Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 Surges on Tubi Despite Decades-Old Criticism

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As a film enthusiast looking back, I never imagined that the craze for glittery vampires and bare-chested werewolves would endure as strongly as it has, especially when you consider their unusual pairing in a melodramatic teenage love story draped with an enigmatic blue tint. Yet, here we are, over a decade later, and The Twilight Saga continues to captivate audiences. Incredibly, the final chapter, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, currently ranks fourth among the most-watched titles on the free streaming service Tubi.

As a devoted cinephile, I must say that the entire Twilight Saga is filled with unforgettable moments, but watching Breaking Dawn – Part 2 offers a truly distinctive cinematic journey. The movie continues right where Breaking Dawn – Part 1 left off, as Bella stirs from her transformation into a vampire, an event that also coincided with her giving birth – talk about an exhausting day! One of the most astonishing scenes I’ve ever witnessed unfolds when Bella discovers that Jacob has formed an emotional bond with their daughter, Renesmee, creating a sort of soul connection between them. Bella and Edward – now husband and wife – opt to raise Renesmee together with the rest of the Cullen family. However, trouble brews when the vampire administration, the Volturi, first seek to eliminate Renesmee, then threaten the Cullens into a full-scale conflict.

By the fifth and last film in the Twilight series, many viewers had grown accustomed to the cheesy dialogues and wooden acting. Despite the fact that the special effects of Twilight were never exceptional, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 attracted criticism for some of the worst CGI ever seen in a movie. This didn’t exactly boost the popularity of the supernatural romance in 2012, but in recent years, it has given the franchise a sort of so-bad-it’s-good reputation. Almost every scene featuring the heavily digitally altered baby Renesmee in Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is a low point for animation history, but a high point for the film’s strange, unsettling style. The poor CGI is only surpassed by the unintended humor of some truly memorable lines, such as Bella’s famous remark: “You named my daughter after the Loch Ness Monster!?

Why is Twilight Still So Popular?

It cannot be disputed that the Twilight films were incredibly popular during their time. The final installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, grossed a staggering $848.6 million globally at the box office, despite receiving only 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. This franchise ignited considerable online buzz, leading to a massive following of devoted fans and long lines outside cinemas when new releases premiered. However, after the Twilight frenzy subsided, with supernatural romances becoming commonplace, it’s challenging to pinpoint what exactly sparked the return of vampires and werewolves.

Interestingly, Breaking Dawn – Part 2 is currently making a comeback on Tubi, and earlier this month, all five films were topping the charts on Hulu, with the original Twilight sitting at number six. There are also plans for a reboot of the franchise, transforming Stephanie Meyer’s Midnight Sun into an eight-episode animated series, which retells the events of Twilight from Edward’s perspective.

It appears that the majority of reviews for Breaking Dawn – Part 2 are mediocre at worst, with Bilge Ebiri from Vulture stating that as the series progressed, it became increasingly dumb and uninteresting, culminating in this final part being excessively campy. However, the audience’s reactions were much more favorable, implying that sometimes, movie critics might not always grasp how to enjoy a film.

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2025-01-30 17:01