Twilight

Viewer Rating:Hogiebear has rated Twilight rating: 3 Star

The storyline regarding young love that defies all has been used and abused but Twilight has managed to put an interesting twist on the 'Romeo and Juliet' franchise. A strong young woman Bella Swan, played by Kirsten Stewart, moves to the dull town of Forks Washington DC to live with her estranged father after her mother re-marries. From the beginning the director Catherine Hardwicke managed to capture the dark and mysterious backdrop that is used as the foundation for this movie, drawing the viewer in with its dim lighting and rain filled scenes. It is here that we follow our protagonist female as she is immediately welcomed into the social circle of her new school, seen as a rare beauty to many but seemingly not all. Cue stoney-faced teen dream Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattinson, a pale skinned 'God' with a dark secret. And so we follow the two as they struggle to be around each other and soon fall madly and "irrevocably" in love. Alas, love is never easy as the couple soon discover due to Bella's accident prone nature and Edwards immense strength which he fears will someday harm Bella. Oh and I think the fact that Edward is a vampire is also a bit of a hindrance in this eqution of love. But never fear ladies and gentleman as Edward is a unique vampire. He is a vegetarian i.e, only drinks the blood of animals. The two must overcome their intense hormones and emotions in order to keep Bella alive but they also face threats from other vampires that lust over Bella's blood more than her personality. With the help of Edwards adoptive family the cat and mouse chase between Bella and her new-found nemisis James, Cam Gigandet, begins. I have to admit originally I was hooked on this film, however that was before i read the book. After reading the four instalments of the love affair between Bella and Edward, by Stephanie Meyer, I have to say that it makes the movie more appealing. The constant moaning that narrates this story, thanks to Bella, has been cut down a lot in the movie. A very clever move by Mrs. Hardwicke as it runs the risk of overshadowing the intense sexual tension between the two main characters. In my opinion Kirsten Stewart was an excellent choice to play Bella as she encapsulates Bella's character well not only physically but emotionally and I hope to see her in more films with more challenging roles. Robert Pattinson on the other hand was a good choice physically but I wasn't partically impressed with his constant staring. It was mysterious and intriguing at the start of the film but take it from someone who has paid to see the movie twice, it is no longer sexy after the millionth time, more annoying. I believe Pattinson has potential to be a better actor but if he continues with his icy stares (that sometimes make him look slightly constipated) he will become typecast and soon his career will fizzle and die. Maybe he should stick to his singing career as he proves he can do that well due to his track "Never Think" that makes its debut in the film nicely and is a well received addition to the movie's soundtrack. However I cannot overlook the performances from the rest of the cast. Peter Facinelli who plays Edwards adoptive father Carlisle Cullen is a strong addition to the cast who plays his character well and who shares believable chemistry with his on-screen wife Elizabeth Reazer who plays Esme. Other good additions include Billy Burke, Bells's father, and Tayor Lautner, Taylor Lautner, a childhood friend of Bella's. both men play their character's well althought neither have an outstanding performance. However, Rachelle Lefèvre who plays Victoria, Jame's mate and fellow evil vampire, is a poor addition to this movie. She is annoying and thankfully does not have a lot of screen time as her poor acting skills bring down the movie's overall rating. In conclusion, Iam of the opinion that Twilight was ultimately a good chick flick with a twist. Teenagers, mainly female, love it for the sexual tension and the eye candy but don't expect to find a lot of male fans as the love story can be a bit overwhelming. If you didn't enjoy the film at least read the book before you make up your mind about it. Good movie, could be better.

Review published on the 23 April 2009 23:02