Movies: The Twilight Saga
My Thoughts on TWILIGHT
When I first watched this movie, I didn’t know it was based on a book or much about it at all. My first impression was simply neutral. It wasn’t bad, but wasn’t some movie I was going to rush out and buy. However, it stuck with me. I found myself thinking about unique the lore was and how much the hopeless romantic in me liked Bella and Edward’s story. I did in fact go out and buy it so I could watch it again.
This one sticks quite close to the book, only cutting out minor scenes that added effect from the book. The biggest difference is Bella’s revelation that she knows Edward’s secret. It feels a little cheesey in the movie. Other random notes about the movie are that I think Anna Kendrick nailed Angela’s character; Charlie is a smidgeon different in the book, but I adore Billy Burke in the role; and the rest of the Cullens were cast well except for maybe Jasper – I like the actor fine, but the character was supposed to have more muscle and just be bigger. Overall, it was a good book-to-movie adaptation.
My Thoughts on NEW MOON
Normally books are hands down better than the movies, but other than a few scenes in the book, the movie was a lot better in this case. If nothing else, it simply went faster. We got through the depression faster and got to the wolfy fun sooner. That’s really all I can say about my least favorite chapter in the saga. Oh, but I must mention that Taylor Lautner totally won the shirtless contest with Robert Pattinson!
My Thoughts on ECLIPSE
This was the movie that made me want to read the books. This one in particular only took me a single day. While yes the book was better, this movie was great and once again stuck very close to the book. I loved the wolfy parts, especially Seth (he’s a-freaking-dorable!) I loved the cooperation between the wolves and vampires, and I enjoyed the conflict. What I loved most about it though, was the climax of the love triangle. Bella’s choice was made, but all the things that meant came out and boundaries and plans were made much clearer. I balled my eyes out at the end.
My Thoughts on BREAKING DAWN 1 & 2
Just as with the books, these had a very different feel to them than the previous movies. It marked the graduation from a young adult theme to a more adult one. Bella gets married, has sex, and learns what it means to truly grow up. I thought Kristen Stewart did a pretty good job of portraying the wide range of emotions that Bella’s circumstances warranted. Everybody did, actually, with what honestly seemed like a far-fetched premise. We see a lot more from Jacob’s point of view in the first movie and like the insight into his life and the pack dynamics. It’s also cool to see him as the leader he was born to become. The birth scene was brutal, though still not as much so as the book. I did enjoy the confrontation with Sam and how Jacob ended it. When my friend and I saw Part 1 in the theater, she totally called the final scene with Bella’s red eyes popping open. Her transformation and Jacob’s imprinting were my very favorite parts. While the CGI left a little to be desired, Bella’s body wasting away was haunting. I’ve read that the prop on the set actually creeped folks out.
I LOVED Part 2. I loved seeing all the abilities and so much more from the vampire life. Bella did in fact make a great vampire. I liked her as a mom too. I loved the wolves’ involvement in the final showdown with the Volturi. While I always want a movie to stick close to the book, I actually appreciated the liberties taken with this one above all else. The most notable of these is the big fight scene. In the book, after a little power struggle and a lot of talk, any actual fighting is avoided. In the movie, yes the fighting is avoided, but we get to see via Alice what that fight would have looked like. It was epic! My absolute favorite scene though was Bella laying into Jacob about his imprinting on Renesmee and calling her Nessie – Kristen Stewart did that scene justice!
About Stephenie Meyer
Best known for her Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer’s four-book collection has sold over 100 million copies globally in over 50 countries, with translations in 37 different languages. In 2008, Meyer also released The Host, which debuted at #1 on The New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. Stephenie Meyer graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature. She lives in Arizona with her husband and sons.