Perhaps the most loved and hated franchise of all time, the word ‘Twilight’ will either make you weep with nostalgia or run for the hills. Which begs the question; did the film franchise warrant the hate it received or does it deserve another look? 

 

Stephanie Meyer’s ‘Twilight’ has been a worldwide bestseller since 2008, reaching audiences far and wide, casting a net over more than twenty-six countries. But with great success, comes great criticism. Despite its beloved fandom, many were quick to fault the film franchise upon its release, almost succumbing to audience expectations of it being as ‘bad’ as the book. But was this opinion too hasty? How would audiences have felt had the films been released as an indie series in its own right, completely unattached to the teen girl fandom? 

 

For those of you who have read the book, you will remember the dark, drizzly atmosphere that Meyer sets. A depressing landscape of dark verdure, rainy roads and the phantom scent of petrichor; these are all the doleful ingredients that bakes the tasty Twilight cake. It’s no easy feat adapting such a richly established atmosphere from book to film, but Catherine Hardwicke (the film’s director) did it. In fact, the film captured the atmosphere so well, devoted fans became even more obsessed; and so the franchise continued its expansion. Hardwicke’s decision to tint the entire film with a deep blue veneer may seem simple, but is perhaps one of the most genius parts of the franchise. Not only is the depressingly cold, yet nostalgically warm spirit of Meyer’s novel transferred onto screen, it creates an iconically unmistakable appearance to the entire first film. Any screenshot of a blue tinted, rainy road lined with fir trees, you’d think ‘Twilight’. In fact, you’d feel ‘Twilight’. The film became more than just another fandom, it became home for so many young girls who finally felt seen. It became an embodiment of those dark, wintery nights when you’d be curled up in bed, flicking through Meyer’s pages under torchlight, truly believing for a few hours that you lived as an ordinary young girl, in an ordinary town called Forks, thrown into extraordinary circumstances. 

 

So, if you haven’t already, wait for a cold, winter’s night and pull up Netflix. Switch off the lights. Grab a toasty hot chocolate. Type ‘Twilight’ into the search bar (even if your entire being is telling you not to), and forget everything anyone’s told you about the film. Enjoy it with fresh eyes. Walk with open arms into a small, rainy town called Forks.