Holy shit! Just when you thought the Twilight series couldn’t get any hotter, along comes another movie in the series. Sort of makes you wonder, what is the point of stopping there? Who cares about the first two movies when the third one is guaranteed to be excellent? Not me, that’s for sure! I fucking love it when a series proves me wrong and I’m sure you will too, when you see how great Twilight’s final installment is.
I have to begin by saying that I did not see the first two Twilight movies. I caught them on DVD a few years back and watched them right away because I was so excited for the third one. Believe it or not, that is how little appreciation I have for the Twilight franchise. I consider myself quite the expert on the subject and have seen almost all of the Twilight movies multiple times. In fact, I watched them all so often that I have them memorized word for word. That is precisely why I was so shocked and delighted when I heard they were making a third one. I mean, come on! How could they possibly top what came before? What did they have in mind? Would it be possible to make a movie that would even surpass the awesomeness that was Twilight? Could they pull it off?
As a devoted and loyal Twilight fan, you might be wondering how I could give the movie a bad review. Let me just come right out and say it: I hate Twilight. I think it is one of the worst pieces of cinema that has ever been created. Don’t get me wrong, the special effects are really cool and it is a big improvement over the previous movies, but the acting is terrible, the script is awful, and worst of all, it is poorly plotted and incredibly predictable. It takes itself way too seriously and tries way too hard to be edgy and hip, but in the end it just comes off as cheesy. And I am sure that the producers and cast members of Twilight were not happy to have someone come out and say those words about their beloved franchise, but there it is. I am sorry, but that is how I feel. Now, please don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings or the film industry, far from it. I would just like people to know that it is not personal. I love movies and want the best for all concerned, especially the audience. I just want to let everyone know that Twilight is not for me.
An Evolution In Special Effects
One of the things that really makes Twilight so special and differentiates it from other movies is its special effects. No other movie before it had used the term “CG” (computer generated imagery) as frequently as Twilight. There is a reason for that: the technology had just begun to take off and be used in this way and the filmmakers of Twilight were fortunate enough to have someone break down and explain the entire process to them.
For fans of sci-fi, especially those that enjoyed the films of Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, or Prometheus), you will feel right at home. The entire movie is filled with references and homages to those films. From the way the story is structured to the look and feel of the whole thing, it is pure science fiction, but it feels like a Blade Runner movie. One of my favorite scenes is when the vampires come out of their coffins and begin hunting down their prey, it feels like a classic scene from Blade Runner.
There are also plenty of shout-outs to fans of classical literature, especially when the protagonist’s literary hobby is mentioned or when he reads a book and contemplates its meaning. One of the most impressive scenes in the film has to be the prologue, when the main character, Carlisle, begins his epic journey to discover the meaning of life and love. It is filled with beautiful and passionate speeches that pull at your heart strings. Even when the rest of the movie is nothing but cheesy dialogue and terrible acting, it is still quite enjoyable because of the delivery and the poetic quality of the lines.
One of the things that really sets the stage for the epic love story that is the focus of the movie is the beautifully chosen music. There is no overstating how important music is in cinema. It can make or break a movie. I mean, consider Guardians of the Galaxy, which is probably the weakest of the Marvel movies, and you will understand what I mean. Without the music, the movie would be absolutely unbearable. It would be like having a conversation with a total mute. Listening to loud music while watching a movie is also a great way to experience it, especially when you are with a partner. The chemistry between you and your significant other will be heightened and the experience will feel that much more real.
An Improvement In Overall Design
When I first saw the first Twilight movie, I was blown away by how good it looked. The sets, the costumes, everything about it was stunning and it still is one of the best-looking movies I have ever seen. I suppose that was because it was shot in such an amazing place: New York City. As fantastic as the city looks in the movie, it is even more breathtaking in real life and it is a shame that more people don’t get the chance to see it that way.
The second one was also filmed in New York City but, compared to the first one, it looks like they just dragged it through the Malls. It is a complete eyesore and it is embarrassing that Rob and Kristen are not ashamed to show it off. The good thing is that they got to keep most of the amazing locations from the first movie. The downside is that they had to find replacements for the rest, which are, for the most part, quite boring and uninspiring.
Aside from the cityscapes, the costumes and sets, the third and final Twilight movie also introduces a couple of new elements. First off, there is makeup. I mean, look at how fantastic the effects are in this movie! The makeup is also incredible, there are many examples where the effects completely sell the illusion that these creatures are real. The other new element is hair. They did a great job with the hair androgyny in this movie. I don’t know if it was done deliberately as a tribute to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner but it sure looks like it.
The score by Daniel Ludwinski is also amazing and completely representative of a movie by Hans Zimmer. It matches the overall epic feel of the movie and the sound editing is excellent. I could not put the soundtrack on while I was watching the movie because it was playing so well in the background while I was doing other things (work, school, etc.). Even when the film was over and I put it back on, it was still making me feel like I was watching it. It truly is an amazing soundtrack and I hope you all get the chance to listen to it.
A Reason To Watch The Series All The Way Through
There is one more thing that makes this movie so special and it has to do with the fact that it is the last in the series. As much as I would love to see a fourth movie, this is really the end. Now, I don’t expect everyone to agree with me that this is a good thing, but I would like to point out that this is a definite improvement over the previous two movies in the series: the first one turned into a huge disaster, the second one was an unmitigated disaster. When it came time to make the third and final installment, they decided to leave well enough alone and just left it at that: the end of the story. I mean, at least they didn’t add another horrible fucking twist at the end, like in the first one. They didn’t have to because they already knew how it would end and they could make it a more organic part of the story. It is as if they were saying, “Hey, we tried something new with the first two movies but this is how it is supposed to be in the end. Now, will you please sit down and enjoy the fucking ride?”
To summarize, I could not be happier for Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The last installment of Twilight is everything that was good about the previous two movies and, somehow, even more. It is a fitting swan song for the Twilight franchise and, in my opinion, it is the best yet. Bring on the fourth movie!