“Twilight”
When Bella Swan moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest, she falls in love with Edward Cullen, a mysterious classmate who reveals himself as a 108-year-old vampire.
“Twilight” has become one of my all-time favorite films. I am also a fan of author Stephenie Meyer, so when I was asked to look at “The Twilight Saga: The Complete Collection – 15th Anniversary,” I had no qualms whatsoever. Now, here’s the thing: I was not expecting to be drawn back into this love story. Thirty minutes in, and I was invested in the love, drama, and heartache as I was the first time around. It’s incredible that “Twilight” still has the magic power to hold you and me.
For those who have never read the book or seen the movie, you have a great treat waiting for you. Bella (Kristen Stewart) leaves sunny Phoenix, Arizona, to go and live with her father in Forks, Washington, as her mother has re-married and needs some alone time with her new hubby. Bella is anything but happy, but when she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) in her new school, her heart is completely overwhelmed. It turns out that Edward is a vampire who loves her back while trying not to drink her blood. The story unfolds very neatly, and the mountains and the ocean make a wonderful backdrop to the love story. Bella desperately wants to become a vampire, but he is determined that she should stay human. Thus, the saga!
The supporting cast is excellent, and the story, for being supernatural, lends itself to authenticity. This is a great introduction to the world of vampires.
“The Twilight Saga: New Moon”
Edward leaves Bella after an attack that nearly claimed her life, and, in her depression, she falls into yet another problematic relationship – this time with her close friend, Jacob Black.
I found the atmosphere from the opening of “New Moon” very poignant and with a hint of sadness. The story shows the love between Edward and Bella growing very intense, with Bella terrified that she will somehow lose Edward and being mortal; she pleads her case to him but to no avail. Bella’s birthday reflects her anxiety about being mortal since she is now eighteen, to Edward’s seventeen. The Cullens invite her to a birthday party, to which she reluctantly agrees. It is obvious her relationship with the Cullens has grown exponentially, and a connection has been made. While waiting for her party to commence, Edward shows Bella a moving tapestry that shows a trinity from the vampire world called the Volturi, who rule the supernatural world with strict laws and guidelines that, when broken, result in death. They are ruthless. Carlisle (Peter Facinelli), the head of the Cullen family, stayed with the Volturi in Italy for some time but found their cruelty unconscionable and returned to America.
While opening a Birthday card, Bella accidentally cuts her finger. Her blood, being so potent, causes Jasper (Jackson Rathbone) to attack her. As a result, Bella needs stitches, and the rest of the family moves to another room, overcome by the smell of her blood. While talking to Carlisle, she discovers that vampires lose their souls and realizes that is why Edward hesitates to change her. As a result, the Cullens move away, and Edward chooses not to take Bella with him. She is heartbroken, and eventually, she becomes connected to Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner), a local Native American Indian boy she knew from her childhood and whose father is good friends with hers. The action increases, and we discover that Jacob and members of his tribe are werewolves, their connection to the Cullens going back centuries. Jacob loves Bella and wants her to become his, but she cannot. Alice (Ashley Greene), Edward’s sister, comes back as she has the power to see the future and believes that Bella, after a cliff-diving incident, tried to kill herself. In the meantime, Edward has gone to the Volturi to ask for death, thinking Bella to be dead. With time running out, Bella and Alice make their way to Italy and save Edward and the day.
There is a lot more action this time around, and when they are reunited, Edward is still reluctant to change her, so she appeals to his family. They agree. When Edward, Bella, and Jacob meet, it is brought out that Bella does indeed love Jacob, but she loves Edward more. Jacob retreats from them, heartbroken, and Bella and Edward confront each other. She challenges him over making her immortal, and in the end, he agrees, on the condition that she marry him.
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”
As a string of mysterious killings grips Seattle, Bella, whose high school graduation is fast approaching, must choose between her love for vampire Edward and her friendship with werewolf Jacob.
As the story of Bella and Edward grows, Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard), an old nemesis of Bella’s, returns to take vengeance on her, claiming that Edward killed her one true love years earlier. The growing feud between Edward and Jacob also grows. Jacob, now a full member of the pack of werewolves, is bitter because he cannot claim Bella’s heart, but a growing threat to Forks and its people comes from newborn vampires who are being created to destroy Bella and those she cares about. The Cullens and the werewolves unite and form a coalition to bring down the threat. Bella tells Jacob she has chosen Edward, but she is emotionally confused because she is drawn to Jacob in ways she cannot comprehend. On the eve of the battle, it is decided that Bella should retreat to a mountain hideout with Edward to protect her. Jacob brings her to the camp, and Bella hides from Jacob that she has agreed to marry Edward. However, Jacob overhears them talking and is enraged. He confronts Bella, who tells him that she does love him, and he vows to come back and claim her after the battle.
The action scenes are well done, although the background story sometimes overshadows them. The cinematography is impressive, and the forest’s snowy slopes are stunning, with the final fight between Edward and Victoria masterfully staged. In the battle, Jacob is badly injured, and with the imminent arrival of the Volturi bodyguards, wanting to make sure the threat to Forks is gone, Jacob is removed from the battlefield and taken back to his tribe. It becomes evident that the Volturi may have known about the threat all along, and they eventually leave, a big unease growing between them and the Cullens. Carlisle treats Jacob and saves his life, so an uneasy truce exists between the vampires and the werewolves, and Bella and Edward set a date for their wedding.
It’s almost impossible to give a comprehensive picture of the overall movie; you have to live it and experience it. The characters make up the backbone of this saga, and they improve with each new entry in the series, from the central performers to the local villagers and the court of the Volturi. We need to find a new word to replace saga because, with the wealth of characters presented to you with each movie, it becomes a part of your existence. This takes on a life of its own, and you are already beyond redemption and have so much more to come. “Eclipse” remains one of my favorite entries in the series, but the next chapter is all but upon us!
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1”
The Quileutes close in on expecting parents Edward and Bella, whose unborn child threatens the Wolf Pack and the townspeople of Forks.
This is the culmination of all the dreams that Bella has had. She has always known she was different, and in meeting the world of vampires, she knows with all her heart that she was born to be one of them. The wedding is beautifully done, and despite her run-in with Jacob, she is ready for her new life. Edward has promised her they will consummate their marriage while she is still human, and Bella wants this more than anything; although Edward is in a high state of anxiety over it, in the end, it happens for them. The love scenes were beautifully photographed, and you are happy for them. But of course, there are consequences, and it turns out to be a life-threatening pregnancy for Bella.
Carrying a supernatural child takes its toll on her, but Jacob steps in to help, and the baby is born. Jacob is immediately drawn to the beautiful baby girl and imprints on her. Renesmee is his!
A good deal of action revolves around the pregnancy, while in the background, the wolves and vampires become enemies again. The backstories were well done, and the final scene before the beginning of Part 2 is cause for a big hurrah!
“The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2”
After the birth of Renesmee/Nessie, the Cullens gather other vampire clans to protect the child from a false allegation that puts the family in front of the Volturi.
The opening of “Breaking Dawn – Part 2” shows Bella coming to life as the vampire she always wanted to be. A lovely scene where she can see the microcosms of the surrounding woodland was very nicely done. She is not happy to know that Jacob imprinted on her baby girl, but eventually, it all settles down. But things never stay the way they are. The Volturi have been told that the Cullens have created an immortal child, a big no-no in the vampire world, which carries a sentence of death for the entire family.
The werewolves are not too happy about the baby’s possible powers either, so a wonderful coterie of vampire friends and allies of the Cullens come to witness that the child is not immortal. Regardless, the Volturi are coming, and the stage is set for a climactic battle. Very well staged and presented, “Breaking Dawn – Part 2” very neatly wraps everything up, and at the end of the day, we all get our happily ever afters. It was great watching this series again, and I would highly recommend it, especially if you’ve never watched them before.
“The Twilight Saga: The Complete Collection – 15th Anniversary”
arrives on 4K Ultra HD™ SteelBook® November 14th
