Predictable and Generic

Rating: 2/10 (20 November 2008)

Having not read the book and going to the theater open-minded and with a few friends who had read the book, I figured I was in for a good night. Unfortunately, all I got were a few yawns and popcorn stuck to my shoes.
I couldn't tell what was worse, the lack of gripping scenes that didn't seem like a rewrite of Romeo and Juliet for vampires, the annoying cheesy elements that caused forehead-smacking head-shaking disbelief, or the incredible predictability that the storyline took (how many variants of the male vampire falling in love with awkward teen girl can you truly make without getting predictable anyway??). I will give credit where it is due though for the fight scene at the end though that could have renewed the plot's vigor for me.... if it wasn't at the end of it, that is, and added even more weight to the predictable column.
Overall, for someone not initiated into this by the book, I'm looking for my time back. I still hold out faith that the old truth still stands firm and "the book was better", because if the movie and the book resemble each other as closely as I'm told, I'll be more bored than I was in the theaters.
My recommendation: if you've read the book, go see it and I'm hoping its better that way, but if you haven't read the book, stay away and find a better use of a night out.