- By Swati Singh
- Tue, 02 Sep 2025 03:27 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
After more than two decades of its theatrical debut, The Twilight Saga is re-releasing in theatres this September. The film franchise is deemed as the cult classic featuring a love and hate relationship between Vampires and Werewolves. Ahead of its re-release, the film has once again sparked discussions- was it a cinematic disaster, a guilty pleasure or an iconic teen fantasy that defined a generation?
Nostalgia at its peak: Rewinding time to 2000s
Watching the Twilight saga in 2025 feels like unearthing a time capsule from the late 2000s—awkward, over-the-top, but strangely irresistible. The blue-grey filter and foggy Pacific Northwest backdrop feel like a throwback to the Tumblr days. The soundtrack alone is worth the rewatch—Paramore’s Decode and Muse’s Supermassive Black Hole still hit hard, while Iron & Wine’s Flightless Bird, American Mouth remains one of the most romantic tracks in teen cinema history.
What is the story?
High-school student Bella Swan, always a bit of a misfit, doesn't expect life to change much when she moves from sunny Arizona to rainy Washington state. Then she meets Edward Cullen, a handsome but mysterious teen whose eyes seem to peer directly into her soul. Edward is a vampire and Bella, far from being frightened, enters into a dangerous romance with her immortal soulmate.
The Twilight Saga Review: It’s cringy, chaotic, but somehow iconic!
The intense (Obsessive) romance between Bella and Edward comes across as melodramatic by today’s standards. Many conversations feel stiff- the "Biology Class Scene" - Edward’s strange reaction to Bella’s scent comes across as uncomfortable rather than intense romance. Especially, the "Spider Monkey" line turns a romantic moment into something unintentionally funny.
Still Iconic!
The Twilight Saga was released between 2008 and 2012 and it defined an era of teen fantasy films, capturing the mood of the late 2000s—emo aesthetics. Despite its flaws, the music and rainy Pacific Northwest setting remain timelessly cool. Like other cult classics, Twilight has a dramatic tone that is hard to avoid.
VFX and Sound
The first film, titled Twilight, had a modest budget of around $37 million. The sparkling vampire effect—meant to be ethereal—ended up looking like glittery body lotion, which if GenZ's watch now will turn out to look hilarious. Not only this, the wirework for Robert Pattinson's Edward’s super-speed and tree-jumping sequences felt stiff.
The VFX saw a slight refinement, particularly in battle sequences with the newborn vampire army in the Eclipse (2010). The funniest part of the entire movie franchise was when Bella gave birth and the baby looked like a robot, which was truly unsettling. The scene in question sparked memes online even in 2000s as the baby’s uncanny valley effect became a running joke.
However, the VFX quality surprised in the franchise's finale. The final battle sequence showcased well-choreographed fights, realistic powers and sweeping visuals of the snowy battlefield. The wolves and vampires looked better than all the predecessors.
The soundtrack—Paramore’s Decode and Muse’s Supermassive Black Hole are still bangers, while Iron & Wine’s Flightless Bird, American Mouth continues to make fans swoon.
The Twilight Saga- Does It Hold Up In 2025?
As a serious cinematic work, the Twilight movie franchise somehow fails. From the dialogue delivery to the questionable CGI, the film lacks in major aspects. However, it is chaotic, heartfelt and comforting as an entertainment piece.
