Very Enthralling Love Story

Rating: 8/10 (30 March 2009)

I am not a fan of the book series, and I have not read a single one of them. I think that might be a good thing, because a lot of the negative reviews seem to come from those who have read the book, and they are disappointed by the changes that they see. People need to accept the fact that this happens every time a popular novel is adapted to the screen. I thought this was a very good movie, and I was enthralled by the Romeo and Juliet-like love story of Edward and Bella. I thought that both Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart gave performances that really made us feel what they were going through. Bella was a bit put off by Edward's behavior at first, but she was drawn to him, and I think she was curious to find out what made him tick, and I think this was well presented throughout the first part of the film. The section of the film that deals with her finding out what Edward is, and the ensuing scenes of them falling in love, are very beautiful and touching, with great acting, cinematography, and Carter Burwell's excellent score. I thought that "Bella's Lullaby" is definitely one of the most beautiful musical pieces scored for a film in recent years. Of course, there were some cheesy parts of the film as well that might have detracted a bit, but overall it is very strong. I am saddened to hear that Catherine Hardwicke will not be directing the followup, because I think she did an admirable job on this one. The next director will definitely have a tough act to follow.