Breaking Dawn Part 2 - Movie Review by Shalini Boland

I wouldn’t class myself as a Twihard, but I loved the books and I loved the movies. So maybe I am. Okay I definitely am. I’m a Twihard. My birthday also happens to be in November, so it’s a no-brainer that my husband would buy me tickets to see  Breaking Dawn for my birthday treat this year (and last year).

 

I didn’t read any of the reviews before I went. Firstly, I don’t like spoilers and secondly, what would be the point? I knew most of the press would pan it. Liking Twilight would ruin their coolness. Me, I like a bit of heart-on-the-sleeve paranormal romance. I also like the classics, zombie horror and the X-Factor. I’m not ashamed of my tastes. I embrace them ;)

 

So anyway, back to the movie. We’d left BD Part 1 with Bella having given birth to Renesmee and finally she had transformed into a beautiful red-eyed vampire. Now, in BDP2, we see a shift in Bella’s attitude. She is finally who she wants to be and she looks good on it. I loved watching Edward’s reaction to her as she masters her vamp skills. Robert Pattinson’s proud/amused smile is perfection as Stewart kicks ass. I bet she absolutely loved playing ‘Bella the vampire’.

 

The only ‘off’ bit in the whole film for me was the baby Renesmee - They did that annoying thing where they put CGI adult expressions onto a baby face which only ever results in creepy babyness. Don’t do it, Hollywood people. Do not do it. Step away from the CGI machine and leave the baby alone.

 

I thought Taylor Lautner portrayed Jacob really tastefully, considering the whole ‘imprinting’  scenario. I wouldn’t have wanted that role – it’s a bit icky. Funnily enough, I didn’t find it at all questionable in the books, but when faced with the adult Jacob and the child Renesmee on the big screen I did curl my toes a little.

 

The Volturi were their usual terrifying selves: Jane always makes me shudder with her ‘pain’ thing and Caius and Alec are the archetypal baddies. But it was Michael Sheen as Aro who truly shone. He outdid himself. I think he was the star of the whole movie. I loved how delectably evil he was. I almost wanted him to do a proper wicked laugh like the Count in Sesame Street (okay, that would’ve ruined the movie, but it would’ve been fun!).

 

 

Now I was worried that this second part of BD might fall a bit flat as a movie. I couldn’t see how they would make an ending deserving of such a great series, but boy was I wrong. I did not see that one coming. I’m not going to ‘spoil’ a thing, but as I watched the climax, I was thinking ‘what the…!!’ and ‘they can’t do that!’ But they did do that and they did it brilliantly. Yes. Yes they did.

 

All in all, Breaking Dawn Part 2 was the perfect combination of visual spectacle, action, love and humour. Sure there were a few clunky moments and the CGI wasn’t as smooth as I would’ve liked, but in the overall context of the Twilight Saga novels and movies, it was the perfect ending to a cracking series.

 

And now I’m sad it’s over. Shalini Boland.
Read more about Shalini Boland, Author - HERE

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