Twilight Movie Review

This review contains minimal spoilers.

I am going to be very honest in my review of Twilight. Thus, it should first be known that I went to see the film not expecting to be overly thrilled.

We have been waiting on this movie for months. People have scoured the internet and fansites for every photo, soundtrack clip and interview there is. There are t-shirts and perfumes and merchandise for this movie long before it is even out, or anyone has seen it, or anyone has even had a chance to decide if they like it. The fact is that it has been so hyped, it almost seemed as if there was no possible way it could live up to the expectations that I and thousands of other fans had.

But then, it did.

Bella and Edward

The moment that the opening titles of the film appeared, I was transported to the world that Stephenie had created. I don’t know exactly how it happened: whether it was hearing Bella’s voice, or the words we all know so well from the prologue. But I suddenly felt this was the film that I, and thousands of others, had been waiting on for months. This was Twilight, and it was finally here.

The details of the movie will speak for themselves when you see it (hopefully, more than once). But I will say that everything from the book is there: from meeting Edward in the school, to Edward saving Bella in the alley, to the trip to La Push, to running from James, to the prom scene. Everything is there — and even more. As I watched the movie, I felt an urge to call my friends still waiting for midnight in a different time zone, and tell them to brace themselves for what they were about to see.

I certainly did not go into the theater expecting to laugh while watching the film. There are a few laughs in the book, but I thought the movie would be a strict romance and leave no room for embellishment. But Charlie, Jasper, Mike Newton, and Eric Yorkie made everyone in the theater laugh endlessly. Michael Welch was a wonderful actor, and made his character leap right out from the books. I can easily see Catherine Hardwicke’s influence in keeping the film from being overly serious business, and yet delicately keeping with the plot of the story.

The sparkling was everything I had expected it to be. The meadow was just as I had pictured it. Vampire baseball was exactly as I had imagined: with the added effect of the perfect music selection in the background (you’ll recognize it when you hear it).

The Cullens in the baseball scene

All of the vampire action was amazing. It is impossible to put to words the feeling you get when you see Bella trapped in the alley, and then see Edward suddenly roar in with his shiny silver Volvo. Robert Pattinson was able to portray Edward so well: I could feel how angry he was, and how close he came to killing them.

There was of course some awkwardness along the way. The flying Edward didn’t quite click with me. Bella seemed to fall for Edward very quickly, despite what her outside feelings seemed to portray. But each of these were so minor they were hardly noticeable.

As for any doubts on the soundtrack, they have all been wiped away. I didn’t get a few of the song selections when I first heard the album, but when you actually see the film and where each song is placed, it is far easier to understand. And, for any doubters still out there, Bella’s Lullaby sounds far better when it is seen in the movie.

It would really be impossible to pick a favorite scene without spoiling it for those who haven’t read it. So, I have prepared my three favorite scenes in only 2 words, so people who have seen the movie will know what I’m talking about, and those who haven’t will not:

Three favorite scenes:

1. Edward… alley

2. Cullens… baseball

3. Edward… piano.

And my three favorite funny scenes:

1. Mike… window (ha ha)

2. Jasper… sniff (he he)

3. Charlie… gun (BAHAHA)

Also, there was a whole lot of pointing and whispering when it came to the scene with Stephenie. She was typing at a computer — hopefully, working on another book.

Of course, people have already started to complain that the movie doesn’t follow the books — but they are vastly wrong. This is one of the most loyal films I have seen before. Unlike many book-to-films, you can actually tell that this is based upon the novel — every major event in Twilight is covered, in nearly the same exact order in the books.

Bella And Edward at Prom

The thing to keep in mind is that it is very hard to transpose a novel onto the screen, since they are two entirely different mediums. Tiny details like Bella having an iPod or the exact dialogue are simply details that have to be shifted into film. It is very much like translating from English to Latin, where certain words must be moved and rearranged to make it understandable.

I was particularly surprised that the movie turned out so wonderfully on such a small budget. This definitely attests to Catherine Hardwicke’s directing, as she was able to create a studio-quality film with nearly $100 million less than the first Harry Potter.

Any doubts that I had of this film being a success have vanished. So congratulations to Stephenie, and Catherine, and everyone else who was involved in the making of this movie. Twilight was worth the wait.

For the comments: What did you think of the Twilight movie?! What were your favorite parts? (people who haven’t seen it, be warned: spoilers will be in the comments!)

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