*Warning it may contain spoilers*

The Story

Twilight’s plot was designed to make tweens and teenagers swoon. High school boy meets the new girl in school and they eventually fall in love. In the tradition of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, the guy being a vampire complicates things here. With this sure-fire plot, it’s no surprise that the movie, just like the book, became a huge commercial success.

Why Did the Film Disappoint?

One of the key elements as to why this movie sucked was the casting. Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen and Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan looked physically good together. However, their acting needs some major work! Kristen sighed every time she had to deliver a line and she fluttered her lashes for most of the film. Both mannerisms irritated me, to say the least. I don’t really know if those were her own approach to the character or if director Catherine Hardwicke advised her to do it. Robert, on the other hand, did not really act like THE Edward Cullen. He seemed like a normal human being in the film. Aside from the fact that his face is powder-white and he can climb trees, there was nothing extraordinary about him at all. Also, I have to say that I did not find Rosalie Hale (portrayed by Nikki Reed) to be extremely beautiful and graceful in the movie, which was how she was described in the book.

The effects also proved to be another disappointment. Edward shimmering like a diamond in the sunlight while Bella stared adoringly at him was one of the most poignant moments in the book. I was kind of sad that Robert just looked like he was drenched in sweat in the film. They actually had to do a close-up of his chest to make it seem like he was “glistening” in the sun. However, the effect that they were aiming for was not achieved at all.

Of course, I understand that this is a low-budget movie so they cannot produce the best of everything. It is particularly harder if the books are turned into movies because they have to condense the storyline up to just three hours tops. But then, having a low budget does not excuse the Twilight people for not thinking straight. How a wheelchair-bound man such as Billy Black (played by Gil Birmingham) can ably drive a truck really escapes my logic and inconsistencies such as this one could ruin any movie.

The Good Stuff

There are still some things that saved this film from total disaster. Billy Burke as Charlie Swan, Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen, Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen, and Peter Facinelli as Carlisle Cullen all delivered stellar performances. They fit their respective roles and they really brought to life the characters that I loved in the book.

Another thing that I found wonderful was the setting, which was in Forks, Washington. I must say that this town is incredibly lovely and it really looks like a place where one can find romance.

My younger brother actually liked this movie but I have a theory that if one has not read the books, you will probably love this film. Even if I did not go crazy over Twilight the movie, I am still looking forward to watching New Moon. Hopefully, having a new director at the helm might do wonders for the next installment – and how I wish they will get it right next time.

*If you want to check if the review is right or wrong, pre-order now your own Twilight DVD on Twilight Point and you be the judge on March 21.

Patrick Garde is the owner of Twilight website which offers Twilight movie updates, merchandise and forum TwilightPoint.com

Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner on Tyra 11/28/08 1 of 2

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