Breaking Dawn Review — Part 1

    The highly anticipated fourth movie of the Twilight Saga was released Nov. 18 at midnight. The series, infamous for awkward acting and corny story lines, has become a household name and created enough attention to become the fifth highest grossing film during its debut weekend; the movie brought in $283.5 million dollars worldwide during its opening weekend.
    At this point in the series, most people are more than familiar with the tragic three-way love story shared by Edward (Robert Pattinson), Bella (Kristen Stewart), and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). Breaking Dawn Part I covers Bella and Edward’s wedding as well as Bella’s curious pregnancy and the birth of their child. At points, the scenes are a bit on the graphic side, but the acting no longer has the awkward edge it’s known for. For the first time in the franchise’s history, the parts where the audience laughs out loud are actually intended to be comedic. Breaking Dawn Part I also incorporates more from the book, while managing to add new scenes without disturbing the plot. Another aspect  of the movie included from the novel is the heavier presence of other members of the Cullen family, which avid fans can appreciate.  
    Many critics chastise the movie for its immature acting and unbelievable story line, but as someone who has read all of the books and seen all of the movies (multiple times), I can say this movie is definitely an improvement over the previous ones. But that’s not to say it’s perfect. As expected, Stewart has her twitchy moments, but less so than in the other movies. The birthing scene was straight out of a horror movie and disturbing on so many levels, but some might argue that it adds to the legitimacy of the movie and is a vital aspect of the plot. The criticism that the story line itself is unrealistic and unhealthy for young girls to be watching exists, but that is something consistent with all of the movies.
    Everyone should see this movie, even if only see what the hype’s all about. Personally, I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. This movie is part one of the final novel, and part two is expected to be released November 16, 2012.