The Twilight movies and their fandom got a lot of hate years ago, but was it justified? Here’s why the franchise didn’t deserve so much criticism.
The Twilight Saga was a big pop culture phenomenon, and it also received a lot of hate, but did it deserve it? Back in 2005, readers were introduced to a world where vampires, werewolves, and humans coexist in Twilight, written by Stephenie Meyer. The novel was the first in a series of four books, which followed the romance between vampire Edward Cullen and mortal Bella Swan, as well as all the obstacles they had to go through.
The Twilight book series was a big success, though it got mixed reviews – while some praised its combination of fantasy, romance, and horror, in a way that was appealing to a teenage audience, others criticized Meyer’s writing, underdeveloped characters, and poor storyline. Still, the books became widely popular, and they were adapted to the big screen between 2008 and 2012, with the final novel, Breaking Dawn, being split into two movies. The Twilight Saga was an even bigger hit than the books, and boosted the careers of its main cast: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner. However, the movies drew a lot more criticism than the books, to the point where it was almost a trend to hate Twilight.
The commercial success of the Twilight Saga is undeniable. However, there are many flaws that are very hard to dismiss. This has led to various degrees of criticism towards Twilight, but why do many people think Twilight is bad?
Why The Twilight Movies Are Hated
The reasons why the Twilight movies got so much hate vary: some are not ok with what Meyer did to vampires (giving them sparkly skin, for starters) and werewolves (who turn into wolves at their own will), and others found their lack of plot to be annoying. Some had stronger reasons to not like the movies, such as the fact that Edward and Bella’s relationship wasn’t exactly healthy. It’s the one element in the Twilight series that has been analyzed over and over again, to the point where there have been countless warnings aimed at its target audience about how toxic their relationship really is. And yet, while all these reasons are understandable, they don’t justify the amount of hate Twilight (and fans) got, and the root of the problem has nothing to do with the movies’ plot or even the problematic relationship between its main characters.
Beyond Twilight’s narrative flaws, the franchise also received criticism in regards to its technical aspects, including special effects, make-up, pacing, and acting. The unnerving CGI baby in Breaking Dawn, for one, took many viewers out of the experience, while the Breaking Dawn – Part 2 finale set up an action-fueled battle just to reveal that it was all a vision, leading the Volturi to awkwardly walk out of the battle. Most importantly, Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner have been widely criticized throughout the years for their wooden acting in the Twilight Saga, which they have since demonstrated to have been the result of outside factors and not due to their otherwise admirable skills. It has been made clear that the Twilight actors weren’t exactly pleased with what they were doing. In fact, Robert Pattinson has famously roasted the movies on various occasions, and other Twilight cast members have spoken about how unpleasant it was to film the movies and, in some cases, how the intense fan pressure affected them.
Why The Twilight Movies Aren’t That Bad
The Twilight Saga was a big hit because it appealed to its target audience: teenage girls. The movies had everything the books did and more, and its main cast became pop icons, which only made the fandom grow. Sadly, that’s an audience that is very easy to dismiss and look down to, and it doesn’t help that the movies, as mentioned above, had little to no plot, making way for all types of jokes. While the Twilight Saga does have its big flaws, the movies are entertaining, which is their main purpose. Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight never aimed to be a great work of literature or cinema, and it was all to please a certain audience, taking some of their fantasies and making them “real.”
Time has also been kind to Twilight, as the franchise can now be seen in its entirety as a self-contained experience without having to deal with the high expectations and heated discussions of diehard fans. Twilight hate has also died down, so newcomers to the saga can find its charm at their own pace. Some may seriously relate to the romantic drama, while others may acknowledge the unintentionally funny aspects of the movies and embrace it as part of the experience. Twilight was undeserving of all the hate it got, even if it lacked a proper plot and its protagonists were painfully underdeveloped, but those who mocked it for years missed the point of the stories, which was, simply, to entertain a specific audience.
