Featured Audience Ratings

• JY S

  
  Bill Condon's <i>The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2</i> is a mediocre end to a mediocre series.<p>100 minutes may seem like a brief run time for a story of this caliber, but it definitely feels longer. Supposedly, the first 75% of the film serves as a… More
  Bill Condon's <i>The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2</i> is a mediocre end to a mediocre series.<p>100 minutes may seem like a brief run time for a story of this caliber, but it definitely feels longer. Supposedly, the first 75% of the film serves as a buildup for the massive finale, but it turns out to be tedious and uneventful. Then the finale comes and it is a tad underwhelming.</p><p>The violence is toned down brutality with no blood in sight, while the CG is passable. There is a bunch of it in the finale, but epic the battle is not.</p><p>For the most part Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are stale and monotone. Taylor Lautner is a little better. Ashley Green and Martin Sheen are the lives of the party, but they can only do so much.</p><p><i>The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2</i> brings closure as needed. Nothing more. Nothing less.</p>

• Emil K

  
  While improvement over Breaking Dawn Part 1, this final entry into the Twilight Saga is still far from flawed and does not hold a candle for the first three films. Director Bill Condon cannot quite handle this kind of material very well. He shoots in many directions but never fully… More
  While improvement over Breaking Dawn Part 1, this final entry into the Twilight Saga is still far from flawed and does not hold a candle for the first three films. Director Bill Condon cannot quite handle this kind of material very well. He shoots in many directions but never fully goals. Promising and stylish opening titles aside, this is a very mixed bag. It is entertaining, often silly, unshamedly melodramatic and full of awkward dialogue. But i don't want to be unfair towards this franchise. Target audince, which are mostly teenagers i presume, will be possibly more satisfied than i was. I am not saying that this film wasn't any good. It just suffers from uneven screenplay and average direction. There is one true stand out moment here and that is the spectacular climax which finally shows some more potential from Condon when it comes to adding some true drama into action. Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro also knows how to shoot action with his camera and this particular climax is great opportunity for him which he wisely uses well. While the climax is suspenseful to watch and will have you edge of your seat, it is quite disappointing to see that the surprise twist in the end just makes it all feel a bit whimper. The way it pulls rug under the feet of a viewer feels something closer to an bad imitation on Brian De Palma's famous faux endings than anything that would be proper in a film like this. I haven't read the books and maybe it all worked much better in the books but here it left a bad aftertase. In the end Twilight Saga was a franchise that was much better than it's unfair reputation. Especially David Slade's darker take adaptation with third film, Eclipse, was a real treat and by far the best film of the whole series. Anyone who are keen for vampires, werewolves and enchanting forests with magical atmosphere should give this franchise a chance.

• Alexander D

  
  Check in at themoviefreakblog.com 3/27 for my review.

• Cynthia S

  
  A really good series, and an absolutely perfect ending to the movie franchise. I don't care what the critics, or those lamebrains at the Razzie awards, say...the Twilight series have been very enjoyable. I enjoyed all the movies immensely, and I am sorry to see it finished!

• Everett J

  
  This is the conclusion of the "Twilight" series(well until they remake or come up with something else. As far as this series goes, this is probably the best of the bunch, but it's still a bad movie. I only say that because a lot of people lose their heads(literally,… More
  This is the conclusion of the "Twilight" series(well until they remake or come up with something else. As far as this series goes, this is probably the best of the bunch, but it's still a bad movie. I only say that because a lot of people lose their heads(literally, but there is no blood and it looks bad). I know, I know a lot of people love these movies, but I'm sorry they just aren't that great. The acting is terrible, the plot is weak, the effects are cheap, and they just don't seem to go anywhere. "Breaking Dawn Part 1" was really the only one that advanced anything in the series and "Part 2" is ends it with kind of a whimper. I'm sure that there is a good movie that can be made out of this series, but in my opinion it hasn't happened yet. Kristin Stewart is just as bland as a vampire as she is a human, and the rest of the cast is just as bad. The only real reason to watch this, is if you have watched the rest of the movies, just to see how it ends(and it's a weak ending). Otherwise just ignore it, and wait for the reboot.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  "<b>Breaking Dawn Part 2</b> is in my opinion, the best made movie of the bunch. If your not a fan of the books, there is no way you will enjoy these movies fully. Well, even being a fan of the books you may not enjoy these movies fully. The first Twilight film was… More
  "<b>Breaking Dawn Part 2</b> is in my opinion, the best made movie of the bunch. If your not a fan of the books, there is no way you will enjoy these movies fully. Well, even being a fan of the books you may not enjoy these movies fully. The first Twilight film was bad. The acting, directing, and the writing. The second one was much better. I know most found it boring, and I see their point. But if you had read the book and then seen the movie you would have gotten how extremely close Chris Weitz got the movie to the book. I thought David Slade did a great job with Eclipse. Eclipse was my favorite book and had been my favorite movie of the bunch. That was until this one. I've seen these actors in other films, I know they can act. But only when given the right material and the right director. Which is what they got with this movie and the one before it. Bill Condon was able to make everything better. Even getting the best performances from the actors then any of the other directors were able to. The ending was and will be a surprise for those who read the book. It was completely different. But it was different in a good way. If only Stephenie would have written it that way to begin with. I like the book the least out of them all. So to see the movie bypass the film, well that's an accomplishment for the director and the screen writer. If your a fan of the books and these films then you will love this movie. If your one of the many haters these books and films have, then pass it."

• Phil H

  
  'Bella' awakens to her new life as a vampire, her eyes now glowing red and her complexion pale and delicate. She picks up things she has never noticed before, her senses alive and super charged for the first time. Her vision has pinpoint accuracy, her hearing detects the… More
  'Bella' awakens to her new life as a vampire, her eyes now glowing red and her complexion pale and delicate. She picks up things she has never noticed before, her senses alive and super charged for the first time. Her vision has pinpoint accuracy, her hearing detects the tinyest sounds and her agility is now superhuman. She runs off into the forest with 'Edward' to experience her new vampiric abilities. As she sprints through the trees at top speed, she sees nature in all its beauty, like never before with her new vampire vision. Everything can be seen in slow motion, the insects flying, the flowers blooming, she can hear various small wildlife buzzing, clicking and calling. Yes, nature and its creatures seen and heard for the first time perfectly in all their glory, beauty, majesty...and then she rips out its throat. The big finale to the epic 'Twilight' series finally dawns (hehe) upon us, the limp tale continues from where it left off. Unfortunately this means we go straight back into the vampire soap opera we had to put up with in the last deary installment. Its not as bad as the last film in that sense, at least this time we have 'Bella' getting used to her new vampire skills and scowling EVEN more than normal. On the down side we still have 'Jacob' sexually frustrated because he can't do it doggy style with 'Bella' and lots of average young actors with lots of poorly done heavy face makeup. The effects are still pretty damn ropey all the way through, the CGI is near laughable in most sequences with terrible special vampire skill sequences of super speed. The wolves look like cartoons and characters look like ragdolls when knocked about in the air or where ever. Worst new effect must be the new born child, was that thing CGI? it bloody looked like it. Jesus that looked eerie, I think it was either a fully CGI baby or a real baby with a CGI face! good god!, no wonder everyone thought it was evil. The plot on the whole is much more interesting than the last film, overall this film is better than the last as that was terrible. Its all just a prolonged build up to the big fight at the end, but even that isn't entirely as it seems. Anyway the fight has been talked about a lot but frankly I don't see why. Sure its probably the best thing in the entire franchise but its hardly worth waiting for. Plenty of heads being ripped off and arms torn from their sockets whilst vampires and wolves go down in a flurry of sparkly action, but in no way is any of it original or really exciting. I thought the whole bit about gathering vampire friends from around the world quite amusing, basically a recruitment montage. Its fun but highly generic and cliched, the amazonian female vampires in their tribal outfits, never thought Egypt would have vampires, one bloke from the American Revolution period who doesn't shut up about it (you'd think he would have let that go after a few hundred years) and the hilariously cliched Irish vampires complete with flatcaps, scarfs and dowdy, drab clothes that looked like poor labourers. I've said before this franchise isn't as bad as many say and I will still stand by that. The first film was OK, second was fair and third was a bit better than them both, best not to talk of the pointless fourth. Yes the film is still chock full of sulky looking younglings, cheesy ass panto style makeup, lots of brooding, lots of dialog about things only the book readers will know of (or if you can remember from the last films, I couldn't), characters that pop up outta nowhere (I lost track), vampires that look and dress like pupils from 'Hogwarts' and of course Miss Stewart doing her best grimacing/pouting ever! As you can guess the fans will love and probably mums with their daughters too. The franchise was always just an excuse for mums/daughters/teen girls to see some fit firm young men in very very soft acceptable porn, tastefully done of course. I'm sure its close to the source material and it has been good in places but it is a weak romantic tale really, drawn out over five films. And what is the deal with 'Jacob'? the dude isn't romantically involved with 'Bella' anymore, but he still wants it doesn't he, doesn't he?. 'Bella' still keeps him around why? for threesomes? just to look at his nice body? to abuse him?. He gets a raw deal if you ask me, he gets to babysit their kid and generally be a dogsbody forever whilst watching 'Bella' and 'Edward' get it on. Maybe he likes that?. This final episode is like the first three, its average and just about kept my attention although the originality of the original is of course long gone. A nice end credits sequence ties everything up in a sweet lovable girly bow, but will we see more of this supernatural heartbreaker? or is it indeed finished...forever?.

• EightThirty .

  
  18/02/2013 (Online)

• Wildaly M

  
  It was entertaining enough that I finished it but irritating enough that I kept on wishing they'd done a better job at finishing the saga. It just felt that there was a lot of standing around and looking hot instead of real dialogue and plot. But what can you expect?

• Matt G

  
  Literally NOTHING happens.

• Markus R

  
  With a plot only a Twilight-mother could love, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" is unintentionally one of the funniest movies of the year, to the point where any sane moviegoer would suspect that most of the scenarios here were played for laughs and parody.… More
  With a plot only a Twilight-mother could love, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" is unintentionally one of the funniest movies of the year, to the point where any sane moviegoer would suspect that most of the scenarios here were played for laughs and parody. The Plot: After the birth of their half-breed daughter Renesmee, Bella and Edward must go on a good-will tour, asking for the help of other vampire friends in order to protect their daughter from the evil heads of the Vatican...I mean, the Volturi. But laughter ensues as the "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" quickly turns into a twisted episode of The Munsters: mommy and daddy are vampires and the daughter is dating a werewolf. OK, so if you enjoyed the final novel in Stephenie Meyer's series, word on the street is that you'll enjoy this installment the best. This might have something to do with Bill Condon being the first director to fully embrace the campiness of a world predicated on werewolf pedophilia and unprotected vampire sex, and also creating the most visually off the wall adaptation yet; with no regard to the viewing audience. But for every non-Twihard out there, "The Twilight Saga- Breaking Dawn- Part 2" will stand as one of the worst films of the year, in a series that has only gotten progressively worse. Why this is clearly the worst film of the series: The film begins with Kristen Stewart doing her best mountain lion impression as she crawls along the forest floor, hunting a deer, and only goes downhill from there. I'm not going to bore you with what you already know, a la this film contains a wealth of bad acting from the likes of Stewart, who should never work again, Taylor Lautner, who probably will never work again and Rob Pattinson, who throughout this movie couldn't look more ready to be done with the series (although Michael Sheen does give an eccentrically interesting performance as Aro). What I will be addressing here is the cornucopia of other problems which make this film almost unwatchable. Just a heads up, some of my points will contain plot spoilers, so skip to the "Final Thought" if you are still planning on watching this "film". 1.The vampire v. werewolf conflict, which was maybe the most interesting aspect of these films to begin with, is all but done here. In fact, the plot encompasses more of vampire on vampire violence, where the werewolves play a submissive afterthought. Ok, I understand that this non-conflict is part of the story, and it may not seem like a big deal to some, but let me tell you, it doesn't lend itself well to any novice half-way interested in any of the prior storylines. 2.This movie contains some of the worst special effects of any big budget film (yes, including "The Green Lantern") in the past decade. I won't bother to touch on every terrible CGI fiasco which occurs here (the vampires running effects, the vampires leaping tall buildings in a single bound effects or the laugh out loud tearing of people heads off effects) for fear of rambling-on more than I already am. But that doesn't stop me from asking the one question that is on everyone's minds. What's up with that baby's face?! When Renesmee is an infant, while it is obvious that a real baby is used, for some reason her face is completely computer generated, with half-assed CGI at that. The baby's face is so obviously fake, extremely creepy and immensely distraction that it is sure to haunt your dreams long after you've left the theater. 3.There is pretty much one human in the entire film and he is an idiot! The human I mention is Charlie Swan, Bella's father. The issue with him in this film is not necessarily the character himself, but the sloppiness in which he is almost written out of the story. When we first see him, he is obviously concerned for his daughter, since he doesn't know if she is dead or alive. When he finally sees that she is all better, with what looks to be a one year old infant in her arms, he seems to be brimming with questions. But when he demands answers from Bella, and she dismisses him (this would make more sense if you saw it) Charlie does what any worried father would do, he accepts the fact that she can't tell him anything and leaves her with the vampire family. 4.From a bland joke about the Loch Ness Monster, to all of the laughable monologues, the script contains some of the worst dialogue outside of an ABC Family show. And must mention that about 50% of this movie consists of dull voiceover narrations from Stewart and Pattinson, attempting to either explain back-story, introduce new characters (which there are many) or simply explain what is going on in the scene. 5.The ending is a copout. Now, I don't want to give too much away for the few who still want to watch this, but there is a final battle sequence that occurs (FINALLY!!!) which in turn is the best part of the movie. And is absolutely ruined by a twist ending, which comes off as nothing more than a convention to soothe any crying teenagers not ready to witness a violent movie about dreamy vampires. 6.One word: PEDOPHILE. Imprinting is a huge aspect in the novels. If you don't know what that is, "it's an involuntary mechanism by which werewolves become unconditionally bound to somebody (i.e. a soul mate) for the rest of their lives." Thank you Twilight Wiki page! The problem here is that throughout past films in the series, imprinting has been equated to not so much finding a soul mate or becoming someone's protector, but more so finding a mate or lover. So, when Jacob (Lautner) imprints on Renesmee with implications that he is in love with a child, visually it comes off as gross and super creepy, at the very least. Truthfully, at any moment I was expecting Jacob to yell, "You can't leave, Bella! I'm in love with your baby!" Final Thought: I'll stop there and not even get into the troubling subplot pertaining to infants being burned alive, only because I wish to limit the amount of hate mail I get. If you didn't get it by now, this movie was so hard to sit though that I wish somebody in the theater had popped my head off about ten minutes in. And for everyone who wants to defend it by saying the points that I have just made aren't applicable here and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" is a good movie, because it is a pretty accurate adaptation of the novel (excluding the ending) then all I can say is, if the final novel is anything like this movie, then it must suck too. Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus

• Manu G

  
  The epic finale that will live forever Great ending to the Twilight Saga! The director sure did a fantastic job sending the saga out with a bang. The fight was literally one of the best fight scenes of any movie I've seen. Major characters were dying all over the place. It… More
  The epic finale that will live forever Great ending to the Twilight Saga! The director sure did a fantastic job sending the saga out with a bang. The fight was literally one of the best fight scenes of any movie I've seen. Major characters were dying all over the place. It became chaotic and unpredictable. I actually felt legitimate suspense because I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was loving it! The music throughout, as always, is exceptional. The movie soundtracks have never failed to fit the films perfectly. They're always the right songs for the right moments. Director Bill Condon shows he was more than up to the task of tackling this tricky two-parter. It looks exquisite. The direction has obviously been made with care and love for the source material and its fans. You need look no further than the film's closing credits (which give everyone of all the movies their due, even ones not present in this film). The inclusion of actual pages of the book was a nice touch. I'll greatly miss these characters who I've enjoyed seeing brought to life for five films now. For those who appreciated the books, the films and the actors involved, this should be a satisfying conclusion for you. I know it was for me. Bella is enjoying her new life and new powers, after the birth of their daughter, Renesmee. Soon, however, their family bliss is threatened again, by a new menace. Vampire Irina believes a child like Renesmee could challenge the power and existence of the Volturi. As Irina rallies the Volturi to destroy this potential threat, Bella and the Cullens - together with any allies they can assemble - are preparing to fight a crucial, ultimate battle, to protect their family.

• Alice S

  
  Really not that bad. Kristen Stewart is indeed a tough vixen/vamp, and the angelic Mackenzie Foy, as hybrid-baby Renesmee, is sweet and beguiling. And would Twilight detractors stop freaking out about the werewolf imprinting thing? It's not pedophilia. Jacob's bond… More
  Really not that bad. Kristen Stewart is indeed a tough vixen/vamp, and the angelic Mackenzie Foy, as hybrid-baby Renesmee, is sweet and beguiling. And would Twilight detractors stop freaking out about the werewolf imprinting thing? It's not pedophilia. Jacob's bond isn't sexual or romantic at all at Renesmee's young age. It's one of protector and brother that will mature into friend then lover. Geez. CLEVER TWIST that rocked me hardcore with a too-cute black & white yearbook retrospective of all castmembers involved. Well done, movie.

• Mario L M

  
  The Twilight films have been pretty bad on the whole. Being adapted from Stephanie Meyersâ(TM) bestselling novels, when tell the wildly overwrought story of a 100-year-old vampire who falls in love with a teenage girl who also finds herself the object of a werewolfâ(TM)s affections,… More
  The Twilight films have been pretty bad on the whole. Being adapted from Stephanie Meyersâ(TM) bestselling novels, when tell the wildly overwrought story of a 100-year-old vampire who falls in love with a teenage girl who also finds herself the object of a werewolfâ(TM)s affections, there was little chance that the filmâ(TM)s would become great pieces of cinema but even with lowered expectations the five Twilight films was pretty terrible. Thereâ(TM)ll all badly plodded, indifferent directed and ludicrously acted movies that occasionally entertain due to their sheer audacity The last film in the saga, Bill Condonâ(TM)s Breaking Dawn Part 2 is the best in the series but itâ(TM)s also easily one of the yearâ(TM)s worst films. Jumping into the action with no introduction the players or plotline, Breaking Dawn Part 2 beings with Kristen Stewart acclimating to her new identity as a vampire and new mother after four films of wrestling with whether or not to commit to a life of deathless beauty with Robert Pattinsonâ(TM)s emotional abusive immortal. The complete lack of a recap would probably make for a slightly confusing viewing experience for the uninitiated but the film quickly makes up for it by its supporting actors spout off copious amounts of exposition to fill everybody in on the specifics. That clunky inelegance carries over to the rest of the film, with most of the plot following the various members of the Cullen coven tracking down a small army of wildly stereotypical super powered vampires from all over the world to help fight off the vaguely sinister Volturi as they take several months to travel from Italy to Washington state to judge Stewartâ(TM)s half vampire progeny. This dull international recruitment drive fills up much of the filmâ(TM)s running time because Breaking Dawn Part 2 is adapted from half of a book thatâ(TM)s already light on plot and heavy on supposedly profound introspection on the part of the filmâ(TM)s main cast. Breaking Dawn Part 1 focused on Stewartsâ(TM) marriage to Pattinson, their seemly endless honeymoon and Stewartâ(TM)s violent pregnancy and eventual turn to vampirism. Coupled with Part 2â(TM)s gathering of friends and epic final battle, you could probably edit together an uneven but much less languorous film. As it is, Breaking Dawn is two films that have a deeply unnecessary focus on meaningful glances and time filling minutia. In addition to the protracted doldrums of the film narrative, many of the filmâ(TM)s performers are downright difficult to watch to. Robert Pattinson does as best he can as he has with the rest of the series, mostly by giving his character a slightly bemused and petty edge that somewhat deflates the intensity of Twilightâ(TM)s middle school break up emotional pitch. Kristen Stewart as a vampire is a lot less fidgety and marble mouthed than Kristen Stewart the human but her Bella Swan is still the least active protagonist in popular fiction. Taylor Lautner does the he can with tormented werewolf Jacob, especially in a hilarious scene where he has to explain to Stewart that he has become genetic betrothed to her newborn daughter but heâ(TM)s not an actor so itâ(TM)s tough going. The rest of the cast chomps on their poorly written melodramatic lines as best they can though no one leaves much of an impression except for Martin Sheen wonderfully over the top leader of the Volturi. He achieves a level of pure decadence that only a pedigreed actor can attain. Bill Condonâ(TM)s direction is serviceable but it clear that this is a work for hire job not a passion project like Dreamgirls. While Condon was able to squeeze in a few moments of surrealist beauty (Bellaâ(TM)s nightmare wedding) and sensational horror (the childbirth scene) in the first Breaking Dawn, he mostly keeps his nose to the ground here and delivers the fan service as best he can. Itâ(TM)s also clear that Condon struggled with the filmâ(TM)s budgetary restrictions and lost the fight in a few critical areas. While no Twilight film is a budget buster, this film has suffered the most from being an independent production. The filmâ(TM)s werewolves look fine but anytime a special effect involving a person is involved, the film turns into a CW genre show. On the other hand the filmâ(TM)s berserk final battle is so impressive it almost makes up for the filmâ(TM)s general shoddiness. In the finale, the assembled Cullen clan and friends have a confrontation with the Volturi in a snowy Northwestern field. The Cullens try to explain that thereâ(TM)s been a misunderstanding and the Bella and Edwardâ(TM)s miracle child isnâ(TM)t the anti-Christ, thereâ(TM)s a bit of back and forth and then all hell breaks loose. The big fight consists of vampires fighting vampires fighting werewolves fighting super powered vampires in brawl so insane that it damn near validates now only Breaking Dawn Part 2 but the entire Twilight series. Youâ(TM)d have had to have been either very creative or crazy to think that a gothic melodrama would have ended with a vampires being tossed in a pit of lava while other vampires rip the heads off other vampires but thatâ(TM)s what happens in this movie. The fact that the entire amazing sequence is essentially a dream sequence not only doesnâ(TM)t ruin the effect, it makes it fit in perfectly with Twilight non-confrontational confrontation dynamic. The Twilight series has always been trash but with this film it becomes glorious trash.

• Nicki M

  
  Piss weak end to a reasonably entertaining saga. Don't know why I was surprised, I skimmed most of the book too. For me, this would have been so much better if they just ended it with the last one and Bella waking up as a vampire. This tired finale has nothing interesting to say.

• Spencer S

  
  Four years. That's the amount of time I have known, willingly, about the books, the upcoming films, and all fandom related to this franchise. It has been a long road, but this film is supposedly a final chapter in the Twilight Saga and a welcome relief from all of the pomp and… More
  Four years. That's the amount of time I have known, willingly, about the books, the upcoming films, and all fandom related to this franchise. It has been a long road, but this film is supposedly a final chapter in the Twilight Saga and a welcome relief from all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding it. I am no fan of any of this. I read all four books for research purposes, and I have seen nearly all of the films, and all along the way I have suffered at the behest of my best friends, Twihards themselves. The story is well known, but in this last part of a two part film, we get to the crux. This book is the only one I was excited to see on screen, because it's the only film where anything happens. There's no more footsy, will they won't they crap. It's all about last ditch efforts, battles, births, and the ultimate question: after all this pandering, how are the decisions you made hastily going to effect the rest of eternity as a fanged freak? There is definitely an element of escapism; it's a beautifully shot film, amazing cinematography, and a load of Twilight inspired jokes. All these films were obviously made for the fans and it's reflected in a number of ways. The humor is for them, the gratuitous male nudity, the great indie soundtracks, shots of the gorgeous Washington landscape, and the constant close-ups of Edward and Bella's faces. The film wasn't too obvious, malicious, or incessantly boring, and if you're going to see any film in the theater, it's this one. As you might have heard the ending takes liberties from the book in a way that shocks the audience and makes for some great laughs. Besides that there is also some shockingly cheap and simply wrong CGI. This doesn't just go for battle scenes and feats of strength either. There is a child born to Bella and Edward, and it's completely CGI, face, hand movements, everything. It looks so disgustingly wrong and vile, on top of being cheap. There is actually a lot to laugh about in this, another Twilight fiasco, but you get what you pay for with these hideous monstrosities. Good luck if you're not a fan, and if you are, you shall be surprised, even if you have read the books.

• Mark H

  
  The actors in Breaking Dawn - Part 2 do not act, they pose. Each scene is composed of beautifully airbrushed models that preen for the camera. CGI is utilized to make them appear even more beatific as they gaze blankly at each other. Like mannequins in a department store window they… More
  The actors in Breaking Dawn - Part 2 do not act, they pose. Each scene is composed of beautifully airbrushed models that preen for the camera. CGI is utilized to make them appear even more beatific as they gaze blankly at each other. Like mannequins in a department store window they exhibit a beautiful display of fashion and hairstyles. The lack of action is dreary. There are seemingly endless scenes where people just stand idly by and stare. Once in a while they deliver vapid pronouncements uttered in flat American accents supposedly representing the youths of Forks, Washington but sound more like the denizens of L.A. Everyone broods giving boring exposition that explains the history of various tribes as they gather witnesses to the fact that their daughter does not pose a threat. There is no passion befitting the dialogue. Michael Sheen is the lone actor on hand that gives a performance. As the leader of the Volturi speaks his lines with the self importance that belies his position. At one point he lets out a delighted high pitched squeal that has more personality than the sum total of everything said in the entire production. I perked up a bit at that moment. Then fell back into a lethargic passivity that matched the rest of the cast. fastfilmreviews.wordpress.com

• Bentley L

  
  We made it, guys! It's finally here! The final Twilight movie! I'm not one of the crazy Twihards but I've kind of enjoyed these films. Sure, they weren't the greatest. The acting and dialogue were hokey but the Twilight films aren't some of the worst I've… More
  We made it, guys! It's finally here! The final Twilight movie! I'm not one of the crazy Twihards but I've kind of enjoyed these films. Sure, they weren't the greatest. The acting and dialogue were hokey but the Twilight films aren't some of the worst I've seen. I had fun with Breaking Dawn - Part 2. It's not the greatest conclusion to a franchise but I enjoyed it. In fact, I really liked it but it's still Twilight. The film picks up immediately where Part 1 left off. If you haven't seen Part 1, I suggest sitting out of this review because some of this stuff may come as SPOILERS to you. But since many of you don't give a crap about this franchise, I'll just go ahead and give you a synopsis. Bella has given birth to her human-vampire daughter, Renesmee. She died while giving birth but thanks to Edward's biting, she has resurrected as a vampire. Bella is enjoying her new life as a vampire until the Volturi, the vampire government or whatever you want to call it, find out about her child. As the Volturi make their way to Forks to attack the newlyweds and their bundle of joy, the Cullens assemble a group of vampires to help them defeat the ememy. They also get help from Jacob and his pack of werewolves. All the buildup pays off and we are given a freakin' sweet climactic battle to end this series. If I were to rank the films from best to worse, it would go like this. Eclipse in first, this one in second place, Breaking Dawn - Part 1 in third place, the first film in fourth place, and New Moon in last place. This could have easily been the best entry in the series but it was missing the thing that made me enjoy Eclipse a lot. I can't really explain why I liked Eclipse. I think the reason is because I liked the whole Newborn subplot and the climactic battle. A large portion of this film is just buildup to the climax. The new vampires that they introduce were my favorite part of this film. If they made a spin-off film about them, I would pay to see it. The new vampires had cool powers and the actors who played them were pretty good. The acting had its ups and downs. Kristen Stewart does a pretty good job as Bella Swan but I still don't think Kristen Stewart is one of the best actresses out there. I think K-Stew is prettier as a vampire than as a human. Robert Pattinson is still a boring actor. I never dug his acting or his character. Taylor Lautner, one of the best actors in the series, does another good job as Jacob Black. I find him to be one of the most likable characters in the series. Billy Burke returns as Bella's father and he is another one of the better actors in the series. Like Jacob, he is another one of the most likable characters in the series. He's not in the film very long but I was able to buy him as Bella's father. There's a dialogue scene between him and Bella and Burke acts pretty dad-like. As I mentioned above, I loved the heck out of the Cullen's vampire allies. My favorite out of all of them was Alistair played by Joe Anderson. With all his vampire makeup, I thought he looked a lot like Colin Farrell. Anyways, he was awesome. For some reason, I laughed at Michael Sheen's performance. He played the Volturi leader, Aro. The way he delivered his lines was just funny. His funny costume, his Marilyn Manson makeup, it's like he was in a Tim Burton film. Mackenzie Foy plays Bella and Edward's daughter, Renesmee and she did a decent job. With this movie on its way to becoming a huge success, Mackenzie Foy will start to get recognized and I can see her getting casted in more films in the future. The climactic battle at the end of the film was just awesome. It was the best scene in the entire flick. However, the battle ends rather anticlimactically. It was so anticlimactic that I booed and two people got up from their seats and left. The audience I saw the film with was cheering and making comments during the scene like they were at a UFC match. There was also this lady behind me making comments about the movie every few seconds. Some of her comments were funny but then she just got annoying. I went to see this film at an 11 AM showing on opening day and it was not that packed but the audience was having a ball. I saw the last two films in the theater and those were packed showings. There were about twenty people at my screening but I think seeing it with a much bigger crowd would have been more fun. The writing is still what you would expect from a Twilight film. Bill Condon's direction was pretty good. The special effects on Bella and Edward's baby was pretty bad at some points. He knew how to build emotion during the climax. I didn't get emotional during the climax because I'm not attached to these characters. I can just imagine a bunch of teenage girls bawling during this movie. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 wasn't a great film and many of you will avoid this film but I liked it. I also liked how they wrapped up the whole saga. It was an entertaining film and the theater experience was great as well except for the annoying lady behind me making comments. They also showed a brief teaser trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and I let out a fanboy yell while it was playing. Good times, good times. It was a good ending to a franchise that I enjoyed. Did you guys miss me? I know I haven't been posting reviews in a while. I plan to post some more reviews. I'm planning to review The Lord of the Rings Trilogy before the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. I'm sorry if I angered you by mentioning Lord of the Rings in a Twilight review. Be on the lookout! "I hated the first British invasion. I hate the second one even more."

• Mark R

  
  Itâ(TM)s with a hint of sadness that the Twilight franchise has come to an end. Sure, theyâ(TM)re terrible, terrible films (and books I assume), the popularity of which paints a sorry picture of the tastes of todayâ(TM)s youth, but now that all is said and done, on reflection it was… More
  Itâ(TM)s with a hint of sadness that the Twilight franchise has come to an end. Sure, theyâ(TM)re terrible, terrible films (and books I assume), the popularity of which paints a sorry picture of the tastes of todayâ(TM)s youth, but now that all is said and done, on reflection it was worth enduring the first three insufferable disasters (Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse) to get to the unbridled mayhem of Breaking Dawn (my thoughts on part one can be found here). After seeing part one, it was difficult to see where the story had left to go. We had seen the unending wedding of Edward and Bella, the banal South American honeymoon, the shocking and genuinely upsetting pregnancy/birth, and the werewolf falling in love with the baby. It seemed like an appropriate place to end it, but Summit and Stephenie Meyer obviously had other ideas, hence we have Breaking Dawn, part 2. While perhaps not as off-the-leash nutty, Breaking Dawn, part 2 maintains a lot of the weirdness of the preceding chapter. Picking up exactly at the point where part one ended, Bella (Kristen Stewart) finds herself having to adjust to her â~newbornâ(TM) vampire status, learning to control her superhuman strength and fighting the urge to hunt humans. Edward (Robert Pattinson) begins to assume a mentor role, but for whatever reason Bella learns so quickly that the learning plot is pretty much dropped. Hereâ(TM)s the first and biggest of the many problems of Breaking Dawn, part 2. For at least the first two thirds of the film, plot threads and characters are introduced with enough fanfare to make one think theyâ(TM)re going to be important cogs in the larger machinery of the story, only to be forgotten or abandoned with zero explanation. Perhaps itâ(TM)s fan service, and people familiar with the novels will be able to link things up, but for newcomers it becomes increasingly hard to keep track of who everyone is, why theyâ(TM)re involved, and what on earth is happening from one scene to the next. The character of Alistair (Joe Anderson) is a good example. Following the development that the Volturi, the ruling council of vampires last seen in New Moon, are coming after Edward and Bellaâ(TM)s daughter Renesmee, the Cullen clan assemble a team of vampires from across the globe to defend the child, the last of which is the enigmatic Alistair. Yet after an introduction to suggest he will be a character of some importance he merely ends up lurking in the background, and popping into one random and pointless scene with Bella. Heâ(TM)s always there, but doesnâ(TM)t actually do anything significant. Itâ(TM)s this scattered and overloaded approach that really damages an already abysmal film. On top of the lack of charisma in the stars, the questionable storytelling is a real hindrance for anyone set on enjoying Breaking Dawn, part 2 at all, not to mention how simply ugly the thing is. Thereâ(TM)s an over-reliance on terrible green-screen work, shoddy visual effects, and whatever lunatic decided that an almost completely CG Renesmee was a good idea needs to be removed from the business of movie making. However, much like the last film, a part of me loved Breaking Dawn, part 2. As I said, it may not seem as insane as part one, but in some ways thatâ(TM)s a good thing. I loved part one because I was caught completely off guard by the madness, but was appalled by it because much of the content really shouldnâ(TM)t be part of a film made for pre-teen girls. Part two dials back the more troubling aspects of the previous film and just revels in the stupidity of Meyerâ(TM)s writing. Itâ(TM)s weird as hell, but really pretty harmless, aside from all the decapitation. Oh boy, thereâ(TM)s a lot of decapitation. Director Bill Condon and his cast seem to be having a lot more fun here. The most ridiculous thing about the first three films in the series is how unwaveringly serious they are, but with both parts of Breaking Dawn, it feels like Condon and Pattinson in particular are winking at that portion of the audience who, like myself, are simply there to see how off the reservation this daft franchise can go. It manages to achieve a delicate and kind of wonderful balance of satisfying the true fans (the Twi-hards) with its creepy romantic melodrama, while clearly acknowledging the bizarre and quite frankly awful story Meyer has crafted. The awareness of this final chapter is perhaps its greatest asset, and if youâ(TM)re willing to abandon all logic and actual critical appreciation, then Breaking Dawn, part 2 delivers a great time at the cinema. tinribs27.wordpress.com

• Carlos M

  
  It is quite surprising that this final chapter does have something to say. Things happen for a change, and the climax is efficiently urgent and exciting - until, however, we get hit by a ridiculous twist that makes it collapse entirely to the ground. At least it is over now.

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