The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
Rated: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Fantasy
Street Date: March 2, 2013
Available On: DVD and Blu-ray

The Film: The concluding chapter in The Twilight Saga picks up where the previous entry leaves off. The Volturi, believing that the Cullens have broken vampire law and turned a child into a vampire, set out to destroy the Cullen family once and for all.

The Extras: 7-Part Making-Of Documentary, The Forgotten Green Day Music Video, Two Movies at Once featurette, Jump To Edward and Jump To Jacob feature, Audio Commentary by director Bill Condon

Recommendation: I was never able to coax myself into being a fan of The Twilight Saga. The films did get progressively better. Considering the series’ lackluster beginning that isn’t nearly the compliment I’d like it to be. Breaking Dawn: Part 2 is easily the best film in the series. The soap opera elements are pared back a touch as political tensions rise in the world of the vampires and the plot is pushed along by something more than a love triangle. Yes, Breaking Dawn: Part 2 is when something finally happens (even if it doesn’t really happen). Apparently it’s also the film that strayed the furthest from Stephenie Meyer’s novels as it includes an epic battle that wasn’t found within the book’s pages. For the faithful the saga’s end appeared to be what they wanted, even if it wasn’t exactly as it was originally written. For the unconverted it was better than expected, but that’s hardly an enthusiastic endorsement.

-Ryan Michael Painter