Really Grew on Me...

Rating: 7/10 (21 November 2008)

To preface this review, I read all four Twilight books in one weekend (last weekend, actually) when I picked the first one up at the airport, and could not put it down. I zipped through the other three and went to the midnight screening on opening day. To say the least, I was captivated by Twilight (and I'm in my 20s...).
I was anxious to see the movie because, like so many other people, I felt really invested in Bella and Edward's story. Not only that, but I love the vampire premise - it just never gets old, especially when you put a new spin on it, as Meyer did in her books. The events of each book really ran together for me, so in a way, I felt like a non-Twilighter coming into this film. I really didn't care if the movie deviated from the book - in fact, I was kind of hoping it would, since you can't expect a book to translate directly to the screen. I heard a lot of serious Twilight teens complaining about "major things" missing when I left the theater, but I honestly didn't notice any major omissions.
Overall, the film was better than I expected (based on previews, I expected it to be extremely cheesy, low-budget, and awkwardly filmed). It definitely grew on me as it went on, especially Pattinson's performance. His introduction was extremely awkward - not sure if that was Hardwicke's fault or Pattinson's acting. In any case, as soon as he settled into his character, he was absolutely captivating. Stewart plays a great brooder, and she certainly did that here. I loved the scenes with her father; in my opinion, these were some of the gems of the movie.
The romance between Edward and Bella, which was obviously the crux of the film, was fueled by their chemistry, but not much else. Where was the development?! I really wish Hardwicke or the screenwriter or somebody had taken more time to delve into the roots of their relationship. It all just happened way too fast. I feel like this happened because of the James story, which to me was almost completely unnecessary (yeah, I know, it's a big part of the book and obviously needs to be here). But even so, the film would have been a more moving romance, and probably a more poignant, emotional film, if that cheesy, goofy subplot hadn't existed.
Hardwicke dealt exceptionally well with teen angst, which was evident in the high school shots. Unfortunately, she really struggled with the vampire side of things. I have to put most of the blame on the director because the characters were all spot-on, very well-acted and well-cast. I also think a higher budget would have done wonders for this movie, and I'm hoping that becomes a reality for the sequel. The special effects were embarrassingly bad, and nearly ruined the movie.
Overall, I enjoyed "Twilight" for what it was - a romance that probed the timeless dilemma of wanting what you can't have (and despite Meyer's Mormon beliefs, this whole series is basically a metaphor for sex). It makes for an interesting, compelling story, and I expect more from the sequels, because the potential is certainly there.