The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 begins with Bella and Edward getting married in one of the dullest wedding ceremonies I’ve seen on film. Although I didn’t think it possible, from that point on things go downhill. Yes, the honeymoon starts on a romantic note -- but soon injuries and a troubling pregnancy change what should be a happy time for newlyweds into a nightmare. Not having read The Twilight Saga books by Stephenie Meyer, I can’t comment on how well this film treatment sticks to the story. But, as a fan of the first Twilight movie, I feel very disappointed with the franchise’s fourth offering.   

Any film dealing with vampires, werewolves and forbidden love should be exciting to watch, yet this one moves along slower than a snail’s pace. Yes, there’s lots of lovely scenery and some fitting special effects. However, although Kristen Stewart (Bella), Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Taylor Lautner (Jacob) still do a fine job portraying the members of a bizarre love triangle (human, vampire, werewolf), the movie leaves them with little to do except suffer.

Bella, who surely endures one of the most painful pregnancies on record, constantly rubs her stomach and insists on carrying the baby full term as her own health deteriorates. When her violent labor begins, it’s so dramatic the scene borders on comedy. My daughter let out a guffaw so loud that I had to cover her mouth to save her!

And Edward’s guilt seems almost out of control. He had no idea a human could become pregnant by a vampire. All he ever wanted was to make Bella happy and to protect her from “bad” vampires as well as from his own vampiric desires. Jacob also sees himself as Bella’s protector, which ends up putting him at odds with his werewolf pack. And, of course, everyone harbors fears about the baby. Is it human or a vampire?              

So our wish for Bella and Edward to live happily ever after may not come true -- at least until Breaking Dawn - Part 2 arrives in multiplexes during 2012. Despite everything I’ve complained about here, I don’t plan to miss the last Twilight Saga film. But I’m not taking my daughter along with me to that one. 

(Released by Summit Entertainment and rated “PG-13” for disturbing images, violence, sexuality/partial nudity and some thematic elements.)

For more information about Breaking Dawn – Part 1, go to the Internet Movie Data Base or Rotten Tomatoes website.