We don’t review films, but this time we make an exception. As you may have guessed, Robert Pattinson is a major player in the Twilight saga, starring as Edward Cullen, the hot guy who turns everyone into a zombie-like creature. Since the release of Twilight in 2012, Pattinson has become something of a household name, with a cult-like following developing around the world. It would be an understatement to say that the movie changed Rob’s life, as he’s now the highest paid actor in Hollywood. It also won an Academy Award, which probably wasn’t something that he expected when he decided to take on the role. But we’re not here to judge, as much as we’re here to talk about the film. So let’s get into it.
The Film
If you’re wondering what to expect from Rob’s perspective, it’s probably a good idea to look at the movie itself. Twilight is the second film in the saga, following 2008’s blockbuster hit, New Moon. While the first film was all about the romance between Edward and Bella, Twilight focuses more on the family dynamic, with Bella struggling to find her place in the world and her parents dealing with her “condition.” It’s a far cry from the sparkly vampires and werewolf mythology that defined the first film, and it’s definitely a bold move. But it’s paid off well for the studio, as both Twilight and New Moon were huge commercial successes, breaking records at the box office and expanding the audience for the Twilight franchise. So it’s clear that the studio behind the movie, Summit Entertainment, knew what they were doing.
The Cast
Another thing that made Twilight unique is the talent of the star-studded ensemble cast. Besides Rob, the movie features several well-known faces like Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick, Colin Farrell, and Jessica Chastain. But what really makes the movie unique is the fact that it was mostly shot in Canada, using locations like Kanata, Ontario and Prince Edward Island. So while the majority of the movie is set in present day, some of the scenes were actually shot in the 1800s, giving it a really distinctive vintage charm. The only other movie that comes close to duplicating this was Martin Scorsese‘s gangster classic, The Departed. But in addition to looking great, the unique locations really helped contribute to the movie’s atmosphere, as it doesn’t quite feel like a traditional superhero or horror flick.
The Script
Another important aspect to consider when judging a film is the script. The first two films in the saga were mostly penned by David Meyer, with Bill Collazo and Stephenie Meyer coming on as additional writers. But with Twilight, the team of screenwriters took a more prominent role, with the movie being attributed to a whole writing team, led by Steve Kloves and Frank De Felitta, with additional help from Scott Neill. As a result, the language and grammar used in the script is much more sophisticated and mature, which might explain why Summit decided to turn to more veteran writers for the sequel.
The Outcome
We’d be remiss not to mention that the movie itself is a lot more mature and sophisticated, which is probably why it’s rated R (Restricted) in the U.S. According to Box Office Mojo, Twilight has a rating of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, which makes it the highest rated film in the series. The movie definitely pushed the boundaries of what is allowed to be shown on screen in terms of language and sexual content, which may also explain why it is restricted, though it probably doesn’t need to be.
It’s fair to say that while Twilight is a great film, it’s also a pretty complex story, which may not be accessible to everyone. But it’s also a testament to the movie’s success that a sequel was almost certainly guaranteed, though in typical Stephenie fashion, it took her a while to get around to working on it.