Despite it's flaws strangely mesmerizing

Rating: 8/10 (20 August 2009)

Strictly speaking, this is not a great movie. Being new to the Twilight series, I found the film to lack good dialogue and character development. I have read that there isn't much dialogue in the book, but if that's the case they needed a better writer to come up with some dialogue or really phenomenal actors to carry the story with bare dialogue. Robert Pattinson's "Edward" was really good and I think carried the film. I could see how he would be eerily attractive: beautiful, a gentleman from another time, he's developed skills and interests (such as being a pianist) over the years that most don't have the opportunity to, he has the perspective and wisdom of age yet has kept a sort of naivety to him. Kristen Thomas's "Bella" on the other hand, was far too expressionless. I spent half the movie trying to figure out what on earth Edward saw in her. She was always vaguely pensive and overall uninteresting. It was rather unbelievable that her classmates would have liked her so much, she really wasn't at all nice to them. I understand for the purpose of the story, she is Edward's true love, the mate he's been waiting 100 years or so for; a wonderful premise for the love story but it was not fleshed out enough in the film to be satisfying. Rather than dwelling on their relationship development, we basically get 1 montage scene to music and 1 with dialogue. It felt cheapened as if the scent of her blood was the only thing drawing him to her; the science lab scene comes to mind, which alludes to an almost feral lust he has for her rather than the drawing of a soulmate.
I also really would have liked to see more character development of the Cullens. I haven't read the books, but I understand that some of the Cullens are pretty big characters; however from just seeing the movie, I honestly don't remember most of their names. It's too bad because there's a lot of room for these interesting characters. They could've really cut back on Bella's gloomy moping which wasn't very believable and instead given more time to character development. In other words: shortened the first half of the film seeing as we all know going in that the Cullens are vampires and it's merely Bella who is discovering it; there really wasn't much tension built in the first half. There could've been if Bella had been a stronger character, but it just wasn't there.
In spite of all these issues, I found the film enjoyable. I think it really captures our innate desire for true love and immortality. I am definitely looking forward to seeing "New Moon", with the hopes that I'll get to know the characters better. It is a bit worrisome to think of all the teen girls taking cues from Bella's behavior (deceiving her father, going with the seeming "bad boy"), as it really wouldn't play out as smoothly in real life as it did in the movie (I know from my own teenage experiences). One would hope that the girls would have enough sense to realize it is fantasy and not stay with a boy who seems dangerous or mysterious (such as one who does drugs), but lacks the care and maturity of Edward. However, as a married woman in my mid-20's I found the movie compelling enough to suspend my belief and enter the sparkling world of Twilight.
Overall, I felt after watching it like I would feel had I only read the introduction to a book. It merely whetted my taste and I get the feeling that after I read the books I will feel much more satisfied with the story.