Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence including disturbing images, some sensuality and partial nudity
Well, it's finally over. As one reviewer said, "Put a stake in it." For five years, we have anticipated, counted down, rushed to buy tickets, sat for uncounted hours in movie theaters and spent $2.5 billion worldwide to see our favorite book series on the big screen. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 hits theaters today as the final installment in this five-part series based on the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. In this last movie, Bella and Edward must face new obstacles in their now cemented relationship: a newborn baby, Jacob's imprint and the Volturi. All the storylines come to an eventual close in this finale.
At the end of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, Bella wakes up from her supernatural slumber to notice a whole new existence. Her senses are sharper. Her mind is clearer. Her heart is gone. In The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, Bella Swan is finally a vampire. Quickly, she transitions to her new role as a mother. While the Cullen family is worried about Renesmee's quick growth rate, they inherit a bigger problem when the Volturi are told of Renesmee's existence. Thinking that Renesmee is an "immortal child" of days old, the Volturi seek to destroy her. Much of the movie is dedicated to the Cullen family's race to find friends who will fight against the Volturi.
The Twilight series has many haters, especially in the movie arena. For those who cannot embrace the major fantasy element of this story, the movies are campy and dreadful. I am with that crowd on some levels because I have been less than pleased with the movie versions. Yet, Twi-hards and even myself can embrace these movies because we understand the inner dialogue of Bella Swan from the book series. We don't need much to bring this story to life, which is why these movies are not Oscar material. In the imaginations of many girls and women, we simple want a trustworthy person, also preferably wealthy, who will take care of us for life. The entire series of films, including The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, highlights this fact.
While many will celebrate the ending of this series of Twilight-themed movies, others will be sad to see these characters retired for now. I will be one of them. Some will move on to other obsessions like The Hunger Games or other series and merely reference these movies as part of a Twilight phase. Still, others will continue to contemplate the deeper themes within the books and movies - ones of love, truth, identity and power. Over the past three years, I have written extensively about this series and its link to the Bible book of Ephesians. That time is drawing to a close, so I will leave you with these final thoughts.
What are you going to do with immortality? What are you going to do with the love God offers to you? We aren't that different than the people of Ephesus who worshipped the great goddess Artemis. Those people worshipped the Roman gods of mythology in hopes that one would give a supernatural glimpse into the human life. They looked for miracles and changes that required more than human effort could ever suffice. Isn't that why we read books and see movies like the Twilight series? We are also searching for miracles and changes that we can't make on our own. While vampires, shape shifters and other fantasy beings can be fun to explore, they cannot help in our everyday lives. We all need Someone greater than us to break through our human misery and provide a divine plan for our lives. We need God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. A greater existence is only possible in Christ Jesus.