Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke
Novel by: Stephenie Mayer
Screenplay by: Melissa Rosenberg
Produced by: Marty Bowen and WyckGodfrey
Starring: Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson
Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Boy can't have girl because of some social or personal limitation. Boy falls in love with girl anyway. Sounds exactly like a classic love story. In the case of Twilight, the word classic doesn't really describe it correctly. Based off of a novel series by Stephenie Mayer, Twilight combines romance with horror, desires with responsibility. Just like Edward and Bella's romance, the movie leaves the audience wanting a little bit more.
Bella (played by Kristen Stewart) has just moved in with her father and must attend a new school. Relocating to a new school mid-year is hard enough for anyone, but it's even harder when you're a loner. Bella makes a few acquaintances fairly quickly however, including the odd and elusive Edward Cullen (played by Robert Pattinson). Edward and his family are a close knit group and rarely interact with the rest of the students. Bella however, seems to be an exception with Edward. Soon the two become close, contrary to Edward's wishes. Edward loves Bella, but he has a problem. He is a vampire and the scent of her blood entices him unlike any other. Eventually he is able to overcome the scent for the most part, and discovers that his love for her exceeds his need for blood.
Initially, I was quite hesitant to see this movie. I haven't read the books, but anything that causes hoards of fourteen year old girls to crowd a Walmart two hours before its DVD release doesn't sound like something I would be interested in. I was actually quite surprised. I've heard from avid fans of the book that the plot differs from the book too much, so I was glad that I saw the movie first. The plot seemed to progress well, and if you can overcome that fact that the film is a hopeless love story, it can be very enjoyable. Dreary, rainy settings helped to create a less romantic, more sinister tone. The acting was fairly good and the characters were believable.
The movie isn't flawless though. One problem I had was with certain areas of the script. At times it seemed a bit too corny for my tastes, but such is to be expected from the type of love story it is. Nevertheless, the statements made seemed cheesey, even for two teenagers in love. Another issue I had was with the make-up jobs given to certain characters. Edward and his father were too pale. Granted they are supposed to be vampires, but they also live in a society surrounded by humans. They would find it nearly impossible to go unnoticed with such an appearance.
Canon aside, Twilight is a well done movie. Quality acting and some nice visuals prevent the questionable script and love-soaked storyline from bringing it down. The movie, however, will never be judged solely on its own merits. The viewer will have some type of bias going into it, whether it be love of the book or fear of its fan girl popularity. In order to enjoy (or not enjoy) the movie to its fullest, the viewers must clear their minds of any preconceived ideas, and only then can they make an unbiased judgment.
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