Ranking Every Twilight Movie In The Franchise
All five movies in The Twilight Saga have been added to Netflix, so let’s get lost in Forks. From the mind of Stephanie Meyer, the book-to-film adaptation was a hit when it first debuted in 2008, putting us all firmly on Team Edward or Team Jacob. While we relive both cringe-worthy and iconic lines, let’s rank the films from least to most favorite.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon
As a Team Jacob fan, I was excited to see the werewolves introduced in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, but it didn’t quite sit right with me. Edward (Robert Pattinson) leaves Bella (Kristen Stewart) to give her a better life and, in his absence, Bella turns to Jacob (Taylor Lautner) thinking it will solve all her problems. What frustrated me was how Bella hypocritically calls werewolves monsters and weak. Jacob even calls her out on it! Bella definitely pulls at Jacob’s heartstrings in both this movie and Eclipse, so I don’t think there was ever a real love triangle.
Twilight
It’s the film that started the frenzy! I love that Twilight is covered in this blue hue to give off a morally grey feeling. The way they play with color is so well done that you can even see the subtle changes towards brighter colors as we get to the end of the saga. While this movie gave us some of the best cringeworthy lines, it did set up the story very well. Bella feels drawn not only to Edward, but also to the idea of becoming something greater than herself. But does anyone else feel bad for Charlie (Billy Burke)? This film also has the best soundtrack to date! Cue “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse and that legendary baseball sequence.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is the first film where viewers see the werewolves and vampires fight together against the newborn army Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) has created. But I didn’t like the change in actresses for the character. We get more history behind how Rosalie (Nikki Reed) and Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) were changed, which adds more to the background of the Cullens. This is where a love triangle seems to develop, as Bella keeps Jacob close enough to give him hope for a relationship, even though she ultimately belongs to Edward. The films become more action packed during this time with more fighting sequences.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2
Bella is finally a vampire, and honestly, the timing couldn’t have been better. By this point in the saga, the CGI had leveled up, and the production quality finally caught up to the story’s ambition. We get these cool, detailed shots through Bella’s new vampire vision — like seeing individual carpet fibers or dew on the leaves — and it really puts us in the Cullen world for the first time. Bella’s transformation is more than physical. She’s out of her shy shell and fully embracing her confident, almost giddy newborn self. But of course, the drama kicks in when the Volturi find out about Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy). I think I can speak for everyone when I say no one expected the twist in Alice’s (Ashley Greene) vision of the battle. I still get goosebumps.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1
The wedding in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 is one of the most iconic moments in the franchise! Set in an enchanted forest surrounded by twinkling lights, the ceremony felt like a fairytale. Bella’s dress was stunning and fit her perfectly. Although this isn’t where the story begins, the suspense truly builds here as Bella becomes pregnant and it seem like she calls all the shots while Edward is on the sidelines. This film keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. From Rosalie becoming a protector of Bella to Jacob leaving the pack and imprinting on Renesmee, it had a lot of crazy turns.
