Review: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1
By Christine Petralia





Image courtesy of Summit Entertainment
November 27, 2011
*There are spoilers in this, but if you read all the books, you already know what happens.
Remember when you read Breaking Dawn and you just wanted it to be over? I hate to break it to Twihards all over the world, but that's how I felt in Part 1 of this series. First off, I knew where the movie would end, so that really wasn't a surprise to me. The one good thing was the script stayed very close to the book and honestly, when I read the book and imagined what was happening, this film was all of that.
It picks up a few months later, the day before Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward's (Robert Pattinson) wedding. Bella is no longer nervous about marrying Edward, but more nervous about their wedding night and eventually becoming a vampire, so she can be with Edward forever. After a lovely wedding and Jacob (Taylor Lautner) getting grossed out at the though of Edward and Bella sleeping together, the pair are off to an island that Carlisle bought off of Rio de Janeiro. The love scene was just 'eh' in my book. I don't really know what the big deal about it was. But it was just OK. It was funny to see the room torn to pieces the morning after. But they really don't show how hurt Bella was after. And then for the next 14 days they spend on this deserted island, Bella begs Edward to sleep with her again, forgets that she hasn't gotten her period and is impregnated by Edward. Quite frankly, I still don't know how this could happen. The vamps in True Blood have sex all the time and they have yet to get any human pregnant. But then again, they also don't sparkle in the sun and sleep underground during the day.
So Bella is rushed home and pretty soon, this half-vamp baby is essentially eating her from the inside out. The baby grows at a faster speed than normal babies, so she looks nine months pregnant, only weeks after their honeymoon. She is also losing weight fast, as the baby takes all her nutrients. Jacob learns of the news and has to see for himself. While he is disgusted, he stays by Bella's side and even leaves his wolf pack to protect her, her unborn baby and the vamps. But the wolf pack is ready to attack as soon as the baby is born and if and when Bella dies during childbirth.
Soon, it's time for her to give birth, but before she does, Carlisle, Esme and Emmett hunt, so they will be strong and able to take the smell of blood during the birth. However, while they are gone, Bella drops her juicecup of blood (yes she starts drinking blood to help the baby and get her strength back up), and the baby breaks her back as she tries to pick it up. Jacob, Edward and the Cullens rush to her side and Rosalie cuts open Bella's stomach. All the vamps need to leave the room, while Edward delivers the baby. Bella has just enough time to hold Renesmee before her heart stops. Edward and Jacob try to revive her, but to no avail. And that is when Edward makes his mark to turn her into a vampire.
While the birth scene was graphic, it definitely wasn't graphic enough. And quite frankly, it really didn't display how much pain Bella goes through for this child. As they all wait for Bella to turn, Jacob decides he must kill the baby-vamp, as it goes against all the treaties the vamps make with the wolves. However, as he enters the room, he finally imprints, on Renesemee. While this is going on, the wolf pack makes its move to attack the Cullens. And just as things get crazy between the Cullens and the wolves, Jacob runs out of the house, turns into a wolf and declares through his wolf mind-reading, which Edward translates for the vamps, that they can not kill the vamp-baby because he has imprinted. And no wolf can kill anyone or thing that another wolf has imprinted on. And that's that.
We pan back to Bella to see how she's coming along. Soon, her bones are no longer broken and she is gaining her weight, magically as she slowly becomes a vampire. And then, all the vampires stand at attention, as it's time. And then the movie ends.
Not much action in this one. As most know the big vampire/wolf battle scene is in the second half of the book. There was action between the wolves and vamps, but that's about it. Oh and between the wolves themselves. But I really couldn't wrap my hand around the computer-generated wolves having a conversation in their minds. It was kind of weird to watch.
I thought the acting in this was subpar. Very cheesy and the actors looked bored. Stewart has never really portrayed Bella and her undying love for Edward. She just goes through the emotions. And it's evident when she's pregnant. In the book, she bonds with Rosalie over keeping this child, even if she dies. Whereas none of that is played out in the film. Rosalie is just protecting Bella, but it is never explained why. Another thing that is just understood is Leah, in the wolf pack, and why she and Seth join Jacob when he leaves the main pack. They make brief mention, but that's it.
They really could have just make the book into one film. One hour to the wedding, birth and vamp-turning and the other hour to the battle. But go ahead, make your money and bad films movie studio. That's fine with me.
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