Breaking Dawn--Part 2 Review

            It’s that time of year again. No, not when Christmas lights are hung or people are full of excitement for the impending holidays. Declarations from passionate fan girls claiming they are“Team Edward” or “Team Jacob” commences once again as “Breaking Dawn—Part 2” is released.

Not being a huge fan of the Twilight movie franchise, I had low expectations walking into the theater to watch a screening of “Breaking Dawn—Part 2.” I anticipated cheesy lines and mediocre acting, both of which were present in the previous four movies. However, I was left mildly impressed with the filming, effects, and plot of this film.

Directed by Bill Condon, “Breaking Dawn—Part 2” will be the last of the “Twilight” movies and has garnered much attention in the media. A pop culture, the series has fans ranging from teenage girls to “Twi-Moms.”

 In the beginning of the film, Bella and Edward’s constant professions of love for each other did not dispel my poor expectations. Kristen Stewart, who played Bella, showcased her egregious acting skills with emotionless facial expressions while delivering comedic or sentimental lines. The hunky actor of Jacob Black, Taylor Lautner, proved he was just that—attractive but with pitiable acting skills that were cringe worthy. The whole cast, besides the actors that played the Volturi, the ruthless, intimidating vampires, could have sharpened their acting chops. Forcing their scripted dialogue without a wide range of emotion, the actors did not convince the audience of their characters’ genuineness or acquire sympathy for the outcome of their future.

Regardless of the cast’s deplorable performances, “Breaking Dawn—Part 2” triumphs the series’ other movies. The creative opening credits, featuring dark, bloody red transforming to a delicate growth of snow, were artfully mastered. The film never became dull and had a fine balance of action and romance to satisfy the quixotic women that desire the perfect relationship that Bella and Edward exemplified along with the boyfriends or husbands of those romantics. Unfortunately, Bella and Edward’s CGI baby distracted the audience with its unnatural, morphed features. On the other hand, the animation of the werewolves was astonishingly realistic and had the potential to scare younger children. The movie was tastefully composed with the dramatic sequence of scenes and an unanticipated twist differing from the novel.

Picking up where the last movie ended, Bella’s transition to a vampire was concise as she is launched into motherhood with her newborn daughter, Renesmee. The storyline intensifies as the vampires prepare for the imminent meeting with the Volturi. The most praiseworthy moment of the movie was the well-executed conclusion that had the audience reminiscing about the last four years. As the ending credits rolled, sadness overcame the audience as soft sobs were heard for the finale of such a popular franchise.

Unlike the past movies, “Breaking Dawn—Part 2” filtered the dreary moments to produce a captivating motion picture. Although the film exhibited Bella and Edward’s eternal love for each other, it also illustrated Bella’s gradual transition from an awkward teenage girl to a mature, brave mother. In spite of the lackluster acting, “Breaking Dawn—Part 2” exceeded my expectations. Nevertheless, the film is still incomparable to critically acclaimed movies, such as “Casablanca” but conquers the other four movies of this overrated series. Catering to females in desperate need of an idealistic love story, Stephenie Meyer’s book, “Breaking Dawn,” was brought to life for all audiences with Bill Condon’s interpretation of the novel. Condon’s directing cunningly defeats the past directors’ attempts to convert the script into a crafty, pleasurable film.