Having sat through the previous films, and knowing that she had read all the books, I took my teenage daughter along to see the final episode of this trilogy stretched into four parts on Friday evening. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it having become a little weary of those mournful teens. But I was pleasantly surprised.
Bella Swan, the heroine played by Kristen Stewart, was a little more animated that in previous incarnations – clearly, being married or a mother or a vampire suits her. Although she did look rather thin – not an ideal role model – especially as it was meant to be only days since she had given birth.
Robert Pattinson lacked a little credibility as a young father (to daughter Renesmee – a series of great child actresses), but we don’t go along to see him act do we? And I’m almost ashamed to say (at my age!) that I nearly clapped along with the audience as Taylor Lautner did his obligatory “shirt removal” scene revealing those abs. But we do share a common Native American heritage so I guess it’s OK really.
The initial sex scenes might be a bit uncomfortable for youngsters watching with their parents. But it is done in the best possible taste (for teens) and in line with its 12A certificate. And let's remember that the kids have read the books right?
And whilst the final battle doesn’t come close to the glorious action scenes in Lord of the Rings, it IS exciting. My daughter was holding her breath with the tension (it departs from the book’s ending a little) and got really rather worked up – until the final fabulous twist that restored the happy ending that we expected.
I have to say that I still laugh when I see Michael Sheen playing chief “bad” vampire with the Volturi as my enduring memory is of him as Tony Blair in “The Queen”. The idea of him playing the leader of a secret powerful Italian cult is not so far-fetched.
There’s lots of underlying messages in the film, which have already been analysed ad nauseam in the press. But at its heart it’s an almost innocent love story – with a triangle – and all about alternative families set within a battle between two tribes (which span the world's nations) who come together against a common foe.
My daughter liked it so much that she went to see it again on Saturday night with her school friend. Need I say more?
