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Breaking Wind

Breaking Wind is a 2012 American parody comedy film directed and written by , satirizing the supernatural romance elements of , particularly its vampire-werewolf dynamics and teen drama. Released in the United States on March 27, 2012, by Home Entertainment, with a runtime of 82 minutes, the film follows high school student Bella (played by Heather Ann Davis) as she navigates a between the Edward (Eric Callero) and the Jacob (Frank Pacheco) in the rainy town of , while facing threats from rival supernatural forces including a gang of bloodsucking newborns led by the vengeful Victoria. The movie features a supporting cast including as Billy Black, Michael Adam Hamilton as Ronald, Rietveld as Alice, and John Stevenson as , with exaggerated portrayals emphasizing crude humor, sexual innuendos, and over-the-top sequences typical of Moss's low-budget spoof style. Produced on a modest budget, Breaking Wind draws from Moss's previous parody works like The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall and Felt Super Bad About It, incorporating raunchy gags and pop culture references to mock the original series' . Critically, received overwhelmingly negative reviews for its juvenile humor, poor values, and lack of wit, earning a 2.3/10 rating on from over 5,000 users and a 19% audience approval score on , as of 2025.

Production

Development

"Breaking Wind" was announced in August 2011 as a comedic parody of the Twilight film series, specifically drawing from elements of "" while incorporating crude humor centered on alongside satirical takes on and tropes. The project aimed to lampoon the romantic tension and supernatural battles of the source material through vulgar gags, including frequent fart jokes integrated into the narrative. Director , known for his work on low-budget parodies such as "The 41-Year-Old Virgin Who Sarah Marshall and Felt About It" (2008), was brought on to helm the film. Moss, who also wrote the , intentionally amplified the vulgar elements to heighten the comedic effect, drawing from his experience in producing irreverent spoofs of popular genres. Primary Pictures served as the primary production company, handling financing and contributing to the scripting process alongside Moss. The screenplay, credited solely to Moss, focused on satirical exaggerations of the Twilight saga's interpersonal dynamics and fantastical conflicts. The film was produced on a low budget, estimated at $2 million, reflecting its origins as a direct-to-video project before limited theatrical releases in select international markets.

Casting and filming

The principal roles in Breaking Wind were filled by lesser-known actors to emphasize the film's parody nature and comedic exaggeration of the Twilight saga's characters. Heather Ann Davis was selected for the lead role of . Eric Callero portrayed Edward, while Frank Pacheco took on the role of Jacob, with their performances geared toward over-the-top humor. The production incorporated cameo appearances to heighten its B-movie appeal, including as Billy Black, leveraging his cult status for added comedic impact. Filming was conducted primarily in Los Angeles, California, relying on low-cost sets to represent high school environments, forested areas, and supernatural battle sequences, aligning with the film's micro-budget style. The shoot was completed on a tight three-week schedule in late 2011. In , the editing prioritized timing to amplify the humor, while sound designers incorporated fart effects during scenes to underscore the film's titular gag.

Synopsis and cast

Plot

The film opens with the vampire Victoria attacking and turning Ronald into a newborn vampire as part of her plan to build an army against and the Cullens. In the rainy town of student grapples with everyday teenage drama while entangled in a passionate romance with the brooding vampire , who insists on abstaining from sex until marriage. Her situation is complicated by her rivalry with , a hot-tempered from the local tribe whose pack's transformations are humorously marked by uncontrollable , leading to frequent comedic interruptions and distractions. The central conflict escalates when the vengeful vampire begins assembling an army of feral newborn vampires in , intent on destroying and the Cullens. This threat forces and to temporarily set aside their animosity, uniting the vampire coven and the gassy werewolf pack in preparation for battle, with fights devolving into slapstick chaos as the werewolves' explosive creates disorienting gas clouds that debilitate enemies and allies alike. Key events unfold through Bella's over attending amid the looming danger, awkward training montages where the allies practice their powers—including "wind-breaking" abilities—in hilariously inept sequences, and a tense buildup to the film's climax. The confrontation erupts in a clearing in the surrounding woods, leading to a frenzied melee of bites, howls, and bodily humor as the opposing forces clash. In the resolution, Bella ultimately chooses Edward, solidifying their bond with a parody-laden tease of an impending and hints of a pregnancy. A nods to future parody elements from : Breaking Dawn, featuring overzealous fans reacting to a mock trailer.

Cast

Heather Ann Davis portrays Bella Swan, the awkward high school girl caught in a between a and a in this . Eric Callero plays , the brooding who sparkles and falls for while hiding his identity. Frank Pacheco stars as , the shape-shifting whose role amplifies comedic elements through exaggerated and gags central to the film's scatological humor. In supporting roles, Michael Adam Hamilton appears as Ronald, the leader of a group of newborn vampires parodying the antagonistic forces from the original series. Danny Trejo takes on the part of Billy Black, Jacob's wheelchair-bound father and a key figure in the werewolf pack dynamics. Alice Rietveld plays Alice Cullen, the psychic vampire family member known for her quirky visions, while Peter Gilroy embodies Jasper Hale, the empathetic vampire with emotional control abilities adapted for comedic effect. Rebecca Ann Johnson is cast as Esme Cullen, the nurturing matriarch of the vampire coven. Kelsey Collins portrays , the vengeful vampire antagonist pursuing . The ensemble includes Flip Schultz as Charlie Swan, Bella's bumbling police chief father. Additional werewolf pack members and minor characters, such as Moler in a supporting shapeshifter role, contribute to the parody's chaotic group scenes without credited specifics beyond ensemble billing. appears uncredited as Rosalie Hale, the vain focused on her beauty in the spoof. No major cameos are noted, though various uncredited high school students and noobs fill out background roles to enhance the satirical high school setting.

Release

Theatrical release

Breaking Wind made its theatrical debut in on January 12, 2012, where it screened across 270 theaters and earned an opening weekend gross of $604,330. The film was subsequently released in other international markets, including on March 2, 2012, with an opening weekend of $443,707, as well as in and select European countries such as the and , contributing to its worldwide theatrical run. Marketed as a raunchy spoof of , the film's trailers emphasized its crude humor and elements to attract audiences familiar with the romance franchise. handled international distribution for the theatrical rollout in several territories. Unlike many films, Breaking Wind received no wide theatrical release in the United States, serving instead as a test in foreign markets ahead of its debut.

Home media

The film was released on DVD in the United States by Home Entertainment on March 27, 2012, as an unrated with a runtime of 82 minutes. This edition included bonus features such as outtakes, deleted and extended scenes, a featurette, a gag reel, trailers, and an track with director and principal cast members. Following its physical release, Breaking Wind became available for streaming on platforms such as and , starting shortly after 2012, though access has varied by region and service over time. Internationally, home video distribution aligned with limited theatrical releases in several markets, including DVD and Blu-ray editions in ; for example, a French Blu-ray titled La véritable histoire d'Edward et Bella chapitre 4 - 1/2 was issued on , 2012, while an Italian Blu-ray under the title Succhiami followed on November 21, 2012. Packaging for these releases emphasized the film's parody of , featuring taglines like "Love Stinks!" to underscore its comedic take on romance tropes.

Reception

Critical response

"Breaking Wind" received overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, earning a 19% approval rating on based on 56 reviews (as of November 2025). On , the film holds a 2.3 out of 10 rating from 5,208 user votes (as of November 2025). users rated it an average of 1.5 out of 5 from 4,202 ratings (as of November 2025). Critics widely panned for its reliance on overly vulgar humor, including excessive scatological jokes centered on , as well as poor acting and low production values. Many reviewers deemed it inferior to earlier Twilight parodies like "," noting that it lacked even the minimal wit of its predecessors. In a for Moria Reviews, was described as a "vulgar [that] feeds the [Twilight] films through the vulgar and sophomoric gags of the type film." Audience reception mirrored critical disdain, with many viewers criticizing the crude, juvenile and amateurish execution, though a niche segment of parody enthusiasts appreciated its unpretentious, mindless entertainment value despite the evident budget constraints. The film's release underscored its limited theatrical viability.

Box office

Breaking Wind earned a worldwide theatrical gross of $1,958,083, with all coming from markets as it received no domestic theatrical release. The film's performance was led by , which contributed $932,982 in total gross, and , accounting for $980,977. Opening weekend earnings highlighted its modest draw, with $604,330 in on January 12, 2012, and $443,707 in on March 2, 2012. Produced on an estimated budget of $2,001,035, the film underperformed relative to expectations for a parody linked to the Twilight franchise, which had generated billions in global earnings. Theatrical receipts fell short of fully covering costs. Home video sales followed its direct-to-DVD release in the United States on March 27, 2012, distributed by Lionsgate Home Entertainment. In the long term, Breaking Wind has continued to generate ancillary revenue, including streaming royalties available on platforms since its 2012 home media debut, supplementing initial earnings from theatrical and physical video sales.

References

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