Good supplement to the novel; doesn't stand on its own as a film.

Rating: 5/10 (28 November 2008)

I'd like to preface this review by saying that, being an avid fan of the series, I really enjoyed this movie. That being said, I have to admit that this is a very bad film. Sound contradictory? Let me explain.
Much of this movie will be inaccessible to people who have not read the series. Many of the facial expressions, much of the dialogue, and some of the plot makes sense only when supplemented by Stephenie Meyer's text. The director leaves out (perhaps necessarily due to time constraints) much of Bella's inner monologue, and many important confrontations between Bella and Edward. Those who have read the novels understand that the two main characters are fated to be together, but those members of the audience who lack the context of the books will perhaps find the amorous relationship between Bella and Edward underdeveloped and unsatisfying. When Edward tells Bella "you are my life now," fans of the book will sigh with contentment while newcomers to the Swan/Cullen dynamic will feel uncomfortable with the rapid progression of their story.
Of course, as my audience at the midnight screening on opening night proved, fans of the series will not be disappointed by this film. Sure, there are a few times when unforgivable CGI work (Edward in the sun) or poor dialogue ("remember who you are," which sounded more like Mufasa than Carlisle) threaten to undermine the fantasy love-story that is "Twilight." But admirable acting from the cast (particularly Pattinson, Stewart, Burke, and Facinelli), fantastic cinematography, and a competent score save this film from becoming a teen story more comparable to "High School Musical" than "Romeo and Juliet." This is, after all, a love story, scripted though it is in a world inhabited by vampires, and fans of the series will be thrilled, as I was, to see that story come to life on the screen.
Yet, herein lies the problem with the film, and also the explanation of my inability to rate it above a 5: films are not novels. Films should be able to stand on their own, and reading the source text should not be necessary, even in an adaptation. This movie, as much as I liked it, is little more than a supplement to the novels, and does not work on its own as a film. In my opinion, this is why it is getting such consistently poor reviews, which are, while unfortunate, most likely accurate.
The good news (and yes, there is good news!) is that the fan base for this series is so devoted and so forgiving, that the actors (at least, at the time of this review, the director had not yet been announced) have been given a second shot to make a truly good film, since "New Moon" has been scheduled for production. "New Moon" is far and away my favorite book of the series, not because I love Jacob or enjoy seeing Bella get her heart ripped out, but because true love can only exist in a world that also holds the possibility of pain, and nowhere do I see this paradox articulated more clearly than in "New Moon." I do hope that those involved with the production of the next film will learn from their mistakes and produce a richer, more beautiful film than we were given in "Twilight." I hope for this, not because I'm disappointed with the effort put forth here (remember, I honestly liked this film!), but because by creating a film that stands on its own, people who are not big readers, or who don't have access to the series, will be able to see, on screen, what amounts to a very touching story of innocence, sacrifice, and love.