Let’s have a think about the last four years. The Twilight saga started out in 2008, as an indie curiosity directed by Catherine Hardwicke. Having become a box-office conquering juggernaut whose entries consistently rank amongst the most successful movies of the year, it all culminates in this much touted ‘epic conclusion that will live forever’. Part 2 picks up with Bella enjoying familial bliss with Edward, Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy) and the rest of the Cullens. As the character has never been known for tactfulness towards her less supernatural loved ones, she must now set about explaining the sudden appearance of a rapidly-aging daughter to her long-suffering dad, (Billy Burke) while also coming to terms with the power she wields as a newborn vampire. Elsewhere, Irina, (Maggie Grace) the heartbroken relative who appeared briefly to whinge at Edward and Bella’s wedding, wrongly assumes that Renesmee is a child who has been turned into a vampire. The creation of an immortal child is prohibited by the Volturi, the vampire royalty led by Aro, (Michael Sheen) who now have an excuse to destroy the Cullens and their allies, threatening the happily-ever-after for which Bella has been striving, all this time. Even the most ardent anti-Twilight crusader has to admit that this one has itself a harder job than the metal-on-metal drudgery of Michael Bay’s Transformers, or the cookie-cutter cynicism of Taken 2. And while few could deny that the final adaptation was cleft in twain to get a bigger box office return out of the saga’s last gasp, few other franchise films give themselves as much to deal with as this, in sustaining the aftermath of the ridiculous events that came immediately before. The critics who are usually game to bash these movies have attacked this finale with the same fervour as faculty members on the last day of school. Quite right too, because director Bill Condon isn’t content to just whack a DVD on, or play hangman with the audience. The conceit upon which the saga was launched, of a vampire maintaining a relationship with a human, who then becomes part of a love triangle with a werewolf, no longer exists- we’ve finally moved past that. Special notice must go to Michael Sheen, who was the sole pleasure in the execrable New Moon, and once again chews the scenery to bits, and revels in getting away with it. His Aro is still far more campy than sinister. That might undercut the main threat, to some extent, but he’s also far more enjoyable than previous adversaries. It also helps that you might fall on his side when it comes to young Renesmee. For much of the film, she’s a computer-generated character, with the face of 12-year-old Foy digitally projected onto actresses ranging between infancy and around 10. It looks utterly unholy, like her face is levitating somewhere off of where her head is supposed to be, and it’s particularly unnerving when she’s a baby. It’s not too hard to credit the idea that she’s an abomination, but then special effects have never been this series’ strong suit. It wouldn’t be a Twilight film without some padding in the plot too, and this one reaches the two-hour mark by introducing no less than 18 new vampire characters, from all around the world. There’s a bit of time establishing their names and special abilities, as the Cullens try to gather witnesses to stave off the Volturi, but these newbies are only as distinctive as the Cullens themselves, ie. not very. The most memorable of the minor characters are two Eastern European vampires who may or may not be Dracula and Renfield, even if they come across a little more like Ensign Chekov and Boris Johnson. It’s a Twilight film, so it’s funny like that. Hell, if the Academy Awards offered an Oscar for best/funniest reaction shots to decapitation, then Condon would be a lock, and I mean that in the best way possible. In a series of five films by four directors, which still looks and feels uniform, the bar is set low for iconic and memorable moments, but Breaking Dawn Part 2 rises above it, just as fast as fan expectations will allow. In one ingenious deviation from the book, Condon invites everyone in for a surprisingly violent third act, entertaining and infuriating the audience in equal measure. Having now seen Part Two, I’m surprised to say that it does. This one serves as both a palate cleanser, following the really objectionable and tedious shit that happens in the earlier parts of the book, and a sequel that is satisfying, both as a B-movie and as a finale. For many detractors, it will be too little, too late, but for us unconverted souls – the non-fans who’ve still soldiered through the Twilight saga to its bittersweet end – it’s likely to be the favourite of the series. Follow Den Of Geek on Twitter right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
