Review of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011) by María Elisa T — 20 Nov 2012

While my favorite is still Catherine Hardwicke's Twilight, I would rate the Breaking Dawn Part I as the second best in the series: plenty of Bella and Edward screen time, and a tragic fairy tale ending.

..I am appalled at the reviews that try to extract moral lessons from this movie, insinuating that Bella's unplanned pregnancy is a warning to teen girls, and her wasting away is reminiscent of anorexia, and in doing so these critics miss the whole point that the movie is an escapist fantasy .

The pregnancy was just a plot device to get Edward to change Bella, not meant to serve as a cautionary tale to teens... I think the bad reviews stem from the fact that critics do not want to admit that something that teens like has some depth and magic to it, aka the phenomenal chemistry between the two main characters throughout the series.

Despite not being a teen or a twihard, I am not afraid to admit my addiction to this adorable fantasy.The first part of the movie was a real treat. The wedding seemed more like a roast, where the characters made fun of themselves and the whole saga, which was refreshing yet disconcerting at the same time.

Another complaint about the wedding scene I wish it was longer. I can not resist to comment on the wedding dress as well...It was perfect for the character, making Kristen look gentle and lengthy like a swan (befitting to the name, Bella Swan), especially during the moment when Jacob was lifting her up in the air in the woods, though it made me wish it was Edward, not Jacob, dancing with her in that particular scene.

. I thought the honeymoon was well done too. The scene of them dancing in the streets of Rio was a passionate substitute, making up for the lack of the wedding dance. Especially beautiful was the scene with Bella and Edward in the moon light in the water.

The only concern--Why not show Edward sparkling in the sun?? Many critics keep likening the second part of the movie to the Rosemary's baby, whereas in my opinion the two films do not resemble each other in the least.

Stewart and Pattinson really channeled the feelings of new parents coping with a difficult pregnancy and witnessing the birth of their child, the joy and the trauma of it all. Some moments were done better cinematically, by just showing, without the dialog, like when Edward sees Bella in the bathroom's mirror as she is about to take a bath, and Rosalie pushes the door to close.

Edward making small bites all over Bella's dying body added a tragic, desperate edge. It was nice that the director included the sequence of events from Bella's short life in the end; it really paid a tribute to Bella's character.

The CGI sequence showing Bella's transformation into a 'vampire' reminded me of a scene from "sleeping beauty" or "snow white".I enjoyed watching this well-crafted fairy tale.