movie review
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1
Edward and Bella get married, baby on the way
If you look back at the other Twilight movies, it’s pretty clear they’re not great works of film. There’s a reason why they’re the most parodied films in recent years. The acting isn’t consistent, the dialogue could use some help, and some of the scenes are downright cheesy.
That said, I still really like the franchise. The story is romantic, I’ve come to know the characters and want to see how the story ends, and there’s something about a brooding vampire and a lovesick werewolf that makes for good film.
Directed by Bill Condon, Breaking Dawn picks up where Eclipse left off. Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Bella (Kristen Stewart) have struggled through various human and vampire issues, and at long last, they’re getting married. The woodsy wedding is brief but beautiful, with all of their friends and family present, including heartbroken werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner).
After a lavish reception, Edward whisks Bella off to a secluded island off the coast of Brazil (parts of it were shot in Brazil). Their honeymoon digs are gorgeous – a modern bungalow right on the beach, where they skinny dip and then have mad, bed-breaking sex. We know from the previous movie that she wants to be “turned,” but has decided to wait until after the honeymoon.
But surprise! She ends up pregnant with a half-human-half-vampire baby that practically kills her with its aggressive in-utero growth. Edward wants to terminate the pregnancy, but like any good mom, Bella refuses and wants to see it through. Apparently, she can’t be turned during the pregnancy, but there’s a chance it could save her right after giving birth.
Meanwhile, trouble is brewing in the wolf pack, because the baby’s birth violates the treaty between the werewolves and the vampires. Vowing to protect Bella, Jacob severs ties with the pack, as alpha Sam decides the baby must die.
I practically laughed out loud during one scene where the wolves (as wolves) were “thinking” each others’ thoughts as they argue over what to do about Bella. It was like something you’d see on a dark and edgy Saturday morning cartoon. So yeah, some of the special effects are kind of hilarious, as is the parochial dialogue, like this line from Edward: “No measure of time with you will be long enough, but we’ll start with forever.”
There’s also a strong “fetus vs. baby” theme through the film. I don’t know… is it a pro-life debate if the baby is half-vampire (i.e. half-dead)? I’d like to see the courts debate that one! And, as with any film these days, we can’t forget the rampant product placement. Bella and Edward drive a Volvo, and everyone seems to have an Apple computer. They even manage to work in a shout-out to Tampax.
Still, even with all of Breaking Dawn’s faults, I still enjoyed it. We got our first glimpse of Reneesmee, both as a cute baby and in a flash-forward as a young girl (Mackenzie Foy). I’m looking forward to Breaking Dawn, Part 2, in theaters November 16, 2012. Maybe I’ll even read the books by then.
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