Absolutely the best of the series. You can definitely tell it had a different director, primarily because Emma W. did a great job compared to previous performances. Perhaps maturity helps. Actually, all of the actors have matured and were, I thought, exceptional. Also, the cinematography and editing were superb. For the reviewers who hated the film because it didn't match the book... you can't fit everything into 2.5 hours. I missed seeing Bill being bitten, and I'm wondering how they will treat his wedding to Fleur, which has great relevance in the next segment of the story. But you have to rate the film on it's own merit, not against the book. It had a good mix of levity, anguish, action, and thrills, and the effects were great.