Cast: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Director: Bill Condon
Finally — finally! — the Twilight franchise embraces its own innate absurdity with the gleefully over-the-top conclusion, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2.
This is by far the best film in the series. This does not necessarily mean it's good. But as it reaches its prolonged and wildly violent crescendo, it's at least entertaining in a totally nutso way.
The first four adaptations of Stephenie Meyer's mega-best sellers about the girl-vampire-werewolf love triangle (the final book was divided into two films for maximum box-office benefit) were, for the most part, laughably self-serious affairs full of mopey teen angst, stilted dialogue and cheesy special effects.
Sure, they pleased their fervent audience, made billions of dollars worldwide and turned their three core actors into instant superstars. But they weren't what you would call high-quality cinematic experiences.
Now, Bill Condon (who also directed last year's Breaking Dawn — Part 1) finally lets his freak flag fly. Here is the Condon of Gods and Monsters, the one who loves lurid horror.
Here is the Condon of Dreamgirls, the one with an eye for panache. His final Twilight movie dares to have a little fun — it actually makes you laugh intentionally for once, teetering on self-parody as it does.
Like something out of a telenovela, Condon cuts between characters standing around staring at each other, the dramatic score punctuating each piercing look.
Maybe they're reading each other's minds, sharing visions of the future or shielding each other from harm. Maybe they just can't think of anything to say.
