More so than any of the previous four films, Breaking Dawn Part 2 was a VERY stark departure from the book. Plenty of things were glossed over (or omitted entirely), which is understandable, given the difficulties of translating a novel to the screen. While it might be distracting to someone who’s read the book, it doesn’t detract from the movie itself. And there are a couple of things that weren’t in the book that actually add quite a bit to the movie.
After 5 movies, Kristen Stewart has finally learned how to act! She’s got not one, not two, but two and a half expressions now! And throughout the entire film, a stutter never once passed her lips! On a serious note though, her portrayal of the “changed” Bella is arguably her best acting in the series. She gives Bella the right amounts of excitement, joy and protectiveness. The other actors all give solid performances, and Taylor Lautner does indeed take his shirt off yet again. Renesmee, done mostly with CGI until the last part of the film, is a little eerie, but given the current level of technology, they did the best that they could, and it worked better than any human actor at those ages could have managed.
The stand-out performances, however, are reserved for three very talented guys. Billy Burke as Charlie Swan has, for the entire series, stolen every scene he’s been in. He continues the tradition, though I was sad at the small amount of screen time he actually got. Lee Pace as the nomad Garrett was spot on and hilarious! I was laughing (somewhat loudly, to my chagrin) every time he was on-screen. And Michael Sheen’s Aro, the leader of the Volturi, was fantastically over-the-top with every inch of his performance. These three gentlemen supply most of the laugh-worthy moments in the film, and for them alone I’ll likely watch this again.
The opening visual sequence was very intriguing and different, it really helped set the tone of the film, I think, to be completely different from any of the previous ones. The script was lacking in some spots, but overall was pretty solid. Carter Burwell sticks to what works for this series for the score, and the soundtrack fit the moods pretty well.
This installment had the most action out of any in the series, so it might not make every non-twihard want to rip their eyes out.
All in all, it was a good end to the series, wrapping everything up quite nicely. If you’re a fan of the books or the movies, it’s a definite must-see. If you’ve not seen any of the previous movies or read any of the books, and you’d like to dip a toe in the water, I’d suggest putting Breaking Dawn: Part 2 on your “I should try to see this” list.
I give it….
11.5 Hearts!
Check out the trailer below:
About THE TWILIGHT SAGA film series
The astonishing conclusion to the TWILIGHT SAGA franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 illuminates the secrets and mysteries of this spellbinding romantic epic that has entranced millions. Academy Award® winner Bill Condon directed both the first and second parts of the two-part finale starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. The film, based on the fourth novel in author Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” series, was written by Melissa Rosenberg with Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt and Stephenie Meyer producing.
THE TWILIGHT SAGA film series stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, and tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together…even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires. The action-packed, modern day vampire love story TWILIGHT, the first film in the series, was released in theatres on November 21, 2008 to a blockbuster reception. The second installment of the film franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON was released November 20, 2009, the third installment, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE was released June 30, 2010, and THETWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 was released on November 18, 2011.
As an avid Jill-Of-All-Trades, I dabble in many things, but I've always been passionate about writing and photography. I read like a fiend, all sorts of genres and authors, and I hope someday to write my own novels. I've been taking pictures since I was little, and I strive to improve my skills everytime I pick up a camera. I love all kinds of movies, from those terrible-yet-hilarious B movies to the latest superhero blockbusters. I play video games, roleplaying games, even Magic: The Gathering (much to the chagrin of my wallet, at times), because I adore delving into these other, amazing, created worlds. Check out all my interests and projects, or get in touch with me, on my Facebook page at: Http://www.facebook.com/SamanthaCantrellAZ
