*SPOILER ALERT*
BY Sean Sanbeg
Sports Editor
The final film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn Part 2, hit theaters on November 16. Despite failing to produce literary masterpieces, Meyer’s series has managed to draw a huge following.
In the first week, the film claimed $183.8 million from the box office.
The numerous Twihards (die-hard fans of the Twilight series) will ignore most reviews and see the movie anyway. However, those without knowledge of the series should like plot development, or they will find themselves taking a pricey nap.
Breaking Dawn Part 2, directed by Bill Condon, immediately seems different than the others of the film saga.
For the first time, the movie begins by running through cast members, all done while playing themes from returning composer Carter Burwell, whose music set the iconic themes in the saga’s first film adaptation of Twilight four years ago.
Melissa Rosenberg’s screenplay kept remarkably close to the text throughout the film. However, this forced the one hour and 56 minute film to drag in several long stretches.
Much of this film, as well as this portion of its original text, serves as plot development for the climax of the series.
If you’re interested in the story, Breaking Dawn Part 2 won’t disappoint.
Condon, Rosenberg and Meyer flexed their creative muscles in the film’s final half hour. This includes an action-filled ending not found in the novel and a beautifully done conclusion for both the film and the series. Viewers are also treated to an artistically crafted recap of all cast members throughout the series while Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” tugs at your heartstrings.
Something our three stars yet again fail to do.
Poor acting has plagued the entire film series, and Breaking Dawn Part 2 proves no exception.
A strong emotional connection with the audience isn’t established until the end of the movie—in a scene that doesn’t exist in the companion novel. Of course, this scene kills off at least half of the main characters that we’ve watched for the past four years, so only the emotionally obtuse could miss it.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) finally becomes a vampire—a creature supposedly dripping with perfection. Stewart gave the film a valiant effort, but still fell short in several key parts of the film. Displaying the emotional range of a teaspoon, some scenes appear in-genuine.
In a scene where she sees her father for the first time after her transformation, she is reminded how to act human (i.e. blink, fidget, slouch, etc).
While this made sense in the novel, it served as a perfect summation of Stewart’s acting throughout the series.
Rob Pattinson and Taylor Lautner delivered acceptable performances, though there was still room for improvement. For some reason, conflict in dialogue continues to give our stars a hard time. The scene of Bella Swan having her first vampire fit after realizing Jacob Black (Lautner) imprinted on her newborn daughter is nothing more than laughable.
The computer generated images (CGI) hit some bumps along the way as well. Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy) proved to be the character the book envisioned, but only after Condon and company stopped morphing Foy’s face onto a CGI infant.
The added fight scene that the novel desperately needed used CGI with great results. The nearly 10 minute epic fight sequence between the Volturi and the Cullen Clan gave an ending the saga deserved, unlike the anti-climatic novel.
Loved or hated, the series ended, and Breaking Dawn Part 2 managed to do so on a positive note.
Email Sean at:
ssanbeg@live.esu.edu
