Breaking Dawn Part 2 : Blu Ray Review

Breaking Dawn Part 2 : Blu Ray Review

Rating: M
Released by Sony Home Entertainment

So, it's finally here - the big finale of The Twilight Saga.

At the end of Breaking Dawn - Part 1, Bella (Stewart) had been transformed into a vampire by Edward (Pattinson) after their super baby broke out of her womb, effectively killing her. As we rejoin the Cullen clan, Bella's enjoying her new life as a mum to daughter Renesmee (newcomer Mackenzie Foy) and the new powers being one of the undead brings. Soon, though, as with every other Twilight film, their happiness is threatened.

When Vampire Irina (Lost star Maggie Grace) starts to believe that Renesmee's birth could signal a threat and the end of The Volturi, she rallies the secretive group together to destroy this perceived threat of an Immortal child.

However, Bella and Edward pull together all the allies they can to help them fight one last crucial battle to protect their family and their future....

So, with the end nigh, the question is does Twilight Breaking Dawn deliver?

And the answer is kind of a surprising yes, actually. But the reason this latest entrant into the Twilight Saga sparkles a little brighter than the rest is because they finally put aside the truly dire lovesick moping which has peppered the last 4 films, dialled back some of the awful dialogue and actually get to some action and deal with the menace of the Volturi.

It's not without its initial wobbles though - from a truly creepy CGI child that is Renesmee (seriously, you'll never be so freaked out by a newborn CGI/animatronic kid) to an awful slow mo/ soft focus sex scene between the two vamps and ending with a credits montage of everyone involved (no doubt to mark their work from all four of them), there are still the moments which have dogged the franchise from the viewpoint of anyone who's not a rabid fan of the books. The wolves this time are a little more solid and work better - laying to rest some of the CGI shambles which lumbered the previous films with unintentional laughter.

Kristen Stewart does her usual constipated pained look for Bella, Robert Pattinson is a bit more restrained as Edward Cullen andTaylor Lautner (yes, he does get his shirt off, again - one last time for those abs and their lovers) is all petulance and cheek as Jacob. Of the newcomers, Lee Pace brings the comedy swagger as a rock'n'roll vamp, Garrett but to be honest, there's scant screen time to build up anything more than stereotypes for the other vamps from around the world. Billy Burkealso deserves credit for bringing some humanity as Bella's dad, Charlie - and the laughs once again. Mackenzie Foy does little other than touch people to communicate, but she's a massive improvement on CGI baby Renesmee.

All in all, fans of the series won't be disappointed by the end after 4 years and 5 films - and for everyone else worried about attending this with them, by veering away from the love story and painful teen angsting, Bill Condon's given the franchise the film it really needed right from the start.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 isn't going to sweep the Oscars as the best movie ever, but it is a satisfying end to the franchise for fans - and a massive improvement in spectacle and cinema for non-fans - alike.

Extras: 7 Part making of, commentary and featurettes

Rating