In Defense of Twilight... No, Seriously

So here we are. I can’t believe it’s over. After five films and four books, one of the most hotly debated franchises ever is finished. “Twilight” has been incredibly popular, but has always faced questions. People love it, people hate it. It’s sometimes unfairly compared to “Harry Potter” and “The Hunger Games” because of demographic crossover and the fact that the movies are all based on popular books. But the series must be given credit where it’s due. While JK Rowling and her “Harry Potter” books can be credited with a young reader revolution, “Twilight” expanded that base among young females, bringing about a whole new genre. Barnes and Noble shoppers may notice the relatively new “teen paranormal romance” section. These are all books that draw from “Twilight.” “Twilight,” the poorly written series, which borrows a lot from “True Blood” and spends time telling young female readers they should change to be like the one they love. Yes, that one.

I obviously don’t have an infatuated interest in the series like the countless fans do. In fact, I think a good amount of the material in the books and movies is poorly done. But I do understand the appeal of escapist fantasy books and films. This is what author Stephenie Meyer does best. Creating an explanation for how vampires could exist right under our noses is something authors have been doing for a long time. But to do it in a (relatively) family friendly way, to ground it with a Romeo and Juliet like forbidden love was a multi-million dollar decision. But getting to know the five vampires living in Forks wasn’t enough. Meyer created a whole world and needed to prove it. The Volturi, rival covens, Carlisle’s accounts of vampire history, make the world bigger than the books. While “The Hunger Games” books are better written, their ambiguous back story is where they fall short of “Twilight.”

When Summit Entertainment was bought By Lions Gate earlier this year, Lions Gate CEO Jon Feltheimer mentioned that the series may continue after the release of the final adapted film. This idea has gained a bit of traction as the cast answered questions about it during their lengthy press tour for Breaking Dawn Part II. We don’t have any solid evidence this will happen, but I’m actually more excited about this idea than the five initial films. I think getting away from Bella and Edward would give the franchise a breath of fresh air. If the films were to be original and not based on new Meyer novels, it gives screenwriters freedom they haven’t had before. The currently released films are forced to navigate awkward dialogue and one-liners that the readers have deemed memorable, but the screen dictates as being ill-fitting.

The cinematic legacy of the movies will ultimately be casting and writing that couldn’t live up to the scale presented in the aesthetic. But more importantly as a movie fan, it can be appreciated for the sold out midnight screenings and box office dominance. It’s no secret that it’s easier to get a male audience into a movie theater. But “Twilight” and its four sequels have solved the young female demographic, who have transferred seamlessly to” The Hunger Games” films. So before you blindly criticize “Twilight,” which I have been known to do, consider how much they’ve done for literature and film. Not too shabby.