An honest review by an non-fan

Rating: 6/10 (6 December 2009)

The Twilight series have polarised opinion, with people either loving it or hating: so much so that their is a big divide between fangirls who rate the Twilight films 10/10 whilst haters give them 1/10 before even seeing it. The Twilight series is also extremely popular but I didn't know anything about it until the first film came out. I realized how popular it was with Radio One presenters Fern Cotton and Jo Whiley talking about how much they were looking forward to New Moon, and seeing the very long quote to the cinema on Orange Wednesday when I went to see Paranormal Activity. I decided to record the film on my Sky Box for two reasons, to give my honest opinion, and to see what the fuss is all about.
Twilight tells the story of Bella Swan (Kirsten Stewart), a 17-year-old girl from Arizona. Her mum and step-dad decide to go on a roadtrip so Bella decides to live with her dad (Billy Burke) in Forks, Washington: one of the wettest places in the USA. Bella makes some friends in a fairly normal high school, but she is quite a moody teenager. She takes an interest in the Cullen family, a strange family of foster children who like to keep to themselves. She takes a particular interest in Edward (Robert Pattinson); but he seems very rule to her. But one day in the parklot at her high school Edward saves Bella's live and their soon bond; despite Edward's best effort to avoid her. Edward seems to have a nack for saving Bella, so Bella discovers his secret: he's a vampire! The two form a romance but Edward has to resist the urge to bite Bella. The Cullens themselves are the vampire version of vegetarians; feeling on animals, not people. They try and live in human society as best there can but do have to move every few years. In Forks a few people are killed by a strange creature, it's obvious what it is, which threatens their existence in the town.
I admit I am not the target market and I such Twilight fans and teenage girls love this film. I got a New Moon poster with my Empire magazine and I offered it to my 14-year-old half-niece who happily accepted it. I personally don't understand the hate for it though by so sector: I take this view if you don't like it don't watch it, and you can only have a real opinion if you do watch it. It tells a romantic story, not a horror or action story. I would have prefer to see the action/horror story more, but that's my taste.
There are good and bad points to this film. I will start with the good. Kirsten Stewart and Robert Pattinson are both very good young actor and do play their roles with conviction. They are both a little too moody, but somehow you are compelled by them. They do play the role like a more realistic young couple, despite the fact one of them is a vampire. There is also a decent supporting cast, like Ashley Greene, Nikki Reed (who is very easy on the eye in this film), Taylor Lautner and Billy Burke. I admit I had low expectations but watching the film I think most of the actors did well. The film also had a very good indie director, Catherine Hardwicke, to direct. She is very good at directing dark themed subject, I personally recommend Thirteen. She films a very darkly lite, moody film. There are some good shots in the film. She plays to her strengths as a director. Other elements I liked was that the high school was simply a normal school; there were no real groups like geeks, jocks, arty types, etc..., nor are all the students thinking about sex or being played as stereotypes. The vampires are not traditional, they can stand in daylight, they can live in normal society without being noticed and be normal characters, and they have a range of abilities as well as traditional things like super strength. The soundtrack is also not bad.
But there are problems with the film. It has some slow pacing and some elements, like the high school stuff plays out for too long. The story does focus on the romance, but there should also show the threat from the other vampires attacking the town. They could still have been a romantic story at it's heart, but they should be some sort of adventure to make the story a little more exciting. It just needed a little more action. With a bit of action it would have kept the female audience but also appeal to the male audience as well. The film was also made on a low budget for a film then required special effects and it makes the film suffer. Some elements like Edward climbing the tree, or jumping effort did look cheap and not well done.
Some people have complained that the film tells a story of abstinence. So what? It's better then a message telling young girls to give it away easily. Isn't it better to wait for when someone is ready for a relationship? Also the theme of resisting your urges in nothing new in vampire stories. The Blade series is a very good example of them, or the Park Chan-wook film Thirst.
Overall, an okay film. It had potential, but could have done more with it. 3 out of 5.