FILM: Breaking Dawn Part 2

[Damien F 2,079]

Minor Spoilers Below

The excitement of Bond’s triumph is still palpable as yet another major franchise movie makes it way into cinema screens in the form of The Twilight Saga’s Breaking Dawn Part 2. While Skyfall has received almost unanimous praise from both the public and critics, BDP2 is being released into a much more hostile environment. Every Twilight movie has received an unending stream of negative coverage in the print media and online, ranging from justifiably unimpressed critics to unduly venomous attacks. This vitriol reached its peak when BBC movie critic Mark Kermode recently wrote an article for The Guardian defending the Twilight series. The Guardian’s website was subsequently filled with heinous comments attacking Kermode on both a personal and professional level. It is evident that a mob mentality is at work here and any serious commentary of the Twilight series should be independent of this nonsense. On a more mature note, the movies have been very well received by the novels’ fans, who are the saga’s true target audience and not stuffy middle aged film critics.

I have never been a fan of the series. The movies were occasionally entertaining, but I mostly found them to be boring and annoying. Despite my own disinterest in them, I acknowledged that my opinion greatly differed to the legions of fans who were eagerly awaiting each instalment. By the release of Breaking Dawn Part 1 with its trailer that actually irritated me, I had no intention of spending any more time with these characters. However, encouraged by a much better trailer, positive feedback from early screenings and a full endorsement by Kermode, I decided to venture back to Forks one last time in full defiance of the 1 and 2 star reviews I was seeing in the press. I did not regret that decision. BDP2 is a very enjoyable and thrilling fantasy adventure and a satisfying finale to the saga. These are words that I never would have associated with prior entries in the series, so this revelation came as a quite a surprise. BDP2’s biggest asset is its tonal shift from the previous movies. The central conflict between Bella, Edward, and Jacob has been resolved, with even an early concede from Jacob that the couple look good together. Therefore, the teenage angst and love sick pining that was the common source of criticism is not a problem this time.

Another hindrance of earlier movies was Bella herself. She was seen as a reactionary character, constantly moping while waiting for her future to be decided by those around her. That was human Bella, say hello to vampire Bella. From the very beginning, it is clear that she has developed into a powerful force who has even acquired a taste for mountain climbers and mountain lions. An early scene sees her take Jacob by the scruff of the neck and throw him outside like a misbehaving puppy. Later, she travels alone to Seattle to investigate the sudden departure of her friends and is a worthy warrior during the third act. She is more assured and confident than ever before. This is Bella v2.0, and she is far more enjoyable to watch. It’s a pity she didn’t die earlier in the saga!

That leads me to the final confrontation with the Cullens and the Volturi - where to begin? The novel is well known for its anticlimactic ending. A suspenseful build up to a fight that never happens. It may work in a novel, but would translate to a rather weak and frustrating ending for both the film, and more importantly, for the whole series. The solution was ingenious, and its ultimate reveal was met with cheers and relieved laughter by fans at many screenings, including the London premiere. The series’ strong adherence to the source material is one of its biggest assets, and I suspect the events of the climatic battle caused many hardcore fans to have multiple panic attacks before its satisfying conclusion. The confrontation itself is riveting stuff with a tense battle of words quickly escalating to a thrilling battle of claws, fangs and brute strength all set against the snowy Washington landscape. The action is tightly directed with many characters, both friend and foe, earning standout moments. The showdown between Alice and Dakota Fanning’s Jane is especially memorable. If it weren’t for the upcoming adventures of a certain Bilbo Baggins, this could have been the fantasy action highlight of the year.

The acting is passable with the notable exception of the absolutely scene stealing Michael Sheen as the Volturi leader Aro. His wide-eyed menacingly creepy performance is a joy to watch, especially that wonderfully weird high pitched cackle. The Bond producers need look no further for their next villain. The movie is also technically accomplished. The wintry American northwest is beautifully photographed and a gorgeous score by series regular Carter Burwell includes a nice cameo by Alexandre Desplat’s earlier theme from New Moon. The opening titles are very well done – footage of the northwest landscape in palettes of pure white and deep red are interspersed with images of blood changing at the microscopic level, symbolising Bella’s conversion. The shot of the final page from the novel at the very end was a lovely touch, and a nice homage to the source material. I also appreciated the end credits which featured pictures of all the characters from the series seeped in a nostalgic deep blue hue (something that Deathly Hallows really should have done for the Harry Potter series, BTW).

There are still problems with the movie. The supporting members of the Cullen family are very one dimensional, and the audience’s attention may be strained during the middle section. The red haired and tweed covered Irish Vampires are so close to stereotypes that I expected one of them to walk up to Edward and say “Topah de mornin’ to ya laddy!”. Thankfully their screen time is minimal. The CGI has always been problematic in the series, and although the werewolves are much more photorealistic, baby Renesmee’s computer generated face looks odd and even creepy. Most irritatingly, the rock ballets that are often used to underscore Bella and Edward’s romantic scenes quickly outstay their welcome. Despite these shortcomings, Breaking Dawn Part 2 is an entertaining fantasy story, and ironically much of this triumph is due to its differences to the previous Twilight movies. It doesn’t quite appease for prior sins, and it certainly won’t convert Twilight haters, but ignore the 1 star reviews, go in with an open mind and at the very worst you’ll get to see Sheen’s wonderful performance and an excellent extended battle scene. 4/5 stars.