I finally caved into peer pressure and sat down to watch Twilight; a movie that did gang-busters at the cinemas. There has been a lot of hate directed at the movie while the original novels themselves have polarised opinion. Despite having a rabid fan base world wide, the books and its author Stephanie Meyers have come under attack by both literary critics and feminists for the way it is written and the themes it portrays.

Having never read the books themselves (apart from their wiki entries) I honestly didn't see what all the fuss was about. The movie itself wasn't really all that bad and although I didn't agree with some of the liberties it took with the vampires (they glitter under the sun ?!?!), it was overall a moderately entertaining experience. The plot is a bit juvenile and the film has serious pacing issues along with a few cringe worthy lines; but on average I'd say it's on par with something like the Underworld series, a cheap popcorn/date movie that's quickly forgotten after the initial viewing.

On a side note this movie grossed over $370 million world wide on a mere $37 million budget Not bad returns...

I offer this blanket statement:
Popular movies are always exaggerated in some form or another.

The books are horribly written. They're written with a degree of literacy one might expect from a seventh grader. I'm not referring to plot - I'm referring to the nuts-and-bolts quality of the writing. I couldn't finish the first book because the style was so slipshod that it became impossible for me to continue reading.

The movie has its own set of problems but, on the whole, the movie is better within its medium than the book is within its medium.

Well said. My kid (right in the wheelhouse demographic) borrowed it from a friend and quit after about 20 pages. I thumbed through it . . . yeesh.

I haven't seen the movie or read any of the books in the series. Fair warning.

People complained that the movie (and book) phoned in the metaphor of teen abstinence. The vampirism stands for hormones and the heroine is precariously balanced between "light" and "dark".

The point being that a book written almost exclusively with teenage girls in mind has been the subject of in-depth analysis, lengthy essays, and a popularity seemingly unmatched by any other recent book save for those Potter works.

The movie was guaranteed to be a major event (people lining up outside the theaters at 9pm for it's 12:01 premiere) and, because of it, was bound to generate lots o' ill will toward those looking for a chance to criticize teenagers, pop culture, and other easy targets. That it's a vampire movie from start to finish means nothing: it has to be validated because of the anticipation. There isn't anything that the internet community loves more than using words like "overrated" and killing both sacred cows and pseudo-sacred cows. Thus, the hate.

It's much ado about little, IMO. If metaphors were essential to teen movies, then Ginger Snaps would be a better example of this. If it were about watching a quality film about a relationship between a human and a vampire, then Let the Right One In is a much better example of such a film, IMO. Just as with the Potter films, I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

Yeah, this is why there will be a follow-up movie.

Not because there's more books written but it made money! The horror...gasp....other cliched horrified reactions.

I thought I'd be facetious in replying to this one point that the OP brought up about the movie. I guess it is a bit obvious though.

Really that bad huh... this is what I have been hearing as well. I can't really offer any insight since I haven't read the books myself but one point to consider is that aren't the books written essentially for 12-16 year old teenage girls as its primary audience? And thus would its prose be appropriate for that specific age group? I mean the same argument can be made about the Harry Potter series in that its not exactly Brooker winning prose despite its huge popularity. Remember those old Goosebumps and Fear Street books that we all read in high school - maybe its fair to say that Twilight belongs somewhere within that lot...

I think in the coming years we're going to see a lot more movies like Twilight. The Hollywood studios have finally woken up to the potentials that the teenage girls market can generate.

I used to read Goosebumps....I bet I would be wildly disappointed if I read them now.

ha...10 years after titanic hit.

Rowling can actually write. I can't say the same for Meyer. Although the book is targeted for the young teen audience, there is no excuse for poor writing and a weak plot. I recently read a "children's novel" by Neil Gaiman called "Graveyard Book" and it is 1000x better than Meyer's books. However, Twilight is actually the "best" book in the series. The last book is extremely bad.

Personally, I get defensive when people compare Rowling's Harry Potter books to Meyer's Twilight series.

I was very entertained by the movie, my dislike of the books notwithstanding. I found the movie charming.

Read them for the narm...
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Narm

I'm not speaking out of any hate concerning Robert Pattinson's acting talent, I haven't seen him so I can't judge that. I don't get all the hype as far as his looks. No, I'm not gay, but this dude has like the biggest forehead I've ever seen, it rivals Ted Danson's. That's the only aspect I'm confused about, lol, and that's my say in this matter.

ohhh.....i beg to differ.

Dah! I stand corrected.....

I think most Harry Potter fans do (except that one's that also like Twilight ).

Yeah those Potter fans can be pretty vicious


the following comments are from a Potter vs Twilight blog,

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Twilight raped me.
Posted by: The Good Name Of Literature

Shame on you, Stephenie Meyer. Shame on you. You do NOT dazzle me.
Posted by: Tolstoy's Ghost

Twilight made me let you down.
Posted by: Rick Astley

B*tch, please.
Posted by: Jane Austen

Twilight made me do it.
Had to kill everyone reading it.
The Potters were reading it to Harry at bedtime.
What else was I supposed to do?
Posted by: Voldemort

This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a sparkle.
Posted by: T.S. Eliot

Twilight is why A Dance With Dragons has been delayed for so long.
Posted by: George R.R. Martin

I shall find this Edward Cullen poofter, and put a stop to his dazzling.
He's shaming our Vampire name, with his sparkling meow.
Posted by: Dracula

What in blazes? This guy was inspired in part by me? He's nothing like me! I'm not some sparkly flat boy of seven and ten! The only thing the two of us share is a first name, something I despise
Posted by: E. Rochester

I still can't see how this woman is inspired by me, either. Am I some whiny dependent twit? Am I? I worked for my independence, and I got it.
Posted by: J. Eyre

*Rolls in grave*
Posted by: Charlotte Bronte

I am sick of Oscar waking me up every 5 minutes, he makes a big groan everytime he turns on his grave.
Please make him STOP, yes you can
Posted by: Oscar Wilde's neighbor

Twilight makes me look like Shakespeare.
...Thanks, Twilight!
Posted by: Anne Rice

Kindly stop mentioning my book in your godawful drivel. It's demeaning.
Posted by: Emily Bronte

Dear Mr. Cullen,
After hearing about your recent activities, we thought you deserved some prior warning. So here it is:
We're coming for you.
~ The Slayers
Posted by: Buffy the Vampire Slayer


Well, one must consider the facts, musn't one? I, like Bella Swan, am an awkward brunette in love with a red-head from I huge family. However, unlike Miss Swan (or is that Mrs Cullen) I happen to be capable, empowered, and not a totaly Mary Sue.
Twilight turned Voldemort dark.
Posted by: Hermione Granger.

I did NOT sparkle.
I glistened
Posted by: Vlad the Impaler

Even I wouldn't wish Twilight on someone.
Posted by: Voldemort says

Stephanie Meyer is the Sarah Palin of literature.
Posted by: Annie

I, in fact, single-handedly killed the Cullen cult; Renesmee was a bit tricky to handle, being biologically impossible, but with a bit of ingenuity and my dazzling smile, she was easily taken off! You can read about my
exploits in my latest book (including how Bella tried to seduce me, but I don't blame her, most women act like that around me) "Culling the Cullens."
Posted by: Gilderoy Lockhart

Twilight is bad, mmkay.
Posted by: Mr. Mackey

The only reason why Jacob Black is made of more win than the other Twilight characters is because he is, in fact, our love child!
Posted by: Sirius Black and Remus Lupin

Twilight gives me hope in that no matter how horrible my writing is, I'll probably still get published and have my story made into a crappy movie!
Posted by: Anon

They wanted to cast me in Twilight. I really dodged a bullet there.
Posted by: Heath Ledger

I have a confession. I was actually Bella in my dream. Edward loves me more than my husband ever could. Did you not notice everything about Bella resembles me, except only she's more perfect just I always wanted to be? No one notices this and I am grateful because it could ruin my marriage with my husband.
Thank you for listening to my confession.
Yours truly,
Stephenie Meyer
Posted by: Stephenie Meyer

After reading all these anti-Twilight comments, I've seen the light.
I feel chagrinned.
Posted by: Stephenie Meyer

Everytime I slay a hollow, I pretend I'm killing Smeyer.
=]
Posted by: Ichigo Kurosaki

When I first heard about Twilight, I was really, really scared. First wizards, now vampires?!? Why do people hate children so much?!?
But after a while I heard such splendors about the serie that I went on and did what I´d never do with Harry Potter: I read it. And was very pleasently surprised. Unlike the wretched Potter books, it does not says that kids should turn into satanists. On the contrary, it passes lots of wonderfull Christian values. I´m happy to let my daughter read it, because it will teach her to be passive and submissive to her husband, like she should be. Although I do not understand why the author chose blood-drinking deamons to tell such a great story, I´m happy my kids now have something new to read that will not teach them to be tolerant with differences, or other evil stupidity like that. Oh, and there are no gays at Twilight, which is SUCH a relieve!
Posted by: Satire

You better RUNNNNNNNN, Edward Cullen!
Posted by: Abraham Van Helsing

Fighting TWILIGHT by moonlight, winning HARRY POTTER by daylight,
Never running from a real fight, she is the one named Sailor Moon.
She will never turn her back on a HARRY POTTER. She is always there to defend.
She is the one on whom we can depend.
Posted by: Sailor Moon

I went to buy the Twilight books but they were sold out in heaven. I heard Gandhi got the last copy.
Posted by: River_Phoenix_in_Heaven

A tremor in the Force. The last time I felt it was in the presence of Stephanie Meyer.
Posted by: Darth Vader

IF I did it, Twilight made me do it.
Posted by: OJ Simpson

Twilight, lol~*~ There is no such thing as gay people in Iran, so Dumbledore is not allowed.
Posted by: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

I can't decide if Breaking Dawn or Yes on Prop 8 was the best thing the Mormons have done to this country this year :3
Posted by: Joseph Smith

STOP.
Pottertime.
Posted by: McHammer

Despite the bad economy, my business has been doing extremely well lately! Does seem a bit strange that all the gigs are for fixing plumbing broken from people trying to flush these books down the toilet.... oh well, thank jesus for Twilight!
Posted by: Joe the Plumber

I never told anyone this but...
Twilight is the tenth circle of hell.
Posted by: Dante

....How does this exist?
Posted by: Emily Dickinson

Twilight is why I got kicked out of heaven.
Posted by: Lucifer

Twilight made me cut off my ear.
Posted by: Vincent Van Gogh

When you vote for Twilight the terrorists win
Posted by: George Bush

Someone
Please
end my misery.
Posted by: Robert Pattinson

I voted Twilight. I OBVIOUSLY make good choices, right?
Posted by: Jessica Simpson

We can all blame the crime rate on one thing in Gotham: Twilight
Posted by: Comissioner Gordon

I'm tired of rolling over.
Posted by: Mark Twain

Speak of the devil and he/she doth appear - wearing their trademark scarf. Careful, Stephanie Meyer, hell hath no fury like a Harry Potter fan scorned.
Posted by: Gossip Girl

All of you are just jealous of Bella's supreme gentle beauty, and her sweet giving ways.I think you are all secretly wishing you would make the perfect vampire like her and could wed Adonis.Bella makes a great role model.Respect her!
Posted by: Mary Sue

I LOVE TWILIGHT & I OBVIOUSLY KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE WORLD!
Posted by: John McCain

Do I need to roundhouse kick Twilight?
Posted by: Chuck Norris

I pity the fool that reads Twilight!
Posted by: Mr. T

Bullshit the Twilight series is, and stupid you are.
Posted by: Yoda

Hey! Don't be mean to Stephenie Meyer. She's a really, really good author. Like me.
Posted by: Christopher Paolini

You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself read Twilight.
Posted by: Harvey Dent

Twilight increases teen pregnancy.
Posted by: Jamie Lynn Spears & Bristol Palin

Harry Potter.
Posted by: LDS Church

omg, does Twilight really suck??
But Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers are still cool, rite?!?
Posted by: Impressionable young 12 year old

To be honest, I'm not much of a party guy. There's nothing I like better than to sit down with a glass of champagne and re-read my Harry Potter books.
Posted by: Christian Bale

Renesmee ain't that special. I am a muuuch cooler fictional baby! I could take her on... with my teeth! nom nom nom
Posted by: Sunny Baudelaire

Twiiiiiiilight suuuuuuucks!!!
Under you seats, you all get copies of Harry Potter!
Posted by: Oprah

I voted Twilight. It has inspired me to take over Germany and search for my own Edward Cullen by rooting out those who are unfit. Thank you, Stephenie Meyer, for showing me my future path.
Posted by: Hitler

When I read Twilight, I feel wet. But my martini is dry!
Posted by: Bond. James Bond

I chose Twilight because it makes better kindling for the lake of fire
Posted by: The Devil

SMeyers killed me.
Posted by: Literature as we know it

You know that day you once told me about, when the world would no longer need Twilight? It's coming.
Posted by: Bruce Wayne

A vote for Harry Potter is a vote for change.
Posted by: President Elect Barack Obama

I hope you guys enjoy reading some poor lady's sex fantasies as much as I do.
Posted by: 10 year old girl

I chose Twilight because its female lead makes me look competent and smart--not to mentional a leap forward for feminists in comparison! Gosh darnit!
Posted by: Sarah Palin in 2012

If any of you ask for Twilight, You'll be getting coal.
Posted by: Santa Claus

Actually, Twilight is regressive to humanity from an archeological standpoint. I predict total decimation of the human race if this doesn't stop.
As I once stated, archaeology (otherwise known as Harry Potter) is the search for fact... not truth. If it's truth you're looking for, STEPHENIE MEYER's philosophy class is right down the hall.
Yeah, I said it.
Posted by: Henry Jones, JUNIOR

I feel misrepresented in this battle in the fantasy fiction genre. Hobbits were slashed long before wizards or
vampires tyvm.
Posted by: Frodo

Last but not least, from a twilite fan:

I choosed Twilight because it is more realistic. Wizards and magic aren't real.
Posted by: twilite_fan

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Trust me, when it comes to the viciousness of Potter fans, nothing was worse than the Shipping wars (Harry and Hermione vs. Ron and Hermione).