Reflecting on the 16th anniversary of Twilight, this article examines the film franchise's lasting impact on pop culture, exploring its continued relevance and ranking the films based on the author's personal preferences. The focus is given to Breaking Dawn - Part 1.
It's been 16 years since Twilight graced the big screen with its riveting supernatural love story about a teenager who falls head over heels with a centuries-old vampire she meets in high school. The saga that led to a vampire and werewolf frenzy in the early 2010s has been eternalized as millennials revisit it every year around Halloween, and continue to rave about the films through social media.
There once was a time when fandoms would dispute about who Bella Swan should end up with. Some viewers rooted for her and Edward to be endgame, while others wanted the protagonist to choose Jacob , her best friend who also happened to be a muscular werewolf. No matter which side you were on, Twilight was a pop culture staple and the franchise continues to connect with hopeless romantics to this day. As a fan of the saga who used to wear custom shirts to school and watch the films on premiere day, I've grown attached to each installment and have binged them all repeatedly. Although they might all occupy a special place in my heart, the following ranking reflects my own observations and preferences when it comes to the franchise's best films. 5 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1' Upon multiple re-watches, I've reached the following conclusion about Breaking Dawn – Part 1. Aside from Bella and Edward's exuberant wedding , and the few moments of joy they experience during their honeymoon, the fourth installment of the franchise is predominantly gloomy. As Bella gets pregnant and everyone begins to question whether the child is fully immortal, the despair is overbearing, taking a toll on both Bella and Edward's marital bliss and putting Jacob in a difficult position when it comes to protecting his best friend or maintaining his allegiance to his clan. With Bella's body growing weaker and the hopes of her surviving childbirth becoming ever so slim, everyone is just in utter agony throughout most of the film, and it's heartbreaking to watch. Breaking Dawn – Part 1 only picks up its pace towards the birth scene, where Bella's life is hanging by a thread. The anticipation of her transformation is what keeps the tail end of the film exciting, because you know that she will eventually become a vampire. The final shot only gives viewers a brief glimpse of Bella as an immortal, and that is the perfect cliffhanger. The build up of her heart beating again and her broken bones healing gives any fan the chills, especially those who watched the film in theaters upon release. Jacob's imprinting is also a major moment in this sequel, because this is when the rivalry between the werewolves and the Cullens finally ceases. As crazy as it might be, if Jacob hadn't imprinted on Renesmee , Sam and the other werewolves who remained under his leadership would do whatever it takes to kill the baby and the Cullens. It's emotional to witness them resist their natural instinct to kill their enemies and respect Jacob's connection to Renesmee. 4 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' New Moon might have a superior soundtrack , but its story is devastating. For some fans, this one might be ranked higher because it has a slow burn appeal, and for the way it realistically portrays suffering from a broken heart. Yet, having Bella undergo several nightmares and engage in adrenaline-indulging activities so that she could feel something again was too melancholic for my taste. When Edward leaves Bella in the woods, believing that she could have a better life without him, he essentially leaves her behind with an open wound. The scene in which she sits in her bedroom motionless, as the seasons go by, only goes to show how depressed Bella is and how nothing she does fully lets her mind off of Edward. Having Jacob by her side helps to mitigate the sorrow, but doesn't cure her of the inner turmoil. The more they spend time together, Jacob believes she's letting him in and hopefully will choose him over the vampire she's been pining over since Twilight, but Bella's feelings for Edward haven't changed. Jacob is just the friend that she can rely on after essentially being alone for so long, but she still hangs onto the hope that maybe Edward will come back. Even though it's interesting to see the werewolves get more of a backstory here and Jacob having a larger presence in Bella's life in comparison to the previous installment, things get much more intense and captivating when Alice goes after Bella to tell her that Edward is planning to get killed by the Volturi, because he believes that she has died. As she reunites with Edward in Italy and saves him, the meaning of the franchise is restored. It was always about Bella and Edward, and if we were to be brutally honest, there was never a true love triangle here. 3 'The Twilight Saga: Eclipse' For some, Eclipse is a hit or miss, but there are many reasons to appreciate the third installment of the franchise. The first being that we finally get to know the other members of the Cullen family, and understand more about where they were at before getting transformed by Carlisle . The Cullens are just as important to the plot as the Bella, Edward, and Jacob dynamic, because their tight-knit bond is what allows for Bella to be protected from Victoria and her ruthless army of vampires. Seeing Jasper use his combative knowledge as a former Confederate soldier to help both the Cullens and the werewolves to fight against the other vampires is incredibly compelling. This is also the film where we get to see both the werewolves and the vampires join forces for the first time, and it only gets more exciting when they do it again in Breaking Dawn – Part 2. We also get a much more nuanced understanding of Jacob's clan, and the historical divide between the werewolves and the vampires, making the alliance between them and the Cullens that much more important. In Eclipse, Bella and Edward begin to take their relationship more intentionally. After New Moon, where Bella was deep in sorrow for most of its runtime, it is refreshing to see that the couple is finally committed to making their relationship work, so much so, that they get engaged by the end of this film. Eclipse also furthers the notion that Jacob was never up to par with Edward in Bella's mind, despite her having a loving relationship with him. Their friendship always took precedent over any romantic interest, and this film just makes this clear. 2 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2' Eclipse sets the stage for the epic battle in Breaking Dawn – Part 2, the latter being the second-best film of the franchise. Different from Part 1, Part 2 begins with Bella as a vampire, looking at the world around her in an entirely new perspective. Interestingly enough, Bella's vampire transformation allows her to grow into her own skin and be more confident in comparison to when she was human. Breaking Dawn – Part 2 proves that Bella was meant to be a vampire, and that, different from most of the Cullens, she had a natural ability to control her thirst for blood. The final installment of the saga has the biggest ensemble cast, and brings a freshness to the story by allowing viewers to become emotionally attached to each of the vampires who agree to fight against the Volturi and bear witness to Renesmee being half mortal and half immortal. Watching each of the vampires further their special abilities and have a sense of camaraderie amongst themselves is purely entertaining. The werewolves also pledge their alliance to the Cullens in case a battle against the Volturi were to occur, and despite them not being close enough to be considered friends, they do join forces with a common goal. Everyone who's watched the final film remembers how memorable the battle sequence is, and despite it all being a vision that Alice shares with Aro in the hopes that he would change his mind, those fans of the franchise who were unaware of this plot twist were caught off guard in the best way. Part 2 also ends with Bella reminiscing on her and Edward's romance by showing her memories to him. She does this as"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perry plays in the background, making this scene a sweet nod to all that they've been through and an ideal way to end their onscreen trajectory. 1 'Twilight' Breaking Dawn – Part 2 might've been an epic conclusion to the franchise, but it's impossible to deny that the first film is the most impactful long term. Twilight became a cult classic of sorts, with memorable scenes, needle drops, and stylistic filmmaking choices that make it of its time. Different from the subsequent films, Twilight was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, and she brought a specific tone to the saga that the other films weren't quite able to replicate. The first installment had a Gothic tone and feel, with a distinct blue and green filter that resembled the coldness of the vampires living in Forks and the dullness of Bella's reality before her and Edward became inseparable. From the iconic baseball scene set in Muse's"Supermassive Black Hole" to Bella and Edward slow dancing at prom while Iron & Wine's"Flightless Bird, American Mouth" echoes in the back, the whole atmosphere of Twilight felt like it was straight out of the pages of Stephanie Meyer's novel. There are so many quotes from it that fans continue to recite by heart. Whenever Twilight is on, there's just something nostalgic about watching Bella and Edward's forbidden romance unfold, as well as the danger posed by James , Victoria , and Laurent when they uncover that Bella is human. During Halloween, watching Twilight has become an annual tradition shared by many, and that's what makes it remarkable. It's as campy as it gets, and that's part of its charm. Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Your comment has not been saved Like Twilight PG-13 Romance Fantasy Drama 9.9/10 Release Date November 21, 2008 Runtime 121 minutes Director Catherine Hardwicke Writers Melissa Rosenberg Cast See All Sequel The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 Franchise The Twilight Saga Budget $37 million Powered by Expand Collapse
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