Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011)

All Critics (193) | Top Critics (42) | Fresh (47) | Rotten (146) | DVD (3)

This penultimate "Twilight" film is the best in the series so far. It's languorous, romantic, moody, and, in the end, horrifying.

December 5, 2011 Full Review | Comments (55)

Bruce Diones

New Yorker

Top Critic

Color us stoked that a Twilight movie even strays into evil-fetus territory.

November 20, 2011 Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out New York

Top Critic

The last twenty minutes of Breaking Dawn are so harrowing that it's possible to forget that most of the acting is soap-operatic (the guy who plays Carlisle is aging to look like Liberace) and the dialogue from hunger.

November 20, 2011 Full Review | Comments (27)

David Edelstein

New York Magazine

Top Critic

It all goes wrong just when it should go right.

November 18, 2011 Full Review | Comments (131)

Sara Stewart

New York Post

Top Critic

Melodrama reigns in this supernatural soap opera, even though author Stephanie Meyer's tale takes a decided turn toward the weird and violent.

November 18, 2011 Full Review | Comments (3)

Peter Howell

Toronto Star

Top Critic

This is a well-made film, though sometimes unintentionally funny.

November 18, 2011 Full Review | Comments (40)

Richard Roeper

Richard Roeper.com

Top Critic

For those still in possession of their wits, this film is not only the worst of the Twilight flicks so far, but just about the most melodramatic and insipid movie I've ever watched.

February 9, 2013 Full Review

Amy Curtis

We Got This Covered

The worst film in the "saga." Utter camp.

December 28, 2012 Full Review

Roger Moore

McClatchy-Tribune News Service

These movies have become one big joke, with hokey acting, slapdash visuals and Kindergarten dialogue. It felt like such a parody that it might as well have been directed by those jerks who made DISASTER MOVIE and EPIC MOVIE.

November 15, 2012 Full Review

Austin Kennedy

Film Geek Central

While venturing into uncharted body horror territory, Breaking Dawn - Part 1 will do what the previous three instalments have: give the fans something to Rob-sess over and give the haters something to hate.

November 3, 2012 Full Review

Stephen Carty

Flix Capacitor

Breaking Dawn - Part 1 transfers pivotal events from the source material to the screen but fails to translate those events into a competent two-hour movie experience.

October 2, 2012 Full Review

Ben Kendrick

ScreenRant

This film was made for the fans as they're going to be the only ones able to appreciate it, despite it not having any redeeming qualities whatsoever.

September 18, 2012 Full Review

Jeff Beck

Examiner.com

Dialogue howlers and largely soapy, melodramatic performances abound.

May 15, 2012 Full Review

Brent Simon

Shared Darkness

As a movie, this isn't terrible; none of them have been, really. Each film has gotten a director who has tried to do something simple and honest with Meyer's tormented material.

April 30, 2012 Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

Entertainingly bad. In fact, it's the funniest movie we've seen this year even though it isn't a comedy (we think).

March 5, 2012 Full Review | Comment (1)

James O'Ehley

Sci-Fi Movie Page

If I can say anything for the film, it's that it delivers exactly what the legions of Twi-hards want and expect--or what 'Team Edward' wants, anyway.

January 11, 2012 Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Terribly broken.

December 9, 2011 Full Review

Roger Tennis

Cinemaclips.com

Bill Condon gives the series' fans what they have shown they want: uneven storytelling, maudlin dialog and decidedly one-note performances.

December 9, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

Mike Scott

Times-Picayune

Bella makes her way toward "the kingdom where nobody dies" by being rather ingeniously resilient, completely predictable and frustrating, punished and punishing. She's 18, again and still.

December 7, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

Cynthia Fuchs

PopMatters

Whatever momentum the third film had in this series, it's gone. Once again, it's an average soap opera.

December 5, 2011 Full Review | Comment (1)

Jeff Bayer

The Scorecard Review

Twilight series nears the end

December 1, 2011 Full Review | Comments (5)

Robert Denerstein

Movie Habit

For a movie about life-sucking vampires and flesh-ripping werewolves, there sure is an inordinate focus on the birds and the bees.

December 1, 2011 Full Review | Comments (4)

Neil Pond

American Profile

This slow-moving film has long periods of inaction and generates little suspense, making it the worst film in the "Twilight Saga" films so far.

November 29, 2011 Full Review | Comments (5)

Robert Roten

Laramie Movie Scope

Director Bill Condon, prostituting himself, flirts with teen porn ...

November 28, 2011 Full Review | Comments (9)

Jim Lane

Sacramento News & Review

At least Jacob seems to understand the contradiction inherent in the insistence that coldblooded undeath is just another lifestyle choice.

November 28, 2011 Full Review

John Beifuss

Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

• 1. Bella Swan: Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age The child is grown, and puts away childish things. Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.
  – Submitted by Maddie G (5 months ago)
• 1. Leah: Being any kind of happy is better than being miserable about someone you can't have.
  – Submitted by Camille Ann T (6 months ago)
• 1. Bella Swan: You have to accept what is
  2. Edward Cullen: Because you've given me no choice! Bella, were suppose to be partners remember? But you've decided this on your own, you've decided to leave me.
  3. Bella Swan: Don't see it that way
  4. Edward Cullen: Well I have no other way to see it,'cause it's me who'll lose you. And I don't choose that, I don't choose that.
  – Submitted by Sheriea J (8 months ago)
• 1. Rosalie Hale: Say the word, Alice. Baby. It's just a little baby.
  – Submitted by Fizza K (8 months ago)
• 1. Alice Cullen: The fetus isn't good for Bella!
  – Submitted by Fizza K (8 months ago)
• 1. Jacob Black: I'm not the one carrying a demon.
  – Submitted by Sheriea J (9 months ago)

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