Opinion: Twilight
When the world first witnessed “Avatar,” audiences collectively nodded in approval, marveling at its groundbreaking visuals. The introduction of the “Avengers” franchise spawned an instant fan base, solidifying its place as a cultural phenomenon.
Now consider “Twilight.” Grossing over $3 billion worldwide, you’d think its financial success alone would cement its status as a must-watch film series. Yet, mention the name “Twilight,” and you’ll find reactions ranging from mocking laughter to outright disdain, with die-hard fans fiercely defending it. How can one franchise evoke such polarized responses?
Here’s my take: It’s so bad, it’s good.
Before you roll your eyes, assuming I’m just another superfan armed with books and posters, though that may be true, let me confess. I was once a “Twilight” hater. My transformation into a reluctant and very critical admirer is exactly why I feel qualified to explore the phenomenon surrounding “Twilight.”
At its core, “Twilight” revolves around Bella Swan, a seemingly uninteresting, quiet and awkward teenager, a relatable feeling for anyone who survived high school, living in Forks, Washington, the rainiest city in the western United States.
What differentiates Bella from her other classmates is she finds herself between two worlds. Leading a boring, melancholy high school life and dating a 104-year-old vampire Edward Cullen. The movie hinges on two ideas, as Bella puts it: “Who I should be and who I am.”
Feeling like an outcast in her own world, she becomes overly obsessed in the seductive allure of Edward’s fantasy world as a vampire. She craves the perks of being a blood-sucker: immortality, escape from social norms of attending college, getting a normal job and living the life she “should.”
Bella enters this world by happenstance, using her normal observation skills to see very obvious abnormalities within the Cullen family everyone else in Forks seems to have blindly overlooked.
On the other hand, Edward becomes enchanted with the fact that he can’t read Bella’s mind, a unique frustration for someone who has spent almost a century mastering reading human minds.
Like every true love story, their obsession with each other accelerates at lightning speed without having a single normal conversation.
The second-hand embarrassment felt as you watch this movie is another level of cringe I have not experienced elsewhere.
My argument: That is the art of “Twilight.” What other film accurately explores the high school experience by forcing the viewer to relive the “glory days?”
Take a moment to reflect on your hallway crush. Were you the epitome of grace and cool? Or were you, like most of us, a bundle of awkward, overdramatic emotions?
I became an original hater, believing a film shouldn’t make me want to laugh at the serious scenes and cringe at the funny ones.
But I’ve come to recognize “Twilight” captures this phase of life with startling accuracy, whether we’re willing to admit it or not — the cringe, the charm, the endearing love, the excruciating pluck-your-eyes-out awkwardness. The contrast of it all is the epitome of growing up.
The film is far from flawless and easy to hate at first sight. The annoying blue filter gives every scene a lifeless hue. The acting feels half-hearted, like the author of the books Stephanie Meyer has them at knifepoint. The cast even publicly admitted their disdain for the project years later.
At moments in the film, the wigs and costumes look like they were done by a set production team pulled from the closest middle school. And let’s not forget Edward’s unsettling habit of watching her sleep, which he does for over a month without her knowing. The best part? When Bella finds out he’s been watching her sleep, she is “flattered,” proving just how deeply the story leans into its toxic romance tropes.
As the movie continues, Bella’s two worlds collide and she’s forced into a death-defying adventure in which Edward must protect Bella from an enemy vampire.
Bella survives the encounter thanks to Edward, and her love for him is obnoxiously strengthened into a bond which will last “forever.” After knowing each other for just a few weeks, they become dependent on each other’s existence.
Why then? Why does a fan base even exist for this movie after skimming the facts?
“Twilight” offers an escapist fantasy where the ordinary girl is transformed into something extraordinary, where love is all-consuming and transcendent, even if it’s wrapped in a blanket of toxicity. The magic of “Twilight” isn’t just a sparkly vampire and a girl who can’t seem to decide whether she wants to be loved or destroyed. It’s about yearning.
“Twilight” taps into the universal desire for validation and the hope something extraordinary can break through the dullness of everyday life. Bella isn’t perfect. She’s awkward, she’s flawed and at times she seems entirely self-destructive.
But she’s real in a way we can all recognize. Many of us have felt like the outsider, like Bella.
Edward, with all his vampire angst, represents a kind of idealized love both unattainable and deeply alluring. He doesn’t just like Bella, he’s obsessed with her, consumed by the idea of her, of saving her from herself and the dangers of the world around her. Even though he believes himself to be a danger to her, he constantly fights his instincts to kill her and drink her blood. This self-mastery on his part just to be in the same room as her models an obsessive love that is intoxicating and wrapped in unhealthy dynamics.
It’s easy to dismiss Bella — she seems boring and strange. But if you look closer, you see her quiet kindness. She moves in with her dad so her mom can travel with her new husband, quietly sacrificing her comfort for the sake of her mother’s happiness.
She notices the quiet kids at lunch, and though it’s uncomfortable for her, she makes the effort to reach out to them. And then there’s the moment in the book where she admits she’d rather die than see Edward suffer, even if it means him killing her to keep her safe. It’s undeniably a toxic, people-pleasing trait, but it’s also profoundly human. Bella’s selflessness, her willingness to put others before herself, strikes a chord because on some level, we all see a little of ourselves in her. We’ve all felt unseen or unappreciated, and we’ve all imagined the kind of love that could sweep us away from the mundane and make us feel special.
The toxic love, mushy lines and awkward scenes feel real. “Twilight” forces us to reflect on what we would be willing to do for a chance in a world where we get to be ourselves. Would we date a 104-year-old virgin who lusted after our blood and had a weird family dynamic? The allure of immortal, obsessive love speaks to us all.
If you’ve already watched “Twilight,” watch it again. Laugh at the cheesy lines, cringe at the awkward moments and hold onto your heart as it tugs at your emotions. Love it or hate it, it’s a movie that moves us all, whether that’s laughter, frustration or deep reflection. It’s a strange film with a hefty dose of discomfort and a kind of love story we only find in our dreams. And to sum it up, in ways it is like a dream. A strange, fever dream.