By: Alexa Coots
News Editor
Breaking Dawn — Part 2, the final segment of the film series based on Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels, is completely different from the other movies. Up until this point in the series the plotline consisted of a Romeo-and-Juliet-like romance between a vampire and young girl. Now, Bella is no longer a delicate, lovestruck teenage human but a powerful vampire and mother. The movie is standard Twilight material, with mediocre special effects, cheesy dialogue, and laughable moments during what are supposed to be dramatic scenes.
The movie starts following the birth of Renesmee, Bella and Edward’s half vampire baby, and focuses on Bella’s transformation as a vampire. The main conflict is presented when the Volturi, the oldest vampire coven that enforces the law, mistakenly believes that Renesmee is an “immortal child.” Turning children into vampires is not acceptable in the vampire world, because they cause too much destruction and death, so the Volturi steps in to exterminate the problem. Bella and Edward’s family call on all their vampire friends and family across the world as witnesses to their daughter’s true disposition. The introduction of all these strange new characters is one of the film’s highlights.
By now, Twilight fans are probably familiar with the poor acting that remains consistent throughout all the films, and while Breaking Dawn– Part 2 has more than its fair share of over-the-top lines, a few of the actors leave lasting impressions. Lee Pace, one of the Cullens’ witnesses, plays a wearied, ancient “survivor” who fought in many famous wars and battles throughout history, around the world. Michael Sheen also does an extraordinary job at playing the creepy, and quite odd character of Aro, the head leader of the Volturi.
The climax is one of the best parts of the whole film. The huge battle fought between the “good vampires” versus the “bad vampires” is enthralling, even though the special effects are not the best. The producers should have focused more on the special effects and less on the computer-generated imagery of the characters. Many of the characters, especially baby Renesmee, seemed fake and transparent in appearance.
Four years ago, Bella and Edward first met in their school cafeteria and now they are married and have a child together. Breaking Dawn — Part 2 is definitely not the greatest movie, but it serves as a good final installment of the saga. The Twilight journey was a long one, but it at least stayed relatively true to form over the years.
