The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2: Short and Sweet

For most of us, November signals Thanksgiving and gratuitous amounts of football, but in recent years, the fall month has also set the stage for a new Twilight release, so for the past few weeks, Twi-Hards have been absolutely losing their minds in anticipation for Breaking Dawn – Part 2.  Now, my regular readers know just how much I hate Stephenie Meyer’s romantic fantasy novels, but I have sat through the other four entries of this frustratingly successful franchise, so solely for the integrity of this blog, I knew I would have to endure the fifth and final chapter of the film series.  Beyond the usual buzz you would expect alongside such a heavyweight blockbuster, a less-than-desirable spotlight was shone on the film’s young A-listers when the story broke that Kristen Stewart cheated on Robert Pattinson with Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders.  That kind of celebrity gossip may not sound like an important marketing consideration, but when a public fall-from-grace shatters the illusion of cinematic romance for devoted fans, the studio has to consider the backlash of mass perception.  Controversy aside, there weren’t any delusions that Breaking Dawn – Part 2 would do anything but hit the box office with a sledge hammer…the global phenomenon was about to conclude, so the only question was whether the story could conclude on a critical high note.

I realize that early critics declaring Breaking Dawn – Part 2 the best of the Twilight series is an accolade that really doesn’t carry that much weight, but even I have to admit that the final installment has its entertaining moments.  Admittedly, it was a long shot in hoping that Kristen Stewart would develop a personality as an immortal, but thankfully, the narrative focuses on the infinitely more interesting extended vampire families and gives them cool abilities beyond the tendency to bedazzle in direct sunlight.  Don’t get your hopes up too high, because as usual, a majority of the acting is forced and truly god-awful; funny thing is that such a criticism never seems to affect the female demographic as long as Lautner takes his shirt off.  In terms of the final battle, members of the audience who were dragged to the theater will undoubtedly be surprised and entertained by the amount of action and gratuitous violence depicted, but that kind of payoff is still ruined by the overly-sappy and altogether hollow ending.  Bottom line, The Twilight Saga could have ended on a far worse note than Breaking Dawn – Part 2, but the franchise still cannot rank against other far superior literary adaptations…suffice it to say that the films are finally over, and it is not altogether awful to see how things end.

Overall Recommendation: Medium

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2: Full Review

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 - (November 16th, 2012): PG-13

Distributor: Summit Entertainment

                                      

Opening Weekend Box Office: #1 with $141,067,634

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $227,366,118

Gross Revenue: $578,166,118

Production Budget: $120 million

Director: Bill Condon

 
I was not surprised in the least that last November’s Breaking Dawn – Part 1 was an incoherent and illogical mess, and certain components of the franchise have been perpetually infuriating, but due to the action-focused trailer for Part 2, there was a small chance that the fifth and final theatrical release wouldn’t invoke the desire to start a book burning of the young adult novels.  However, the positive momentum that Breaking Dawn – Part 2 hoped to ride into its highly-anticipated release took a definitive hit when Kristen Stewart’s previously-referenced infidelity hit the tabloids…female fans were pissed and the studio decision makers had to prepare for some backlash from Team Edward during the packed promotional tour.  Granted, R-Patts and K-Stew did reconcile a few weeks back, but most skeptics have concluded that the pairing may be solely the result of Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment mandating that the young stars maintain a public façade.  Still, this negative buzz was proving to be little more than fuel for enemies of the successful franchise, as pre-release ticket sales were still skyrocketing, and many Twi-Hards were preparing for full marathons that were being offered by theaters as a lead-in to the midnight release.  I am anything but a fan of this series, but over the course of this blog, I have suffered through a great deal of cinematic garbage, so really, how could I not go see the final Twilight and ensure that the series was finally over?   

Picking up directly after the events of Breaking Dawn – Part 1, Part 2 opens with Bella Swan/Cullen (Kristen Stewart) awakening as a newborn vampire, learning to control her bloodlust but reveling in her new abilities and immortal future with husband Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and daughter Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy).  The blissful existence is soon shattered though, as a member of the Cullen’s extended family, Irina (Maggie Grace), witnesses Renesmee and mistakenly assumes that she is an immortal child; because there are strict laws against the existence of immortal children, the Cullens are reported to the vampire ruling body, the Volturi, who subsequently sentence the peaceful coven to death.  In the wake of this impending danger, Bella is warned by the departing Alice Cullen (Ashley Greene) and Jasper Hale (Jackson Rathbone) to gather witnesses to Renesmee’s true unthreatening nature in an attempt to reason with the Volturi’s leader, Aro (Michael Sheen); and so, Carlisle (Peter Facinelli), Esme (Elizabeth Reaser), Rosalie (Nikki Reed), and Emmett (Kellan Lutz) reach out to vampire families across the globe, most of whom agree to stand together with the condemned coven and protect the young child.  Having imprinted on Renesmee at her birth, werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) also takes it upon himself to protect Bella’s daughter, even going as far to guarantee that the rest of the wolf tribes will work together with their vampire counterparts in order to face this massive threat.  Though fully intent on reaching a tenuous peace, The Cullen prepare with their new allies for a truly dangerous battle, one which may have far greater implications than anyone has realized.

  

Despite the perpetual disappointment that The Twilight Saga has offered over the years in relation to normal cinematic metrics like acting and coherent dialogue, I have always enjoyed the subtleties of the supernatural elements, and thankfully, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 finally keyed-in on that selling point.  I have always enjoyed the personalities and back-stories of the individual members of the Cullen family, and that kind of novelty is expanded exponentially when the narrative introduces over a dozen new immortals from new covens around the world…you may not be able to keep track of every vampire, but they are a hell of a lot more interesting to watch than an angst-filled teenager swooning over her sparkly beau.  Back in 2010, I praised the action-filled focus of Eclipse, but that achievement doesn’t even come close to matching the violence of this final chapter; in spite of myself, I immensely enjoyed the climactic battle, and I have a feeling that audiences outside the fan-base spectrum might respond in a similar manner.  And, in addition to the exciting and gory action, the final battle also paves the way for a genuinely clever framing device and a delightfully hammy performance from Michael Sheen as the Volturi leader.  Now, such a positive reaction may seem to go against my normal critical credibility, but don’t worry, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 still offers many of the same terrible elements that we all have come to expect from the Twilight franchise over the years.

I have long declared Bella Swan to be one of the biggest setbacks in feminism in decades, and when you combine that fact with the acting abilities of Kristen Stewart, the romantic fantasy film series is robbed of any chances of narrative depth or true critical praise.  After Snow White and the Huntsman, I began to think that maybe Miss Stewart just got a bum-rap from playing a notoriously bad character, but after this performance, she has just reinforced her status as awful, even with the help of a potentially-helpful vampire character hook.  The first scenes of Bella discovering her “powers” are laughably bad with altogether cheesy special effects, and when you add that to the painful banter that she shares with Jacob Lautner and Billy Burke (who still plays the poor, clueless, sap), it is enough to again question why in the hell these movies are so successful.  And, if after five movies, you cannot add a deeper ending than the two main characters living “happily ever after,” then the entire scope of the series is shamefully hollow and largely not worth any of the emotional investment that has been granted over the years.  Like I mentioned at the conclusion of the “Short and Sweet” review, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 may be the strongest entry in The Twilight Saga, but that kind of classification needs to be kept in perspective in order to assess its marginally low value.

After earning $30.4 million in midnight and Thursday night showings alone and a total of over $140 million in its open weekend, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 can certainly be declared a success, but unlike other final installments in historic franchises like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, this chapter of the saga did not completely outmatch its predecessors.  Still, the first place opening helped signal an impressive momentum that carried the sequel into a massive second weekend that helped the Summit Entertainment cash cow defeat several new releases and move well north of half a billion in revenue.  And now, the real question is whether the juggernaut franchise is actually over, because even though the literary source material has run its course, studio execs have expressed interest in expanding and continuing the cinematic universe.  Personally, I am just curious to see if Robert Pattinson will stay with Kristen Stewart now that the spotlight is fading and the outside pressure for the pair to stay together is gone…stay tuned to TMZ for that nail-biting coverage.  All-in-all, it is your call; whether or not you truly care about vampire romance, the truth is that Breaking Dawn – Part 2 would not be the worst thing that you could see at the theater.

Overall Recommendation: Medium

Skyfall: Short and Sweet

I’m not going to sugar-coat this: Daniel Craig may be more than capable as James Bond, but 2008’s Quantum of Solace sucked; the Bond film series is one of the most successful and revered properties in Hollywood, but as the 23^rd entry in the franchise, Skyfall had something to prove.  Plot details concerning the newest Bond film were shrouded in mystery throughout the film’s lengthy production cycle, but once promotions started hitting, Columbia Pictures and MGM went into overdrive building buzz for this highly-anticipated release.  Whether it involved promotional partnerships with Heineken, Sony, VisitBritain, and Omega watches, you couldn’t turn a corner in the weeks leading up to release without being reminded that the 50^th Anniversary of Bond would be celebrated with a kick-ass return to glory.  Early reviews declared that Skyfall not only represented one of the best James Bond movies ever, but also stood as a ridiculously-strong action film in its own right that could generate Oscar Buzz.  Skyfall was slaughtering the international box office, and as a fan of all things MI6-related, I couldn’t wait to see Daniel Craig solidify his place as the legendary superspy.

Returning James Bond to his former glory and paying tribute to longtime fans of the franchise, Skyfall represents a stylish and entertaining spy adventure that is anchored by deep acting, gorgeous cinematography, and adrenaline-filled action sequences.  Daniel Craig brings an undeniably sense of humanity to the James Bond character, while Judi Dench is always charming as M, but the real standout performance comes from Javier Bardem.  As the eccentric and thoroughly unnerving Bond villain, Bardem owns every second of his screen time, bringing to life the kind of antagonist you may find frightening, but one that you cannot help but love hating.  My one criticism stems from the fact that it did take the narrative some time to build momentum, but if you stick-it-out through the lull, you will be rewarded.  Bring to the equation some trademarked Bond humor, visits to exotic locations, an introduction to an entirely new take on fan-favorite Q, and an awesome Adele theme song, and Skyfall easily represents a crowning achievement for MGM that lifelong fans will adore. 

Overall Recommendation: Very High

Skyfall: Full Review

Skyfall - (November 9th, 2012): PG-13

Distributor: Columbia Pictures (Sony Pictures Entertainment)

                                      

Opening Weekend Box Office: #1 with $88,364,714

Domestic Box Office Gross to-date: $178,045,000

Gross Revenue: $685,945,000

Production Budget: $200 million

Director: Sam Mendes

 
Though Sean Connery is best associated with the character, the fact remains that since 007 first showed up in 1962, James Bond has been a mainstay in theaters thanks to a wide variety of actors, and the insanely successful series remains the benchmark against which all other spy films are measured.  Daniel Craig inherited the mantle from Pierce Brosnan and won audiences over with 2006’s Casino Royale, but the momentum of the series took a definitive step backwards with 2008’s confusing and altogether underwhelming Quantum of Solace…needless to say, if Bond was going to return again, it was going to have to be with the help of a much stronger project.  To the credit of the filmmakers, during a majority of the development period, the finer details of “Bond-23” were kept under wraps, but as more and more information was released, Skyfall kept looking better and better…personally, I was ecstatic when I learned that Academy Award winner Javier Bardem was going to be the Bond villain, especially since he sent chills down my spine in No Country for Old Men.  And as far as marketing efforts go, Skyfall benefited from an aggressively creative pre-release campaign that sent overall hype into the atmosphere and built a new sense of national pride for Great Britain; I mean, c’mon, how awesome was it for Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth to execute a skydiving stunt during the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony?  Between the action-packed trailer, the DJs at KROQ raving about early screenings, and the gargantuan impact on the international box office, I was genuinely excited for Skyfall and the return to glory for the Bond franchise.

Skyfall opens with James Bond (Daniel Craig) and fellow MI6 agent Eve (Naomie Harris) attempting to recover a stolen hard drive that identifies undercover NATO agents, but in the ensuing chase, Bond is accidentally wounded and presumed dead.  Using his deceased status for an early retirement, Bond initially takes refuge on an island paradise, but once he learns about a terrorist bombing at MI6 seemingly connected to his last mission, he decides to report to London in order to investigate.  Cleared for duty by the head of MI6, “M” (Judi Dench) and the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Community, Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), Bond follows several leads with the help of new quartermaster "Q” (Ben Whishaw) and an exotic femme fatale known as Sévérine (Bérénice Lim Marlohe).  Bond eventually crosses paths with Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), a former MI6 agent and computer genius who not only works as a digital terrorist, but also carries a deeply personal vendetta against M.  Facing a truly dangerous and thoroughly unstable enemy, Bond must look to both his past and his new allies in order to save his supervisor and reaffirm his status as a protector of the government.

During the Daniel Craig-era of James Bond, the films have tried to convey a distinct down-to-earth tone, but in returning the character to the roots of the franchise with considerable style and engaging characters, Skyfall easily earns its designation as one of the best films in the series and one of the best action films of the year.  As always, Daniel Craig brings a distinct humanity to the main character and is a blast to watch as her alternates between dry humor and brutal violence, but his interaction with the other franchise characters is what takes the film to the next level.  The added tenderness of Bond and M’s relationship raises the stakes of the personal conflict in the narrative, and the banter with the new Q sets the stage for considerable humor, but as one would expect, the main draw lies with the Bond villain.  Javier Bardem is utterly fantastic and thoroughly unnerving as the disillusioned agent of chaos that sets his sights on M; the talented actor clearly had fun with his role, his scenes were among the best in the film, and I cannot wait for him to receive the accolades that he deserves for delivering what many are declaring the best antagonist that has been seen in the fifty years of the series.  However, for as much as I would like to declare Skyfall perfect, there were one or two shortcomings; not to worry though, because elements of style and nostalgia help maintain overall quality.

Given all of the pre-release hype, I was expecting to be absolutely blown away by Skyfall, and even though I did enjoy the overall project, the truth is that it did take some time for the newest and arguably best entry in the Bond series to build the necessary momentum to keep me engaged.  Like I mentioned earlier, Craig may be great as Bond, but overall quality didn’t take off until Q was introduced and tongue-in-cheek references to the historic series started appearing…granted, none of this matters once Javier Bardem appears, but the slow start is noticeable.  Despite this negative aspect, there are simply too many positive elements to Skyfall to disparage the overall project; for instance, even if you weren’t a fan of the spy genre, I think that anyone remotely interested in film needs to appreciate the gorgeous cinematography used and the talented direction of Sam Mendes, and music fans will be happy to know that Adele absolutely wows with the opening title song.  Luckily, as longtime fans of Bond will compose a large portion of the intended audience, Skyfall more than delivers some great references to the larger cinematic universe that has been built over all these decades; when the famous Bond chords drummed-up as an Aston Martin was revealed, the audience cheered, and I absolutely had a geek-fit during a perfectly-executed last-minute reveal.  In the end, even though Skyfall may not be the Oscar-winner for Best Picture, it still remains as a remarkably well-executed film that should not be missed by anyone.

Prior to its release, Skyfall was already setting records at the international box office, so absolutely no one was surprised when the domestic opening weekend drew in nearly $90 million dollars, thereby earning a first place ranking by an impressively wide margin.  Now, getting any studio to sign-off on a $200 million production budget had to be one hell of a challenge, but with a worldwide gross of nearly $700 million that shows little signs of slowing down, it is easy to see that such expenditure was anything but risky.  With this impressive opening and box office run, Skyfall will undoubtedly maintain the Bond legacy as the second-highest-grossing film series (behind Harry Potter), and with as much as was introduced for 007 in this film, I cannot wait to see the next adventure for the legendary character.  Rumor has it that Sam Mendes is open to returning to the series for the next installment and has already entered talks with the studio, so that can represent nothing but good news for fans.  It doesn’t matter if you are a staunch Connery supporter, miss Pierce Brosnan, or utterly hated Quantum of Solace, if you have ever enjoyed the world of espionage brought to life by Ian Fleming’s James Bond, then you owe it to yourself to see Skyfall.

 

Overall Recommendation: Very High