Hatchet reporter Julie Alderman shares her latest movie experience.
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1” (2011)
Before I get into this, I should start with a disclaimer: I’m not into “Twilight.” I read the first book and half of the second and got bored. I think the whole series is just a girl’s choice between bestiality and necrophilia. Despite all these preconceived notions, I was actually excited to accompany my friends to the midnight premiere of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1,” the fourth installment of the five-film franchise.
Having gone to a few midnight premieres in my day, I thought I knew what to expect. But I was mistaken. I have never been pushed and shoved so much in my life, and I’ve been to a mall on Black Friday. When the ticket takers lifted the rope, there was a mad dash to get the best seats – the ones in the front row of the stadium section, where you can put your feet on the bar, obviously. After what seemed like endless previews and half a medium-sized popcorn, applause began as the movie started. Whether that applause was deserved is the real question.
For someone who has not seen any of the movies and who is only vaguely familiar with the books, the movie was easy enough for me to understand. Then again, the premise of the book series and film adaptations – an average teenage girl falling in love with a mysterious vampire – has caused so much hype over the years, almost anyone is at least somewhat familiar with the story. At the end of the last film, “Eclipse,” Edward (Robert Pattinson) proposed to Bella (Kristen Stewart) and she accepted. The beginning of “Breaking Dawn” chronicles the wedding plans and the wedding itself.
After the wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen drive off to their honeymoon on a private island off the coast of Brazil. Before the honeymoon, Bella’s best friend Jacob (Taylor Lautner) voices concerns for Bella’s safety if she and Edward “do the deed.” Well, they did. Don’t get too excited; the scene is about 75 percent heavy breathing. But that heavy breathing does result in consequences, as they soon discover that Bella is pregnant with a vampire baby.
The film goes on to show Bella’s struggles with the fetus, whose strength puts her own life in danger. I have to admit, the film is entertaining, but so is “The Bad Girls Club.” The premise is so ridiculous, you just have to laugh. The film was bad acting punctuated with vague cliché lines. For example: “No measure of time will be long enough. But we’ll start with forever.” Kristen Stewart’s face never changes from that same blank stare, and Pattinson and Lautner seem to think better acting requires less clothing – I’m not saying they were wrong. Overall, seeing “Breaking Dawn” was a fun experience I recommend everyone try once in his or her lifetime. But maybe just once.
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Adventure
Director: Bill Condon
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Release Date: Nov. 18