The long awaited finale to The Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn Part 2, has finally been released in theaters. At 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 15, the first showings of Breaking Dawn began.  According to CBS News, during opening weekend, the movie raised $340.9 million worldwide and $141.3 million in just the United States ticket sales.

The movie begins with Kristen Stewart’s character, Bella Cullen, waking up after her transformation from human to newborn vampire.  Bella, surprisingly, does not become the ravenous newborn that everyone said she would.  She is able to control her emotions and desires.  Freshman Megan Longerbeam found Bella’s new vampire appearance to be a contrast to her human look.  “I think [Bella] looks a lot better than she has looked in the previous movies,” said Longerbeam.  “She actually looks powerful instead of a wimpy human.”  Edward, played by Robert Pattinson,  takes Bella hunting for the first time, and she catches a mountain lion after having to restrain herself from eating a hiker.

She then meets her daughter, Renesmee, played by Mackenzie Foy, and finds out that Jacob has  imprinted on her child.  Stewart’s gave a convincing performance in this scene.  She appeared truly angry with Jacob as she yells and attacks him.  Senior Caroline Savin found the actors to have improved their acting in this installment.  “I thought they [had better performances] than the first film,” said Savin.  Edward and Bella had just begun their eternity together, when they find out that it might end sooner than they thought.  The Volturi, the group of ancient and powerful vampires that enforce the laws of their kind, find out about Renesmee and decide to face the Cullens.  They believe her to be an immortal child, which is a young child turned into a vampire.  Immortal children are illegal because they cannot control their thirst and could easily give away the secret that vampirism exists.  However, Renesmee was half-vampire, half-human and was not bitten.  The Cullens gather friends that can be witnesses to Renesmee’s growth.  The end has a large twist that was not included in the book.  “When the twist happened, my jaw dropped,” said Longerbeam.  “It was so unexpected…”  However, the movie did not stray too far from the book, and the twist at the end adds to the suspense and shock.  At the beginning of the credits, there was a tribute to all of the characters in all five of the movies.  “My favorite part was the ending when they went back through all the movies and showed the characters through the years,” said Savin.  After four years, The Twilight Saga is finished and has showcased the actors’ and characters’ growth throughout all five films.  Breaking Dawn Part 2 delivers an epic finale that provides suspense, shock, and a conclusion that quenches fans’ thirst for a long lasting relationship between Bella and Edward.

Sources:

-http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-57551620/breaking-dawn-part-2-wins-weekend-box-office-with-$141.3m/