Did Twilight really suck that much?

[retyopy]

So I was browsing the forums and I saw a Twilight hate comment. And that brang back memories of other people hating on Twilight. And more. AND MORE. And I have to ask, did it really suck that much? Was it really that bad? i read it and thought it was fine. There were a few good bits, a few bad bits, and Bella is about as emotional as a box, but I didn't want to gouge out my eyes over it. Ok, so it didn't exactly blow my mind. But all it was was average. A lot of books are average! I don't hate (and this is just me looking at a random book that I didn't like all that much) Endymion Spring entirely because I forgot about it 20 minutes after finishing. So why do people hate Twilight so much?

EDIT: The BOOK people. THE BOOK.

 

[retyopy]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I've honestly never seen it nor do I care enough about it to even watch it.

But since it's one of those things that girls tend to go screeching batshit insane over, I probably wouldn't like it.

 

[Jadak]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

No, it's genuinely just a bad movie. Although I can only speak for the first, thankfully haven't had to sit through the rest as of yet.

 

[GigaHz]

I just hate it because it's bland. It's not exceptionally bad, but it's not exceptionally good either. It just is and somehow it got popular.

I was also subjected to all 3 twilight movies thanks to a former girlfriend. I am not a fan of Bella or Edward's character if they are faithful representations for how they behave in the book.

 

[SnowyGamester]

Because it is popular AND because it sucks. I've never heard of Endymion Spring, therefore I have no grounds on which to hate it. But everyone has heard of twilight, and as you said it is nothing special...it is more hate for people who have raised it to this level of popularity despite its mediocraty.

 

[ChuQue37]

As a piece of art? Yeah, it sucked flaming donkey balls.

It was terrible.

TERRIBLE.

But as porn?

My god. It was a MASTERPIECE.

Think about it. Essentially, the only thing it did was serve as masturbational fodder for teenage girls.

The reason Bella was so non-existent as a character was so that the audience could put themselves in her place.

In a porno, you never show the male leads face. Because the person watching wants to imagine that he's fucking a beautiful woman and has the body of a god.

Edward was kind of an asshole, but he was likable. Desirable. Everyone wanted him.

Ditto for Jacob.

And you had these two men fighting each other over the lead.

Even more importantly, she gave the lead IMPORTANCE. The reader was able to imagine theirself as the center of incredibly important events.

Etc. etc.

 

[Bobic]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

Or because to get the attention of a boy the main character attempts suicide, and it works. Great message there Stephanie.

Admittedly I have very little knowledge of the stories and taking that out of context may be an ignorant move. But I don't exactly spout hate against it, I just thought I'd counter the bullshit 'because it's popular argument.'

Also, vampires do not sparkle.

 

[weker]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

Well Call of Duty is hated for many valid reasons (much to Jim's some time ignorant belief)
Twilight is much the same except with much worse acting and dialogue for the films, but for the books movie bob went on about what their symbolism is and such.

 

[Simalacrum]

As a piece of art? Yeah, it sucked flaming donkey balls.

It was terrible.

TERRIBLE.

But as porn?

My god. It was a MASTERPIECE.

Think about it. Essentially, the only thing it did was serve as masturbational fodder for teenage girls.

The reason Bella was so non-existent as a character was so that the audience could put themselves in her place.

In a porno, you never show the male leads face. Because the person watching wants to imagine that he's fucking a beautiful woman and has the body of a god.

Edward was kind of an asshole, but he was likable. Desirable. Everyone wanted him.

Ditto for Jacob.

And you had these two men fighting each other over the lead.

Even more importantly, she gave the lead IMPORTANCE. The reader was able to imagine theirself as the center of incredibly important events.

Etc. etc.

...Blimey.

But yeah, basically for me I've heard from every outlet that I trust (both professional and amateur) that Twilight is Satan's spawn; I don't really hate on the film, but its reputation precedes it, and I keep that in mind and avoid it at all costs.

 

[haaxist]

Honestly, I still like the books. Maybe not the last one as much, since it's kinda been milked for all its worth by then. But if you have nothing else to read, you're super bored, and you don't have the energy nor the inclination to move your butt and play some video games, then curling up somewhere with a piece of brainless vampire fluff is a pretty good way to kill time. Yes, the characters are extremely cliched, no you won't ever see any mind-shattering plot twists, no it isn't all that risque (at least compared to what I usually read lol), but it's still decent. I mean, it's obviously been created to sell to pre-teen and young teenage girls (about 13 to maybe 15), and it stinks of someone's secret fantasy, but just because you don't like the content doesn't really give people the right to bash it. It's not like Stephanie Meyer is a bad writer, I mean look at Host, it was pretty awesome. I think the movies give it a bad rap though, what with all the bad CG and emotionless actors *cough*Kristen*cough*, but you don't actually have to watch those, now do you?

All in all, no the Twilight books aren't bad. The movies are, yes. But the books are at least competently written, with a plot that's clear and understandable. Could it use a bit more jazz and a lot less angst? Yes. If you want traditional vampires, go watch True Blood. If you want to zone out for a while, read Twilight. That's all there is to it, really. XD

 

[Flare Phoenix]

Yes, the series is basically teaching women that they need to be co-dependent and rely on a man all the time (hell, Bella tries to off herself multiple times simply because her high-school relationship didn't work out), but at the same time telling women it is acceptable to lead a man on even if you have agreed to marry someone else.

Bella flat out tells Jacob she loves him (and I think she kisses him) not moments after she has agreed to marry Edward, and I know Twilight fans who believe this was perfectly acceptable for Bella to do.

 

[Rawne1980]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

No no no no no and did I mention no.

Vampires, the supernatural blood drinkers we've all grown up with are vilent blood thirst hard bastards. They have terrorised the world in films, books even cartoons and comics. They have been the focus of some of the greatest films of all time ranging from the black and white Nosferatu of 1922 (based on the awesome Dracula book by Bram Stoker written in 1897) to the film Dracula based on the same novel. Then with films like Interview with a Vampire which was a classic to Lost Boys which is still one of mine and my wifes favourite films (and reminds me of my childhood, nostalgia is good).

All of a sudden, all these ideas we've had about Vampires get screwed up and thrown in the bin by this collection of glittery "I think someone got carried away with their vajazzle" .... things. I can't even refer to them as Vampires, they just aren't.

The plot itself isn't too terrible if you like your romance kind of things.

My wife and eldest daughter enjoyed the books, admittedly i've only seen the first film due to my wife forcing me to take her to the cinema (I hate romance flicks).

Edward is completely over the top verging on mental stalker and Bella is about as wooden as you can get without becoming pinnochio.

I don't hate it as such it's just not my kind of thing. It's an average "love" (put in quotations because it's not really a love story more a desperate *please love me, i'm lonely* story) story with average acting (again haven't read the books so can't comment).

A lot of people that dislike it are blokes that don't see the point to it. It's nothing special.

May just be my man sized lack of "not getting it".

But no to your comment, just no, we don't "hate it because it's popular" (you have no idea how much i'm starting to dislike that phrase) we dislike it because we found it shit.

Hope that helps.

 

[retyopy]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

Also, vampires do not sparkle.

\

Oh yeah? Says who?

This is an issue I have. Why can't she just re-imagine them? People have done it with other monsters. Is it just making them less threating? Is that the issue?

 

[BanicRhys]

Let's see...

It takes a dump on the idea of vampires and werewolves. (Seriously, when was the last time you saw a Christopher Lee style vampire after the Twilight films came out?)
It teaches young women:
"marry as early as you can"
"stalking = love"
"the most important thing about you is your virginity"
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/1839-The-Twilight-Saga-Eclipse

Oh yeah? Says who?

Over a hundred years of films, books, games and stories.

 

[Saltyk]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

Or because to get the attention of a boy the main character attempts suicide, and it works. Great message there Stephanie.

Admittedly I have very little knowledge of the stories and taking that out of context may be an ignorant move. But I don't exactly spout hate against it, I just thought I'd counter the bullshit 'because it's popular argument.'

Also, vampires do not sparkle.

I think vampires do not sparkle pretty much sums it up. Also, it was a terrible movie. At least the first one was. And I knew Twilight fans that thought it was a bad movie. I'll avoid the others like the plague thank you very much.

 

[Bobic]

I suppose people hate it for the same reason people hate Call of Duty. Because it's popular. Or something.

Also, vampires do not sparkle.

\

Oh yeah? Says who?

This is an issue I have. Why can't she just re-imagine them? People have done it with other monsters. Is it just making them less threating? Is that the issue?

That's it, ignore the bulk of what I said and focus on the half joke. Anyway, I'll go along with it.

Making the vampires sparkle as opposed to die is such a shameless, lazy, hamfisted way of making your vampires less threatening and more pretty. It's just such a daft cheesy move that I am completely unable to take it seriously.

 

[Elidan1012]

I could go on about why I think it sucks but I think Movie Bob does it better than I ever could. See below.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/1107-New-Moon
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/1839-The-Twilight-Saga-Eclipse

Edit: Ah, the book. Some of the points made by Movie Bob is about the books too but compared to the movies, I don't really care about the books.