Breaking Dawn review

There are some cringeworthy moments in ‘Breaking Dawn’ for sure, but then, erm, it is a film about teenagers, vampires and werewolves. What keeps 'Twilight' ticking over is the wonderful relationship between the three leads and the fact is caters for the fans of the books in the best way possible.

[See more: The Twilight story in three minutes]

The hype...
The last book in the 'Twilight Saga' has been turned into a two part finale for the film series. The franchise has been a lucrative one for all involved, and seen its young stars become global super-stars. But how will audiences react to this movie being split? And how will the toned-down sex and gore work on the big screen?

The story...
The wedding of the year is about to take place. Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) are to tie the knot in a union of human and vampire. Watching on from the periphery is lovelorn werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner), who is ready to pounce if any errant bloodsucker steps out of line.

The wedding passes without too much incident, allowing Bella and Edward to enjoy a romantic honeymoon where they can finally consummate their relationship.

However, there is trouble on the horizon when Bella realises she is pregnant with a baby that is growing at an alarming rate and is trying to eat its way out of her.

Edward wants to save his new wife at any costs, and a furious Jacob is willing to risk it all when he finds out, but Bella wants to keep the baby and her decision places all of them in danger once more.

The breakdown...
Concerns over the split are initially justified. Things take a while to get started but as the story plays out, you'll actually welcome the slow build-up, which introduces the myriad characters we need to know and care about for the film.

Taylor Lautner's impetuous werewolf continues to stomp around the forest, with Bella still playing Jacob and Edward against one another. The tease.

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The rival vampire and werewolf families keep an uneasy peace, though it’s under threat from the relationship between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

The pace quickens after the wedding. Firstly there’s the much-vaunted sex scene, the moment the entire series has been leading up to really.

Unsurprisingly its rather tame; we see a bit of back, a male torso and a breaking bed, and that;sd about it.

In contrast director Bill Condon did push the boundaries with the birth sequence. There is some wonderful, if disturbing, make-up effects on Bella as she suffers from the dramatic effects of a foetus trying to eat its way out of her. It's a gruesome concept, and is explored as much as possible in a 12A film.

There is a tongue-in-cheek feel to many of the scenes, which some reckon shows that the actors and director were not taking the material seriously. But the laugh-out-loud terrible baby names sequence proves, to us at least, that the humour is intentional.
 
The film ends on a convincing cliff-hanger, which will surely draw the fans back in. However, if you haven't been swept up by 'Twilight' fever by this point, then nothing will bring you back for Part 2, not even a deliciously camp post-credits sting.

The verdict...
We're past the point of changing our minds on this franchise. If you're in it for the long-haul you'll enjoy this immensely, and will be anxiously waiting for the final instalment. If you hate all things ‘Twilight’, this is unlikely to change your mind.

Rating: 4/5

'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1' is released nationwide on 18 November.