I was in for Surprise

Rating: 9/10 (23 March 2009)

one year ago, in March 2007,was when I first heard about Twilight and that a movie was being made, based off the book of the same name. Flash forward to one year later, when I finally got to the book, as I feverishly rushed to get thru it in time for the DVD release. The book had me hooked, now it was time to watch the DVD.
I was anticipating the movie to let me down BIG TIME, as has Harry Potter & Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix have done. GOF and OOTP were 2 of the worst book-to-film adaptations I have seen, up there with X-Men 3 and Spider-Man 3.
Now I know Twilight is no Harry Potter or a comic book, but this movie I would recommend over the POS that X-Men 3 and Spider-Man 3 are. I was pleasantly surprised as to how hooked I was into the movie. Of course, Edward was not who I pictured when I read the book(which to my understanding I am not alone in). Kristen Stewart was a great choice for Bella, as were Ashley Greene as Alice, Niki Reed as Rosalie, Billy Burke as Charlie Swan and Peter Facinelli as Carlisle Cullen. The story for the movie was well paced.
It seems like that NEARLY all the girls, or women if you will, in this movie are Extremely gorgeous. Especially Rosalie(Nikki Reed) and Esme(Elizabeth Reaser). My reaction was the same for Carlisle, I'm a straight-narrowed-guy but Carlisle just simply put took my breath away. Jackson Rathborne as Jasper, I got the same reaction from when I first met Jasper in the book(he gives me scary chills). Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, he was a bit wooden, but he worked the role the best he could. I sure hope Taylor steps it up in New Moon, when the story turns and focuses on him.
Now I MAY still be a fresh and new Twilight-er, but I picked up on a few foreshadowing of things to come when I am only on Book #2: New Moon. When Bella first sees her room, just above her head is a picture of a wolf which according to the Commentary foreshadows things to come. There were other foreshadowing moments, but due to my Short-Term Memory, I can't remember.
Now, comparing this to the book. Of course, it's not going to be exactly like the book. I did notice certain scenes that were in the book, that weren't in the movie. The only scene that I would have liked to seen was the Blood-Typing Experiment in Biology Class.
If I was to offer a little advice, it would be to the director, Catherine Hardwicke. She should have spent a little more time on character development for the Cullens and Bella's friends; as well as the brooding friendship between Bella and Jacob. She also could have done a little development on Edward and Bella.
The one character that I am anxious to learn more about is Carlisle. I got my answer in the New Moon novel, now I am just hoping that they include it in the film as well. I don't want Twilight to disappoint me like the Harry Potter movies have done. Harry Potter started off VERY strong only to become POS's with #4 and #5. Twilight right now is off to a VERY GOOD start.
I have also learned though, over time, not to take movies too seriously or to over-analyze it like MANY other Twilight-ers have. It is just a movie(or book), and it's not meant to be taken seriously, it's meant to be entertainment.
OVERALL, on a scale of 1- 10, I would give Twilight a 9. One of the best movies in recent memory that ranks up there with The Dark Knight, Prince Caspian, Phantom of the Opera and X-Men 2.
Think Robert Pattinson being in Harry Potter was ironic, how about this for irony: Bella's parents were both villains on the TV-Series, "24", can anyone recall who they played, though?