If you're cynical, your expectations with be spot on

Rating: 5/10 (27 November 2008)

My girlfriend desperately wanted to see this, and although both the book and the film aren't really my taste I went in with an open mind.
I like most kinds of vampire movies (I enjoy Fright Night as much as Shadow of the Vampire). This was barely one. Meyer could have called the Cullens anything she wanted, really, and it wouldn't have mattered.
The smaller, more intimate scenes (with the exception of the "Let's stay up and talk all night!" scene) were what kept me interested. The bits with Bella's goofy friends, her father, the paraplegic werewolf were all well acted and well written. The characters themselves were adorable. The problem with the film (and I wouldn't know if it's the case with the book) is that the stripped down vampire thing is too damn dry.
It's always nice to take an old concept and turn it on its head...as long as it's interesting. The Cullens's immediate acceptance of Bella was harder to get over than Edward's reluctant courtship. The blood thirst fades that easily? After years of abstinence? Pretty easy to deflect considering it's their "own brand of heroin". The action scenes were horrible with bad choreography and silly special effects but the plot wasn't resting on a climactic battle, so they get a pass. The villains were lame as well, with their bare chests and low-rise jeans. Still, save for the very forced "final showdown," the plot did not hinge on their involvement--it's negligible.
Again, I can't speak for the book. But in trying to rise against vampire clichés, if the film is any indication, Stephanie Meyer drove the story into a terrible realm of even worse clichés. Clichés of monsters in designer clothing and the romantic dreams of every teenage girl. Perhaps it was Catherine Hardwicke's doing in translating the words to screen. The characters (even the peripheral ones) are all very likable, but the story feels lacking. It's not enough to carry the film but the romance works, and I quite enjoyed the chemistry between Edward and Bella.
If you're not a fan of the book (tween, middle-aged, pre-pubescent, it doesn't matter if you're a fan) don't expect this film to break new ground. If you've liked the Underworld series or any of the recent sexified horror films you might enjoy this.