Review: Breaking Dawn Part 2
The ultimate saga for the ultimate teenage girl has finally come to a close. After "epic" (their words, not mine) battles of love, loss and unexpected pregnancies, the story of fiction's most uninspiring protagonist Bella Swan reaches its conclusion.
For all its shirtless pointlessness, one has to admit that the Twilight Saga has had a significant cultural impact. Not quite as accessible as the Harry Potter series yet a little more easy for the audience to swallow than The Hunger Games, every movie has seen a growth in popularity and reception, resonating a huge hit in the movie industry. So does the final instalment in a franchise based on 'undying love as long as my partner is good looking' give the series an explosive send off or a wolf's whimper?
The result is a mixed bag. While there is a lot to be admired, such as the three young leads finally coming into their own as the series' heroes, it has to be said that Breaking Dawn Part 2 has far too much filler and not enough killer. Interestingly, in a very ballsy move, the film strays rather far from the book, throwing in an absolutely brilliant climax to rival that of even the Harry Potter series. Frustratingly, so very very depressingly, the movie then decides that it doesn't quite have the bravery to deviate from the text too much and leaves us with a feeling that the concluding chapter in the Twilight story could have been so much more had it fulfilled its promise of an 'epic finale'.
So, what's it all about?
After an artistically impressive black and white opening sequence, we are thrown back into the dire situation of Bella Swan. Just incase you forgot, or fell asleep, Part 1 left Bella's life hanging in the balance due to her half-vampire child clawing its way out of her body. Having now been converted to a vampire in order to preserve her life, Bella wastes no time and immediately sets out honing her new skills which include taking down tigers and protecting her loved ones with a force field. Meanwhile, however, the Volturi (a fancy name for the evil vampire police) discover the existence of Renesmee, Bella and Edward's half-human half-vampire daughter, and set out to ensure the apparent threat to the vampire way of life is stamped out.
Cue a frantic tour of the world, and the expenditure of the entire budget on colourful contact lenses, as the Cullens attempt to round up a gang of 'good' vampires to aid them in defence of Renesmee and her parents, culminating in an absolutely fantastic climactic fight upon a snowy battlefield.
There are too many laugh-out-loud, can't-take-them-seriously moments to count, such as Edward's apparently sweet declaration that he and Bella 'are the same temperature now' following her conversion. How romantic. Yet another eye-roll inducing scene rears its ugly head as Jacob inexplicably strips to his boxers in front of Bella's father in order to show off his animalistic alter ego - a clear sign that, as much as The Twilight Saga might think it has come of age in this dramatic cinematic time, it's still an immature little kid showing off its shiny features for attention.
Also thrown into that mix are yet more awkward sex scenes between Edward and Bella, but the scenes are performed with such generic "passion" that it's tough to feel anything more than a cringe. The vast majority of the film's 2 hour running time is also taken up with dull conversations between vampires who haven't seen each other in a while. Whereas beforehand Bella was our eyes and ears into this new world of vampires and werewolves we have no human to relate to this time, leaving us feeling like outsiders in a party we weren't invited to.
Yet, here's the kicker. Breaking Dawn Part Two is actually really enjoyable when it comes to its action. While there is no standout moment until the climactic battle, the final 20 minutes save the film. Fans of the movies so far will no doubt enjoy each and every moment, but for those of us dragged along by our other halves, our salvation lies in the fantastic sequence in which the Volturi declare war on the Cullens. The earth is shattered, heads will roll and major deviations from the book mean that no character is safe. While the book's conclusion saw nothing but a mild conversation between the Cullens and the Volturi, director Bill Condon ensures that we get much more candy for the eyes this time around.
Just...beware of the twist. It's horrendous.
As for the acting, the three leads finally manage to impress. Kristen Stewart seems to have been saving her 'I can really act!' performance for this final helping, as Bella's character arc reaches its conclusion. Stewart brushes aside her male cohorts to claim the crown of the franchise, proving that, despite Bella's tendency to be a weak protagonist, she can be a strong lead. As for Taylor Lautner, his appearance on screen is not quite as irritating as the previous instalments, yet perhaps this is due to Jacob's happy ending. His character does not spend most of his screen time moaning that Bella is not his, instead actually providing some bad-ass assistance as his wolfish self.
Robert Pattinson has already proved his worth in other works such as Water For Elephants and the excellent Cosmopolis. While his acting is and has been decent in the Twilight Saga, it's clear that R-Patz is destined for much bigger and better things.
Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning also provide impressive support as the cannibalistic leaders of the Volturi. Sheen is clearly enjoying himself in the slightly farcical role; comparisons with Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort are very well deserved as he unpredictably swoons around the Cullens, taunting them and providing a real sense of unstable menace. Fanning, meanwhile, is a genuinely maddening presence, her character filling us with hatred and loathing - always the sign of an actor's job well done as an antagonist.
Yet still, all of the best acting and CGI battles in the world can't detract from what feels like a false, stunted ending to a franchise which had at least been consistent in its storytelling thus far.
So, what's it all about?
After an artistically impressive black and white opening sequence, we are thrown back into the dire situation of Bella Swan. Just incase you forgot, or fell asleep, Part 1 left Bella's life hanging in the balance due to her half-vampire child clawing its way out of her body. Having now been converted to a vampire in order to preserve her life, Bella wastes no time and immediately sets out honing her new skills which include taking down tigers and protecting her loved ones with a force field. Meanwhile, however, the Volturi (a fancy name for the evil vampire police) discover the existence of Renesmee, Bella and Edward's half-human half-vampire daughter, and set out to ensure the apparent threat to the vampire way of life is stamped out.
Cue a frantic tour of the world, and the expenditure of the entire budget on colourful contact lenses, as the Cullens attempt to round up a gang of 'good' vampires to aid them in defence of Renesmee and her parents, culminating in an absolutely fantastic climactic fight upon a snowy battlefield.
There are too many laugh-out-loud, can't-take-them-seriously moments to count, such as Edward's apparently sweet declaration that he and Bella 'are the same temperature now' following her conversion. How romantic. Yet another eye-roll inducing scene rears its ugly head as Jacob inexplicably strips to his boxers in front of Bella's father in order to show off his animalistic alter ego - a clear sign that, as much as The Twilight Saga might think it has come of age in this dramatic cinematic time, it's still an immature little kid showing off its shiny features for attention.
Also thrown into that mix are yet more awkward sex scenes between Edward and Bella, but the scenes are performed with such generic "passion" that it's tough to feel anything more than a cringe. The vast majority of the film's 2 hour running time is also taken up with dull conversations between vampires who haven't seen each other in a while. Whereas beforehand Bella was our eyes and ears into this new world of vampires and werewolves we have no human to relate to this time, leaving us feeling like outsiders in a party we weren't invited to.
Yet, here's the kicker. Breaking Dawn Part Two is actually really enjoyable when it comes to its action. While there is no standout moment until the climactic battle, the final 20 minutes save the film. Fans of the movies so far will no doubt enjoy each and every moment, but for those of us dragged along by our other halves, our salvation lies in the fantastic sequence in which the Volturi declare war on the Cullens. The earth is shattered, heads will roll and major deviations from the book mean that no character is safe. While the book's conclusion saw nothing but a mild conversation between the Cullens and the Volturi, director Bill Condon ensures that we get much more candy for the eyes this time around.
Just...beware of the twist. It's horrendous.
As for the acting, the three leads finally manage to impress. Kristen Stewart seems to have been saving her 'I can really act!' performance for this final helping, as Bella's character arc reaches its conclusion. Stewart brushes aside her male cohorts to claim the crown of the franchise, proving that, despite Bella's tendency to be a weak protagonist, she can be a strong lead. As for Taylor Lautner, his appearance on screen is not quite as irritating as the previous instalments, yet perhaps this is due to Jacob's happy ending. His character does not spend most of his screen time moaning that Bella is not his, instead actually providing some bad-ass assistance as his wolfish self.Robert Pattinson has already proved his worth in other works such as Water For Elephants and the excellent Cosmopolis. While his acting is and has been decent in the Twilight Saga, it's clear that R-Patz is destined for much bigger and better things.
Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning also provide impressive support as the cannibalistic leaders of the Volturi. Sheen is clearly enjoying himself in the slightly farcical role; comparisons with Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort are very well deserved as he unpredictably swoons around the Cullens, taunting them and providing a real sense of unstable menace. Fanning, meanwhile, is a genuinely maddening presence, her character filling us with hatred and loathing - always the sign of an actor's job well done as an antagonist.
Yet still, all of the best acting and CGI battles in the world can't detract from what feels like a false, stunted ending to a franchise which had at least been consistent in its storytelling thus far.
Summary
It's sad to say that Breaking Dawn Part Two had the opportunity to be so much more. It's tough to elaborate on this any further without giving away spoilers, but it's enough to say that some movie goers will be infuriated by the movie's make-or-break twist ending. At its purest, however, this is Twilight for the fans. Those filled with nothing but contempt for the rather shallow franchise are unlikely to be converted this time around, however fans of The Twilight Saga from day one will certainly leave feeling satisfied. From a cinematic point of view, the film impresses with its visuals, the major protagonists' surprisingly authentic acting talent and a genuinely thrilling climax. It's a decent, not brilliant, send off for a series full of decent moments at best.
So it's with a not-so-heavy heart that blokes bid goodbye to The Twilight Saga and girls tearfully wave goodbye to Taylor Lautner's chest - yet, with rumours of a spin-off movie and TV shows abound, it has to be pondered whether this potentially immortal franchise is really dead after all.
5/10 - Mediocre
See it if you liked: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2011), Red Riding Hood (2011), Snow White and the Hunstman (2012)
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