Pick of the Week: Breaking Dawn Part I.

By Horacio Garcia

For the regular horror film fan, the problem with the Twilight saga story is that the premise is outrageous, but once you get over the whole team wolf-team vampire thing the series have been getting more interesting with each passing episode.

Not only that, the movies have evolved accordingly and the addition of director Bill Condon helped to make this latest install, Breaking Dawn Part I, the best by far in the series. Condon not only is the acclaimed director of hits like Chicago and Dreamgirls, he was also involved in a whole bunch of horror films either as writer or director or both, so he's got a good hand for monsters, even for cheesy ones.

At this point in the Twilight story, Bella Swam, (Kristen Stewart) and her vampire beau Edward (Robert Pattinson) get married, go on honeymoon, have their thing going and suddenly something happens (I won’t say what to avoid spoiling it for the those who haven’t read the books…) and all hell breaks loose. Oh, and way before any of that happens, Taylor Lautner loses his shirt. Actually it happens within 15 minutes of film.

One of the things Breaking Dawn has in its favor is the fact that Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are very good actors, and on top of that, they have played the same parts four times now, so they look very comfortable like Bella and Edward. Lautner still struggles but I must say in his defense that he's got some of the worst possible lines ever and the fact that his character is supposed to be filled with barely suppressed rage all the time does not help. Anyway, at least he's better than in Abduction….and his abs are still impressive.

The other good thing in the film is Michael Sheen as Aro, the leader of the powerful Volturi coven. Why such a great theater and film performer as Sheen makes these monster movies (he plays Lucien, the chief of the Lycans in the Underworld Saga) is a mystery. It could be the money, but my personal opinion he just likes vampire movies and I'm thankful for that, because every time he appears, Breaking Dawn improves immediately. The man has a great stage presence for someone so short and the kind of penetrating glance you might expect in a vampire lord.

On the other hand, despite great landscapes (you notice immediately that they've had a huge budget) and some good cinematography, the technical part is amazingly poor. A few extra dollars in FX, guys!  After The Lord of the Rings and especially after Avatar, there is no reason for a big budget movie to look so 80's! Fortunately, werewolf participation will be limited in Part 2 and that will give us a break.

All in all, Breaking Dawn Part I is the best in the series. Despite the cheesy premise, director Condon gives us an agile and compelling tale that maintains great fidelity to the book (hardcore fans will be delighted) and at the same time manages to include a bunch of winks for the horror fans.

What's your favorite Twilight movie?

Tags blogger: Horacio Garcia, Kristen Stewart, michael sheen, Robert-Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I