent movie, but it didn’t live up to the expectations I had set for it. The overall quality of the computer-generated imagery was extremely poor; especially considering the budget for the film was $120 million.
The movie closely follows the plot of the book. Bella Swan, played by Kristen Stewart, awakens as a vampire and indulges in the abilities her new form has granted her. Her ever-adoring husband, Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson, notes Bella’s transformation to immortality suited her exceptionally well.
Next, Bella meets her half-human, half-vampire child, Renesmee Cullen, played by Mackensie Foy, who takes a less-than significant role in the plot of the movie.
The Cullen family, Bella’s adopted vegetarian-vampire (vampires who drink the blood of animals, instead of humans) family, also stars in the film, but so does fan-favorite Jacob Black, a shape-shifting member of the Quileute tribe, played by Taylor Lautner.
In “Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” Black imprints on Renesmee, and in part two he continues to be a guiding figure in the child’s accelerated life.
Following Bella’s first dramatic feeding as a vampire, the movie becomes choppy. What could have been illustrated more smoothly was compressed for what I assume was dramatic effect, a failure on the part of the director and staff.
One of the biggest assets the movie brought to the table was one of the final scenes Stephanie Meyers and director Bill Condon created for the movie – a scene that was not in the book.
And I can assure every Twilight fan, your jaw will drop. The only problem I have with the scene is that if you follow the saga, you will know it was not a possibility, because Alice’s gift has a clearly-defined limitation – she can’t see the wolves in her visions.
The gifts some vampires receive upon transformation were exceptionally illustrated in this movie, almost all of them, except for Bella’s.
Vampire gifts are rare among the supernatural world. These gifts can include powers of premonition, telepathy, immense physical strength, psychic capabilities and defensive skills.
As a mental shield, Bella single handedly stopped the Volturi’s soldiers’ offensive gifts – gifts of offensive psychic might. This feat is poorly illustrated in the film.
The overall plot was lacking in storytelling elements, but that fact can almost be overlooked purely due to the epic nature of the unexpected scene.
That scene pits the Cullens and their wolf friends against the intimidating might of the Volturi, the sinister, Italian-royalty of the vampire world.
Despite a slow start to the film, the final movie ends in a positive manner. The fans get their fair share of passion and violence, something expressed clearly in the final book.
In the previous films, no one was thrilled with the acting ability of any of the cast but the latest installment surprised me in the fact that the performing of some of the cast was better than the previous films.
Every movie in the franchise had spots of poor acting and Stewart in this movie was no better than in past acts. She was stoic at times her character should have been expressing more heightened emotions.
In contrast, Patterson – who in previous films had been almost robotic – sprang to life in the final film. His character was more relaxed and human. This might have been the plan, as Bella, who was once seeing things as a human, in the final movie saw clearer life through a vampire’s keen sight.
The only problem with the theory is Stewart’s awkward performance as a vampire – a creature noted for its elegance, power and grace.
Lautner, the best actor within the love triangle, had a more mature role in the film as the protector of Renesmee and pulled off the transformation from teen into young adult very believably.
The Twihards, die-hard fans of Twilight, will be oblivious to the flaws of the movie, but normal fans can appreciate the movie while seeing the tremendous negatives.
Professional film critic Siobhan Synnot of the Scotsman did not have a glowing review of the movie, but what he said was a surprise.
“(It is) bloodier, funnier and even more ridiculous, the final chapter of this saga is better paced than the Potterthon,” Synnot said.
This statement gave many movie review enthusiasts pause.
Harry Potter is the book series that defines most millennials and their reading habits; the movies were an adventure the fans wished would have never ended. The final Harry Potter film wrapped up every detail and spared no expense in telling the whole story, something I feel Breaking Dawn parts one and two failed to accomplish.
Another professional critic, Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, was in the majority that states the final installment of the saga was better than the others, but that it was nothing of which to be proud.
“You’re going to hear a lot about ‘Breaking Dawn – Part 2’ being the best of the Twilight movies,” Travers said. “That’s like saying a simple head cold is preferable to swine flu.”
While I disagree with both their sentiments, I can understand from where both are coming. “Breaking Dawn – Part 2” lacked luster. Every member of the staff who created the movie knew its potential and they failed to create anything extraordinary.
The overall movie quality was poor, but for some reason it attracted a huge audience turnout.
In the first weekend alone “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” easily won the weekend box office with huge sales. In North America the movie grossed $141.3 million and worldwide numbers indicated ticket sales topped $340.9 million.
No one is saying the movie was phenomenal, but it is definitely worth seeing.
3.5 stars
Review by Chris Wilcox, News Editor.
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