Breaking Dawn was released worldwide on Nov 18 (Thursday) and is the latest in the Twilight Saga series as a two-part romantic-fantasy film (it forms the first part of the fourth and final installment).

As in the novel by Stephenie Meyer, the first part deals at length with human Bella and vampire Edward’s romance culminating into their long-awaited marriage and honeymoon that they spend on the island of Isle Esme, near Brazil.

The film franchise has accumulated a huge fan-following worldwide and focuses on the two lovebirds who have longed to be intimate, but due to Edward’s somewhat old-fashioned views that they can only come together once they are married, the couple has repeatedly put it off till the big day.

Finally, they find solace in each other’s intimacy as Edward’s adopted family rejoices in the fact that the two are finally together. However, there is still the issue of Bella’s mortality which has to be addressed and upon her insistence, she has yet to undergo the painful transformation to immortality in order for her and Edward to be bound together in everlasting life. But that’s a story for another day — and later installment.

For now, Breaking Dawn sees the ecstatic couple enjoy a well-deserved honeymoon, though at the back of their minds both fully realise that there are strong forces at work (a heartbroken Jacob Black for one) and the undercurrents that will literally sweep them off their feet as a direct result of their union.

The same surfaces when just after two weeks into their dream honeymoon, Bella has to come to terms with the realisation that not only is she expecting, but that her pregnancy is accelerating at a very unusual pace.

Naturally worried and especially concerned for Bella, Edward consults his adopted father, Carlisle, who understands their fears and advises them accordingly, as a result of which the couple immediately return to the family home in Forks, Washington.

At this point, Edward strongly suggests that she have the pregnancy terminated. But she being the stubborn soul that she is has learned to trust her instincts (something which has seen her through a turbulent romance with Edward and a possible breakup), and feels that the only way is for her to go ahead with the pregnancy.

According to Stephenie Meyer’s website, Breaking Dawn was split into two because “the book is just so long.” This could possibly herald a tradition in Hollywood where sequels are broken up for increased ticket sales among varied other reasons, as was presumably the case with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This, however, leads to increased expectations by viewers, and the fact that the film-makers have to meet high levels of production given the infinite wait only serves to complicate matters further due to the hard-to-please critics. But for the moment all that is put on the sidelines with the release of the first part of the film.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn has been directed by Bill Condon with producers Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt and Stephenie Meyer; screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner in the main lead along with many others. The music is by Carter Burwell; cinematography by Guillermo Navarro; editing by Virginia Katz Studio (Summit Entertainment) with a running time of 115 minutes and rated PG-13. The budget is estimated at $263 million.

What remains to be seen is if the film-makers will remain true to the essence of the novel in the second part, which is written from the perspective of Jacob Black played by Taylor Lautner in the film. Part 2 is touted for a Nov 16, 2012 release.