The Twilight movies are one of Hollywood’s most successful film franchises. The series comprises five movies, the first, Twilight, released on November 21, 2008, and the last, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, released on November 16, 2012. The film franchise was based on Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight book series, published from 2005 to 2008, excluding her other companion novels and a novella.
All five movies have been Box Office hits, collectively grossing $3.346 billion with a total budget of $401 million. However, they have not entirely been critics’ favorites, receiving negative to mixed reviews. Using the Tomatometer (critics-based reviews), this is how The Twilight movies ranked, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
5. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 – 25%
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) is the fourth movie in The Twilight Saga. The movie is ranked 25% on the Tomatometer from 213 reviews. Although not a critic favorite, Breaking Dawn Part 1 ranks 60% on its Audience Score from over 100,000 audience ratings.
Breaking Dawn Part 1 follows the wedding of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Refusing to be turned into a vampire before her wedding, Bella discovers she is pregnant two weeks after consummating their wedding on their honeymoon. The movie tells of her struggles to maintain the pregnancy as a human and its toll on her health. The movie ends with Bella giving birth to her daughter, Renesmee, and Edward turning her into a vampire.
4. The Twilight Saga: New Moon – 29%
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), the direct sequel to the first movie, Twilight, is only ranked at 29% in the Tomatometer by an aggregate review of 231 critics. With a slightly increased production budget, the movie almost doubled its earnings at the box office. However, in the same Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has an Audience Score ranking of 61% from over 250,000 audience reviews.
As the series’ first sequel, New Moon follows Bella’s relationship with the Cullens family. After a paper cut almost puts her life in danger, the Cullens, with Edward, leaves Forks. A devastated and depressed Bella struggles with the aftermath and finds comfort with her childhood friend Jacob Black. In the movie, Bella finds out Jacob is a member of a tribe of giant werewolves. Thinking Bella is dead, Edward tries to coerce Volturi into killing him by revealing himself to humans. Edward proposes to Bella, who’s open to being turned into a vampire.
3. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – 47%
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) is the third installment in The Twilight Saga movies. It is ranked 47% by 255 critics reviews. Although its Audience Score is ranked at 60% by over 250,000 audience reviews, it is the first movie in the series to see a drop in earnings, despite having a higher production budget than its predecessors.
Eclipse continues with Victoria’s revenge on Edward Cullen for killing her lover James in the first movie. To this end, Victoria converts Riley Biers to help create a vampire army of newborns. The movie also details the love triangle between Bella, Edward, and Jacob. Although Bella admits to being in love with Jacob, she tells Edward her love for him is stronger. Bella is willing to get married, have sex, and be turned into a vampire.
2. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 – 49%
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012) is the final installment in The Twilight Saga film series. It is one of the highest-ranked movies in the series on Rotten Tomatoes at 49% on its Tomatometer. Breaking Dawn Part 2 also became the highest-grossing movie in the series. The audience Score is at 70% from over 250,000 reviews.
As the concluding movie in the series, Breaking Dawn Part 2 explores Bella’s life as an awakened vampire. Jacob informs Bella’s father, Charles, of his tribe’s true nature and that Bella is now a vampire. When they are informed it is an immortal child, the Volturi arrive at Fort to kill Bella and Edward’s child, Renesmee. The Cullens gather witnesses to testify Renesmee isn’t an immortal child, and a half-human half-vampire isn’t a threat to the Volturi and the vampire world.
1. Twilight – 49%
Unsurprisingly, Twilight (2008) has the highest ranking on Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer at 49% from 223 reviews. The movie also has Rotten Tomatoes’ highest Audience Score at 72% from over 250,000 reviews, putting it on top of the list. As the first live-action adaptation of the novel, Twilight, was well-received by readers of the novel series.
The movie follows the life of Bella, who moves to Forks to live with her father. At her new High School, she’s drawn to the Cullen family and how they keep to themselves. After several encounters with Edward Cullen, the two become close after Bella pieces together information and discovers he’s a vampire. Bella’s life is endangered when three nomadic vampires arrive in Forks. Although the Cullen family is able to protect Bella from James, they create a new vengeful enemy in his lover, Victoria. The film’s plot sets the storyline for The Twilight movies.
Follow Us
