Movie Review: Breaking Dawn 2

Cast:

Bella Cullen: Kristen Stewart

Edward Cullen: Robert Pattinson

Jacob Black: Taylor Lautner

Runtime: 1 hr 55 min

Rating: PG-13

Plot: After the birth of Renesmee, the Cullens gather other vampire clans in order to protect the child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi.

In My Opinion: WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! So...I know there are a gazillion Twilight haters out there. If you’re one of those people, then I would suggest you completely avoid this article. Personally, I’m (not even a closeted) fan of the series. I remember when the movie trailer for the first one came out, I decided it was a book I wanted to check out. As a result, I really got swept up into the world of Bella and Edward. Before you go hating on me, I would like to say that I refused to read 50 Shades of Grey, so I think it’s fair that I enjoy this one guilty pleasure. No matter how hard I try to deny it, I’m a total sucker for a romantic story. 

While it can be argued from many different angles that the story is dumb and the books are not well written (Stephen King has certainly voiced his dislike for Stephenie Meyer’s skills), I think anyone who can make millions of dollars writing about sparkly vampires deserves some respect, and could teach the rest of us a thing or two.

The first movie was a disappointment for me. Robert Pattinson was nothing like the Edward I had pictured and his acting seemed stiff. And Kristen Stewart...ugh. I am not a fan of KStew as a person in general - her awkward and rebellious behaviors make her come off as being ungrateful for her billion dollar salary. I can understand the lack of privacy thing, but aren’t you selling a piece of your soul when you sign up to be famous? Regardless, she eventually grew on me to the point that I couldn’t see anyone else cast as our favorite clumsy-girl turned kick-ass-vampire. Taylor Lautner did well as Jacob. His acting was also a bit cardboard in the beginning, but by the end he certainly had grown into a solid actor. And by solid I mean did you see those abs?

All of this nonsense being said, I was one of those fans who was totally satisfied with the final installment to the five-part saga. Everything was pretty well laid out just as it had been in the book and we were even able to skip through some of the slower moving parts. Edward and Bella’s cottage was every bit as cute as I pictured it, and the scene of them getting it on for the first time as vampires was enough to call for a cold shower. As for Renesmee, I heard ahead of time that they superimposed Mackenzie Foy’s face on the babies and toddlers. Because of this, I think I paid too much attention to how it was done and I can’t decide if it amazed me or just really freaked me out. The on-screen transformation of Renesmee was brilliant, starting from the moment the infant touched her mother’s face and ending with her appearing to be a miniature creation of Robsten.

There were many LOL moments, my favorite being Jacob stripping for Charlie. Other memorable scenes included Bella first hugging Edward, Bella freaking out on Jacob when she first learned of the imprinting, the Cullens explaining to Bella how to act human, Charlie asking Bella if she was going to turn into a dog, Edward being subject to Tanya’s abilities and Jacob asking Edward if he should call him “dad” now.

There weren’t many scenes I didn’t care for, but I think they could have done without Bella discovering the nearby human when hunting (jumping from the cliff was a bit of an overkill) and the Voltouri torturing the vampire who was thought to be an ally of Carlisle’s. Overall, I think they did a great job casting the vampire friends that came from far to testify. Many of those characters were likable from the minute they stepped on screen. I would even be interested in seeing more of these characters one day, especially Garett and Tanya. There was more sexiness radiating from those two actors than Edward and Bella ever could project.

Stephenie Meyer received a lot of heat for the final scene in Breaking Dawn. All those vampires, waiting to fight, and they just talked it out and walked away. But the way the movie decided to tease us with Alice’s vision was brilliant. Like many other fans, I grabbed my (poor) friend’s arm and yelled, “That’s not what happened in the book!” To see Carlisle’s head removed and hear Esme’s scream was just bone-chilling. Sadly, some of Bella’s bravest moments (including jumping on Aro’s shoulders like a monkey and being whipped into the air by Edward), were all part of the “what if” scenario. Still, it gave us a satisfying climatic ending that everyone will be talking about for some time.

IT'S RATING TIME

The Story: 4 out of 5 stars: Although it has it's silly moments, overall it's touching story.

The Acting: 4 out of 5 stars: These guys have improved over the years and the new cast made a great addition to the story.

The Love Interest: 5 out of 5 stars: It's Bella and Edward fighting for their little girl.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom line: So many reviews on the internet are just terrible, and I don't get it. My theory is those are already haters of the series and will not be satisfied no matter how good the ending. If you're a fan of the series, you must see this ending to the epic saga. You won't be disappointed.

~Jen