Twilight - a review

One of my many interests is doing Movie reviews with parenting and faith in mind. Of much interest these days is the Movie Twilight - which I have actually seen.

It is fun to go to a movie, even a bad one, and address it's interraction with faith. I have so much fun doing this that once in awhile I go on a local radio station and talk about movies there. What makes Twilight of especial interest to me is that it also crosses into another of my hobbies which is reading. This book is being read by millions of teens (mostly early teen girls) and the movie should not bee considered apart from its literature background.

I share with you this week while I am "in process" I've watched the movie but I have not yet read the book. First my review of the Movie and then I would love to hear your thoughts:

The movie is geared towards the 9-16 year old set. First of all I think it is a horrible crime for us to continue to let our very little girls grow up too quickly. So I would say - "do not let your pre-teen watch this movie about a teenager's romance".

Song of Solomon 2:7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

Second don't let your teenager watch this movie alone. I'm of the belief that Jesus is to be the center of your child's heart and that the primary male relationship in a girl's life should be her Dad. Boys are coming on strong in the teen years, can't be helped, but Dad if you stay engaged then you might be able to reason with her a little longer. Go to the movie with your daughter and find out what about it appeals to her.

Now for the specifics:

Pros-
The movie is not overly violent by today's standards, it contains themes of self sacrifice, original sin, redemption, good works, abstinance, etc. So wha'ts the beef?

Cons-
I think the romaticizing of the "dark brooding male" gets way too much help already and this movie only piles on it. I find it disturbing that this girl falls immediately in love with the boy who rejects her when all others seem infatuated with her. There is a message in the movie that if a boy is attacted to you in such a way that he stalks you night and day "that is good". Romance is very superficially dealt with in the movie.

Stupid behavior -

Daughter is out of town with her two friends (all around 16) the kids split up, the main character nearly gets assualted by 4 drunken men, her friends allow her to ride home with the "dark brooding guy" - stupid - girls never let your friend ride home with someone else and never let them walk off alone in the city!

Guy stalks girl in her bedroom, they kiss, he jumps away saying - "I'm not as strong as I thought" so they spend the night clothed in her bed. Stupid - 9 times out of 10 it just doesn't work like that.

you get the idea.

Intimacy is limited to steamy looks, and an all night clothes on cuddle. I don't like it but on the other hand this is likely pretty close to where many of your daughters are in their mid teens. So do we reject the movie outright?

Now about the books:
The author is Mormon - how is that impacting it's message?

Some interesting Christian language is woven in the vampire boy is called a "Lion" and the girl is the "lamb". Even if there are Christian themes in the mix is its mixture with sexual tension a good thing?

I've been told that the last book in the series is very much mor explicit - as the character has matured and gotten married to the vampire the literature content has matured as well. How much should your teen girl be focused on these topics?

Well I need to read a bit of the books themselves to go any further your thoughts? Your suggestions for more information?

To see how I break down another movie with literary ties go to this site click on "posts" and scroll down to "Golden Compass" to hear a conversation where I am much more emphatic in rejecting a movie.

Please let me know if you like this post - I'm considering making a permanent blogsite for my movie reviews.