Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2

Final Twilight scores big at the box office

The Twilight series is officially over. While fans are both delighted and sad to see the franchise end, most non-fans may still be wondering what all the fuss was about. In The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, Bella is now a full-fledged vampire.

Opening scenes in the film show Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her husband Edward (Robert Pattinson) running wild through a forest and flying off steep cliffs. Edward is

trying to teach her how to find blood (deer and hunters better beware). Bella seems excited that she will never age again, and Edward admits his wife displays twice his own energy because she’s been a vampire for only days while he’s been sucking blood for hundreds of years.

After they head to a getaway to have their first vampire sex, Jacob (Taylor Lautner) shows up with Bella & Edward’s daughter, Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy). Because of accelerated growth she’s now about 10. She’s half vampire and half mortal, but the Volturi coven, who rule the vampire world, don’t believe she’s part mortal and want to kill her.

This ignites a war between Bella, Edward and their vampire friends against the Volturi. Both teams appear in a vast snow-covered field standing across from each other like the opposing troops in the Civil War. There are some highly intense battle scenes with heads on both sides being ripped off, so parents might want to adhere to the film’s “PG-13” rating. Still, the action is rousing and boasts some real twists.

While trying to save their own skins, trouble also arises between Jacob and Bella over what Jacob’s done to Renesmee (no giveaways here, see the film).

Performances in the film are good – with actors appearing more at ease than in previous films while maintaining their characters well. Chemistry between Bella and Edward jumps off the chart. In fact, their subplot could have been its own movie, especially for viewers who like to focus on romantic touches and lovemaking. Plus, all of Bella and Edward’s family and friends receive lots of screen time here. Overall, this final segment ends up as a nice farewell to the series.

Twilight fans who failed to wait 12 hours in line to see the film when it opened can probably enjoy it even more now.

Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2

Studio: Summit Entertainment

Gazette Grade: C+

MPAA: “PG-13” for sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sensuality and partial nudity

Who Should Go: Twilight fans