Final Embers
November 22, 2015
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015).
D: Francis Lawrence. DP: Jo Willems. W: Peter Craig & Danny Strong. Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Claflin, Natalie Dormer, Elizabeth Banks, Willow Shields, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Mahershala Ali, Michelle Forbes. (NOTE: Based on Suzanne Collins’ novel)
Another YA fiction adaptation comes to a close begging the question, what will be the next series? The Divergent series starring Shailene Woodley has not been able to compete at the box office with Hunger Games or Harry Potter or Twilight so it’s safe to say we are still looking for what’s next. However, regardless The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 wraps up this series nicely and provides the action packed punch the final installment needed.
Part 2 picks up from the previous film that ended with the rescuing of Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from the capitol where he had been conditioned to kill Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). Emotionally this sets up Katniss’ additional drive to infiltrate the capitol and kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Although asked to wait by her superiors and remain just the symbol of the rebellion, Katniss does what she does best and sneaks out anyway. Eventually Katniss will join forces with a special skilled group and enter into the capitol which is covered in pods that make it essentially another hunger games. This stretch of the film is the best as it’s action roots are what make the series its own. Katniss must act and react to what lies ahead of her, with fabulous bow and arrow use to boot.
This final film was shot in tandem with the previous one so the creative team stayed the same between the two. Director Francis Lawrence and cinematographer Jo Willems keep up the good work from Part 1, but excel at the action sequences. The emotionality of the love triangle cannot be sustained by the series, but this is not from lack of trying by Lawrence. Her teenager is all woman now, which arguably she always was, but still does not connect convincingly with Hutcherson. Their chemistry does not build impact and at this point in the story no one should have to be convinced of their connection.
Thankfully they are surrounded by new faces and action to help move the film along as death continues to be part of these games. The ending of the film provides twists and turns but if you have read the book these lack some resonance. That could also be because Katniss’ denial of any political position makes all her decisions emotional rather than tactical. Great when read by a YA audience, but maybe not the best ending for a cinema offering. Julianne Moore still suffers through a severe wig as President Coin and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final scenes shimmer with their own kind of sadness.
The Hunger Games world keeps expanding throughout the series, but there is still not a clear sense of space defined visually. The size of Pan Am is hard to conceive and with the repetition of game-like narratives the films themselves are cyclical and non distinctive, except for the previous one. Seeing them as a set now their explorations of trauma and death as sport is a fascinating exploration of modern warfare. Despite its YA context Hunger Games does ask its teens to think and think beyond themselves. A great feat for any teenage set content. We shall see who steps up to the plate next.
The Playroom of a Global Phenomenon
February 18, 2015
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).
D: Sam Taylor-Johnson. DP: Seamus McGarvey. W: Kelly Marcel. Starring: Dakota Johnson/Jamie Dornan/Jennifer Ehle/Eloise Mumford/Victor Rasuk/Luke Grimes/Marcia Gay Harden. (Based on E.L. James’ novel of the same name)
Where to begin? I guess with the beginning…
E.L. James’ self published e-book, Fifty Shades of Grey, exploded onto the internet in 2011. Written as fan-fiction for the Twilight series, in 2012 Vintage Books bought the rights and published the book along with the subsequent trilogy. Discussed as salacious and pornographic, among most circles it was deemed almost unreadable not for its content, but for its quality of writing. As one who found the actual Twilight books laborious, I chose to steer clear and frankly, wait for the film.
Saying this project was a challenging one is an understatement. To build a script that was faithful to its source material, yet would not get rated beyond the socially acceptable ‘R’ rating in the states was a feat. To build and market a commercial product that essentially sells BDSM sex to a wide audience is well, hard. In this way I think Focus Features and Universal have succeeded. Fifty Shades of Grey lifts characters and plot lines from Stephanie Meyers work to build a romance founded around the sex, generally speaking, that Edward and Bella essentially deny themselves until they are married. Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) steps in to interview gorgeous entrepreneur Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) for her college newspaper when her roommate gets sick. Their “chance” meeting leads to insatiable desire in both of them. The rest is well, sex and all its accoutrements.
Kelly Marcel’s (Saving Mr. Banks) script is oftentimes cringe worthy. But can you blame her? Even the names of the leads are ridiculous and sound like they were stolen from mass market romance novels hidden down grocery store isles. Marcel at least keeps things simple, blending the Twilight rip-offs well enough that you succumb to them. Removing a lot of the more scandalous scenes from the novel gives greater weight to the sex that is included on screen (honestly I wonder how much of the sex scenes Marcel wrote or how much was worked out when Taylor-Johnson came on board). However, the best scene is one where Johnson’s Anastasia finally has a little bit of say in her submissive contract with Dornan’s Mr. Grey. She even gets to up her wardrobe!
Cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, who previously worked with Taylor-Johnson on her 2009 film Nowhere Boy, attempts to build a beautiful space. But a lot of that credit could be given to production designer David Wasco. McGarvey does give the rain soaked world a sleek quality that invokes a cold expensive beauty that echos the concept of Mr. Grey’s appeal. There are quite a few shots that would have been excellent still photos, maybe director Sam Taylor-Johnson would have been better off making a photo exhibition considering her background in photography? Just a thought. Danny Elfman’s score is hypnotic at best and generally low key. It is overshadowed by the keen marketing idea of integrating nearly every soundtrack song into a scene. Beyoncé got her oar in on this one.
A lot of what doesn’t work in Fifty Shades of Grey probably didn’t work in the books. However, to be fair, the passage of time in the film is far too quick. So Johnson’s loss of virginity (complete with white panties) to BDSM happens shockingly fast and her integration into Grey’s life seems laughably up then down. Sadly the actors chemistry is so limiting, at times they even feel like they want to take one large step away from each other. The scene I previously mentioned is a great release as it actually contains chemistry. The couple are vacant vessels for the sex and are surrounded by such marginalized supporting characters. Dornan is best described as Patrick Bateman light, especially has Mr. Grey’s back story is only given in drips and drabs.
It is a great thing to see a female director be given such a large scale project, but this also makes the film quite troubling. Regardless of its supposed inaccuracies about BDSM, which I cannot speak to, the lack of spark or character development in Anastasia is severely problematic. Ultimately, one walks away from Fifty Shades of Grey feeling like you saw a really expensive hollow lead up to a whipping scene and an abrupt ending that just doesn’t ring true. And where does that leave you?
I’m Just a Teenage Dystopian Story, Baby
March 29, 2014
Divergent (2014).
D: Neil Burger. W: Evan Daugherty & Vanessa Taylor. DP: Alwin H. Kuchler. Starring: Shailene Woodley/Theo James/Kate Winslet/Jai Courtney/Ashley Judd/Tony Goldwyn/Miles Teller/Zoe Kravitz/Ansel Elgort/Maggie Q/Ray Stevenson/Mekhi Phifer/Ben Lloyd-Hughes/Christian Madsen. (Based on Veronica Roth’s YA novel.)
Another addition to the YA film adaptation catalog, Divergent joins fellow Liongsate/Summit owned Twilight and The Hunger Games as the surge to bring profitable YA book series to the screen continues. Concluded in three books, Veronica Roth’s series has had the chance to sit back and scope out its franchise predecessors (and natural box office comparisons). Director Neil Burger did just that and was able to create a look that feels independent of previous franchises.
Lacking the sappiness of spineless Bella in Twilight and gaining the active strength of Katniss in The Hunger Games, Divergent centers on Tris Prior whose grown up in a post-apocalyptic/post-epic big battle world where citizens are categorized around basic human personality traits and values. Honesty (Candor), selflessness (Abnegation), bravery (Dauntless), harmony (Amnity) and intelligence (Erudite) groups attempt to coexist with each faction taking on certain community responsibilities. At the age of sixteen members of each faction take a test to guide them into picking their adult faction. And of course this is where the heroine is to be found. Discovering she might not fit in any one faction, Shailene Woodley’s Tris makes a choice. And despite it’s derivative nature the basic fact that author Veronica Roth has our female protagonist make choices allows the series to be compelling to read and to watch. Tris is not a reactor like Bella, she is not a victim of circumstance, rather she forges her own future. Much like The Hunger Games‘ Katniss, Tris is a female character not defined by trite romance, but her convictions and choices she makes.
On critics and audiences’ radar since 2011’s Oscar winning film The Descendants, Shailene Woodley adds this film to her canon of young adult themed work. Last summer’s The Spectacular Now was a festival darling that put Woodley back on the map and will be joined by this summer’s adaption of John Green’s novel, The Fault in Our Stars. Woodley is all limbs, hair and eyes here, lending a softness to Tris that nicely expresses her selfless upbringing. Her chemistry with Four (Theo James) works and is paced well against the accelerating backdrop of the film’s main plot (intelligence is power to overcome human nature? snooze). Although neither performance are deeply complex or genre breaking, James and Woodley build enough layers with what’s given to them. It is still young adult fair, right?
Striding in and out of Tris’ way is Kate Winslet as Jeanine Matthews, emphasizing the boring bits of the script and clear breeze for the Oscar winner, she’ll at least have more to do in the next film. Ashley Judd is remarkably resurrected as Tris’ mother although both her and Woodley wear far too much movie makeup to be living in a selfless and no mirrors allowed community. Menacing and the most memorable though is Jai Courtney as Eric, the dauntless leader and James’ Four’s rival. Pierced and tattooed, Courtney exudes the true nature of his faction and adds weight to the impending darkness and death in the plot. Both Judd and Courtney will remind audiences that ultimately this is more an action movie than anything else.
Although not tackling the sequel, Insurgent, director Neil Burger creates a rustic world that visually blends the new with the decrepit. However, at certain points music cues provide silly breaks in the flow of the film and as quickly as Woodley’s bruises seem to disappear the trappings of the genre seem to reappear (cue the concluding voiceover). Yet, Divergent is engrossing and evokes less eye rolling than is normally expected. Remaining mostly faithful to its source novel, a few less people die and certain events and characters are condensed, it surely is a decent addition to the YA canon.
Hopelessly (and Nauseatingly) Devoted to Forever
November 19, 2012
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012)
D: Bill Condon. W: Melissa Rosenberg. DP: Guillermo Navarro. Starring: Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson/Taylor Lautner/Peter Facinelli/Billy Burke/Ashley Greene/Nikki Reed/Dakota Fanning/Michael Sheen/Maggie Grace/Jackson Rathbone/Kellan Lutz/Mackenzie Foy/Jamie Campbell Bower/Elizabeth Reaser/Lee Pace/Joe Anderson/Noel Fisher/JD Pardo. (NOTE: Based on Stephanie Meyer’s young adult fiction book of the same name.)
Four books and five films later the Twilight Saga came to an official end over the weekend. I began this blog more than three and a half years ago and the first review I did was on Twilight. So this not only feels like cinematic closure, but it also means I finally never have to write about soporific vampire love ever again. Or at least not until the series is ceremoniously rebooted, which hopefully won’t be in my lifetime. We can all dream!
Breaking Dawn – Part 2 picks up where its disastrous predecessor, Breaking Dawn – Part 1, left off. Kristen Stewart’s Bella has not only given birth to her half human, half vampire daughter, but has survived the birth by being turned into a vampire herself. Sporting crazy contacts, fake lashes, and even more fake hair Stewart strides into her new life with immense restraint and a humorous first scene with Taylor Lautner’s Jake. Both in the books and films, the werewolf ‘imprinting’ is the silliest and least believable element to the wolf lore. This concept reaches levels of embarrassment as Lautner has to painfully admit to Stewart and Pattinson that he has ‘imprinted’ on their infant daughter. Awkward.
Even more silly was Stewart and Pattinson notorious “first night” together as vampires. Like something out of a CW fairy tale, the montage is so honey coated it practically oozes off the screen. Somewhere, someplace, my 14 year old self is mighty thankful that her vampire story growing up was Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. At least that character kicked some ass and didn’t feed ridiculous notions of candlelit sex to teens. I digress.
Much like Eclipse, this installment enlarges the vampire world and has the Cullen family out recruiting other vampires to join their stance against the Volturi. These journeys feel laboriously slow as Stewart’s voice-over is used as a crutch to transition all these various scenes and locations. In the very first Twilight, Stewart’s voice-over was deliberate and diegetically made sense as she was a character in new surroundings and very much alone. But now so much further in her relationship and part of a team effort to protect her unfortunately named daughter (Renesmee???) the voice-over falls flat. The special effects on Renesmee don’t help either.
However, what ultimately saves the film is this vampire community. Unlike the caped and archaic Volturi, this group of misfits has life and energy. The new actors seem to help breathe life into the boring Cullen clan and director Bill Condon seems more at ease with his pacing with these new elements. Most memorable is talented Lee Pace as rogue vamp-dude Garrett, Joe Anderson’s English loner Alistair and Noel Fisher’s Transylvanian Vladimir. They all seem to be having an immense amount of fun, as does Michael Sheen whose Aro laugh is pure unadulterated glee. Filmed back to back with the last film, this installment also sports the best opening and ending credits of the series.
Thankfully, the werewolves are less important in Breaking Dawn – Part 2 as they were one of the pitfalls of the last film. However, Lautner’s Jacob’s break from his pack to form his own is completely abandoned in the film. Not a heartbreak, but still it could have been tackled in one scene and allowed Lautner’s decisions and imprinting to have clear consequences. That being said the acting is all about the same level here as it has been in the rest of the film so maybe consequences really wouldn’t make a difference. What did was screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg’s trick story element at the climax of the film that allows action that never happens in the book to be seen visually. This trick saves Breaking Dawn – Part 2 from the anti-climactic ending of the novel.
Ultimately, the best film and novel out of the bunch was New Moon. Brimming with teenage idealism and the destruction it causes, the film and book have the most memorable moments out of the whole saga. And a saga it is. For all those who camped out to feed their obsession, clapped and yelped in the theaters, this must be a sad weekend indeed. For the rest of us, phew, no more teenage sparkle vampire drama for awhile. Cheers to that.
A Singing Good Time
October 12, 2012
Pitch Perfect (2012).
D: Jason Moore. DP: Julio Macat. W: Kay Cannon (Based on the book by Mickey Rapkin.) Starring: Anna Kendrick/Skylar Astin/Ben Platt/Brittany Snow/Anna Camp/Rebel Wilson/Adam DeVine/Alexis Knapp/Ester Dean/Hana Mae Lee/Elizabeth Banks/John Michael Higgins/Freddie Stroma/John Benjamin Hickey/Christopher Mintz-Plasse/Jacob Wysocki.
For those of you unaware of the acapella sensation finally sweeping our country, let me be the first to congratulate you on the rocky cave that you have built and are living in. Let’s hope it is cozy, for your sake. If you have been paying attention, whether it’s Fox’s obnoxious television series Glee or NBC’s underrated competition show The Sing Off or your basic college experience 101, then you are primed for Universal’s Pitch Perfect.
Bright, quick-paced, and embracing moments of sheer crazed college fun, Pitch Perfect is right on the mark. Yes it has moments that steal a bit from last year’s Bridesmaids, but in the end I can promise you that you won’t care. The film was helmed by female television writer (GASP), Kay Cannon, and directed by television director, Jason Moore. This team was in clear command of the pace of their story, while also allowing their characters to breathe and establish themselves.
Anna Kendrick, known from her work in the Twilight films, 2011’s 50/50, and 2010’s Up in the Air, takes on the lead role of Beca. Craving a Los Angeles’ music adventure rather than college, Kendrick’s Beca reluctantly enrolls at the college that also employs her father. Encouraged and somewhat forced to become more involved in school, Kendrick ends up auditioning for the all girls college acapella group. In sad disarray, the Barton Bellas act like a mini sorority (mostly the negative aspects of those organizations). However, thankfully, Kendrick is quirky and normal enough to be compelling and threads the film together effortlessly. Anna Camp and Brittany Snow do well supporting Kendrick in their roles as the Bellas leaders. Both have decent voices, and lets remember not everyone on an acapella team has to be a Kelly Clarkson.
However, the star of the Bellas ends up being Rebel Wilson. Embracing her true Aussie status, Wilson pulls back at the right moments and lets loose when it’s needed. Her singing moments specifically stand out. Balancing out the Bellas are the all boys team, The Treblemakers. I know, I love the names too. Leading the pack is some dude named Bumper (Adam DeVine), whose as annoying as his name implies. Thankfully, Broadway’s Spring Awakening alum, Skylar Astin steps in as a new member and “friend who wants more” interest for Kendrick. Astin’s Jesse has a tremendous voice and is written well enough not to feel flat against all the pop of the film.
Stealing some scenes is producer Elizabeth Banks and her co-host John Michael Higgins. Acting as journalists covering all the acapella competitions, the two have some of the most memorable lines and clearly embrace the fun and humor of the film. Between this pair and the music, no one will be able to leave the theater without a grin on their face. And that is just what Pitch Perfect aims to do. It lightens your load, without pretending to do anything else.
The Forever Story that Finally Lost its Footing
November 22, 2011
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (2011).
D: Bill Condon. DP: Guillermo Navarro. W: Melissa Rosenberg. Starring: Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson/Taylor Lautner/Ashley Greene/Nikki Reed/Kellan Lutz/Elizabeth Reaser/Peter Facinelli/Billy Burke/Jackson Rathbone/Sarah Clarke/Anna Kendrick/Booboo Stewart/Julia Jones/Maggie Grace/Chaske Spencer. (NOTE: Based on Stephanie Meyer’s young adult fiction book of the same name).
Once again, twi-hards from near and far gathered and camped out for this this year’s release of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1. This is the fourth film, but first part of the conclusion of the star-crossed romance of the human Bella and vampire Edward. And for those of you who have no idea what Twilight is about, I envy you for missing out on this one.
This latest installment jumps right into the wedding day for Kristen Stewart’s Bella and Robert Pattinson’s Edward. This wedding is symbolic as it not only will act as a catalyst to allow the couple’s relationship to evolve out of its chaste state, but represents Stewart’s Bella’s commitment to eventually becoming a vampire like Pattinson’s Edward. But let’s be honest, this symbolism is pretty overt. Almost as absurdly obvious is the shot of author Stephanie Meyer as Stewart walks down the aisle, look for it twi-maniacs. Regardless, unfortunately, the wedding scene (though a beautiful venue) falls rather flat. The chemistry between the other actors seems dishearteningly unapparent with the only memorable moment being when the camera sweeps around the room during the couples wedding ceremony kiss. Revealing that no one is there, and the kiss must make them feel like they are in a world of their own. That remains the only sparkle of true romance for awhile in the film.
Once the couple goes off on their honeymoon, director Bill Condon (2006’s Dreamgirls, 2004’s Kinsey, 1998’s Gods and Monsters) shows his true faults in attempting this project. Almost immediately, every scene is filled with soundtrack fodder. As if the story isn’t simple enough to follow, we now must have a song for every scene to gauge the characters emotions. So much so that by the time the much anticipated sex scene happens you’re over it and the rest of the montages are just laughable. There is also no hope for acting chops to be created for the leads, we’re too deep now. And it is glaringly clear in the first hour of the film that Condon did not know how to tackle such a piece of slow moving story with not much depth or levels besides romance. But can we fault him? Hold on, it gets worse.
Unfortunately for this industry and audience members who had not read the books, the actual twist in the film was revealed during the huge marketing campaign for Breaking Dawn – Part 1. Stewart’s pregnancy revelation on her honeymoon not only changes the course of the story, but of her character. However, with everyone and their grandmothers having known this was coming from the trailers (thus the element of visual surprise is gone) it completely falls flat. The second half of the film has a much different tone to it, but all sense of suspense is still lost. Kudos must be given to the make-up and special effects departments for destroying Stewart’s body so well on screen during the pregnancy. The birthing scenes are logically a mess, but they have their moments of glittering intensity and Pattinson is able to lose his shell for a few scenes. But the rest of the film is agonizingly slow, builds up to the silliest of battles (because the real battle has been saved for the next film) and even sports a power rangers type pow wow of the wolf-clan. Try not to laugh at that one, I dare you.
Without a doubt, this is the most disappointing film (so far) in the franchise. Not only was the audience laughing at it (myself included), but the film felt so disjointed and overdone that it seemed to be taking the mickey out of itself. A director like Bill Condon might have actually hurt the project. His ambition to stylize the film is admirable, but is lost amidst such a slow story. Stephanie Meyer’s final book should not have have been split into two as there is simply not enough substance to warrant it. I actually went home craving Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. And that is saying something.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010).
D: David Slade. DP: Javier Aguirresarobe. W: Melissa Rosenberg. Starring: Kristen Stewart/Robert Pattinson/Taylor Lautner/Billy Burke/Peter Facinelli/Ashley Greene/Nikki Reed/Kellan Lutz/Jackson Rathbone/Elizabeth Reaser/Bryce Dallas Howard/Dakota Fanning. (NOTE: Based on Stephanie Meyer’s young adult fiction book of the same name).
The most anticipated release of summer 2010 is here! But whether you were able to camp out for the premiere here in LA or back home at your local theater, twi-hard fever has been dually felt and noted. But it was only back in November that audiences crowded the theaters to see The Twilight Saga: New Moon the sequel to 2008’s successful Twilight. Are you ready for another?
Eclipse picks up right where the last film left off with the most important trio of main actors returning to their roles. Wearing a somewhat obvious wig the whole time, Kristen Stewart manages to keep her Bella simple and eager to learn about the possibility of her new life. As in the last films, Stewart’s own shyness and awkwardness serve her well here. Her chemistry with Robert Pattinson’s Edward is palpable, surely aided a bit by their own off screen romance (or so one would think). With every film we see a better Pattinson acting wise, but his take on Edward may consistently disappoint. Although intense and statuesque, Pattinson still lacks the weight and movement of someone whose over a century old, something I noted in Twilight. Also, his lack of physicality or visual signs of strength has allowed Taylor Lautner’s Jacob to rule over him in the physical and protection of Bella department. An area that has been incredibly hyped up, a love triangle that is present yet not as central to the books as Bella’s type of feelings towards Jacob are more readily known. The story doesn’t hurt because of this emphasis, but sadly has made Lautner’s Jacob seem a little one note and his performance rather too all over the place despite his younger age.
And of course, thankfully, Eclipse is not all about this romance triangle. The best part of the book and now the film is the presence of back stories. Finally audiences, and Bella, get to hear more about where each Cullen has come from, an origin that has shaped their vampire life. This deepens the chemistry and mood of the group scenes and will definitely be a factor in the developing last two films of Breaking Dawn. Jackson Rathbone’s Jasper and Ashley Greene’s Alice are still winning as the young acting standouts of the franchise. Their portrayals feel researched and organic, something some of the cast is unable to tap into (maybe due to the vampire twist?). Billy Burke not included in this as his role as Bella’s father Charlie is still the best casting in the entire franchise. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t have the time to develop the wolf pack or really give audiences perspective into Jacob’s life, something maybe they are saving for the next film?
It must be noted that each film has sported a different director. But these last two used the same director of photography and, of course, used the same screenwriter throughout the series. Rosenberg must be applauded for being able to scrape off all the tangential extras that exist in Meyer’s novels. Similar to Harry Potter films in this way, this franchise has experienced a lot of creative change. However, although different, each film maintains a certain level of continuity and look that is admirable. Specifically both New Moon and Eclipse have embraced the darker, gritter elements of the story that provide excellent contrast to the intense romance of the Bella and Edward story.
On the same vein, it must be recognized that the ‘villain’ of this film is played by a different actress. In both Twilight and New Moon Rachelle Lefevre played the role of Victoria, a red-headed and hot headed vampire with a vendetta against Edward after her own vampire partner, James, was killed. Lefevre rounded out Victoria with a great sense of play, wicked enjoyment and power. Due to scheduling conflicts, as Eclipse was shot right after New Moon was wrapped, Lefevre was ceremoniously fired. A sadness for the franchise as Summit chose this route over working things out (which they obviously did for Anna Kedrick to appear in Up in the Air while also playing Jessica in both films). A sadness because Lefevre’s replacement, Bryce Dallas Howard, plays Victoria with a denseness and gives a one-dimensional performance to a character who is so enraged and grieved that her natural violence manifests itself in an army. Yet if the performance doesn’t anger you, maybe the amount of screen time will as Victoria is clearly in about half a dozen scenes, nothing that couldn’t be rescheduled.
Ultimately, the third book (and now film) will feel very transitional to most audiences. This part of the story exists to merely set up what is to come in the final installment of Breaking Dawn. This does not mean the story lacks moments of weight or interest, but overwhelming this book and film merely reiterates what occurred in New Moon and sets up the conflict of Breaking Dawn. And as the theaters fill up, money is spent, and most of the population basks in wonder and rolls their eyes at the phenomenon, just remember what you liked at that age. And be thankful that this series is all a bit chaste.