Breaking Dawn

This weekend I saw both Skyfall and Breaking Dawn Part 2! I thought both movies were awesome in different ways, and I just had to say something about the latter.

I'll admit that I started out as a total Twilight fangirl. I've read all the books at least twice (and I saw the first movie three times on its opening weekend, back in the day). Then I went through a period when, for various reasons, I stayed far away from the whole thing. Now I've come back around to thoroughly enjoying the franchise for what it is – a totally unrealistic but compelling cheesefest. I was particularly excited about this movie because, while my first reading of Breaking Dawn left me stunned and confused (I felt like I was reading fanfic instead of the real thing), I do love the key elements of Part 2. General story spoilers ahead!

To me, Bella's story in Part 2 is a satisfying example of the meek inheriting the earth, or the weak shaming the strong. Bella spends three and a half long books as a helpless pawn, unable to protect herself, let alone her loved ones. Her experiences as the human girlfriend of a perfect immortal are the jewels in her life's crown of feeling out of place, inadequate, and even burdensome. But when she becomes a vampire, she becomes fully herself for the first time. As many of the characters observe, the innate traits that were obstacles to her in her human life are the very things that make her an ideal vampire. As a human, she felt that Edward's inability to hear her thoughts was more evidence that something was wrong with her. As a vampire, she discovers that this "shielding" ability is not only a gift, but also a powerful weapon, making her uniquely equipped for the fight to save her family. So, in addition to irrevocably getting what she always wanted (Edward) and what she didn't know she wanted (Renesmee), Bella finds her true role and purpose. She rises up, kicks butt and takes names. She learns that everything she needed for the life she was meant for was with her all along. I LOVE THAT.

The movie conveyed all of this pretty well. I had heard that the movie ending would be a little different from the book ending, and let's just say my mouth was hanging open for a full five minutes. Well played, Bill Condon, well played.

Okay that’s all.