I’m assuming the book is better than the movie. Despite all the hype that the movie garnered, it was severely disappointing. Perhaps the writers assumed that the viewers would’ve already read the book, as the plot was scattered with very little focus on the supporting cast.
“Twilight” is definitely geared towards it’s main demographic, teenage girls. The two stars, Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison, exude teenage angst. Their two characters, Bella and Edward (respectively), are the cliché teenage outcasts. Bella is the every day girl that has trouble fitting in to her new atmosphere at school, while Edward is the typical anti-social hunk. Sometimes you wonder if Bella is more in love with Edward’s hair than his personality, as the cinematography seems to emphasize his follicles in slow motion (although my female companion thought he would look better with scruff). The love story is arguably the strongest part of the film. Relying upon the everlasting concept of forbidden love, the chemistry between the Edward and Bella evokes Romeo and Juliet. Still, the events leading up to the revelation that Edward is a vampire are awkward and seem to drag on forever.
The actual acting is what can be expected from a relatively greenhorn cast. The cast is able to meet your expectations, but there’s no real stand-out. Pattison seemed to have a problem with perfecting his American accent, which detracted from his character as a whole. Stewart as Bella was too plain in her portrayal of the character.
Her willingness to accept the fate of dating a vampire and her later interactions seem inane. I wasn’t able to sense the inner conflict on her having to juggle life. Nor was I able to sense compassion between Bella and her fellow students. Overall, I felt that Bella wasn’t a likeable character. And the other vampires seemed as if they were added at the last second, contributing little to the story.
The final redeeming factor of the movie is it’s ridiculousness. I found myself chuckle when Edward running looks like the spider-walking girl from “The Exorcist” or when the “bad” vampires emerge from shrouded fog. Overall, I’d have to say this film could be a lot worse, but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone except for those who are diehard fans of the series.
