Lavish adaptation

Rating: 8/10 (10 October 2009)

Sorry boys, but this is not just another "chick flick"! Director Catherine Hardwicke floors the accelerator to get to what is probably the most interesting aspect of Stephanie Meyer's novel and also the main focus of Melissa Rosenberg's script: the riveting and unbearable sexual tension between the star-crossed lovers, both desperately yearning for each other but, at the same time, forced not to embrace with the kind of intensity which is customary for lovers all around the world. A lot of reviews have underlined the theme of chastity, while taking into consideration the fact that the literary source is not immune from the author's Mormon beliefs: personally, I found the dynamic between the two main characters very refreshing, even more so because the script cuts right to the chase, managing to avoid a rather substantial portion of the mushy banter devised by Meyer. The awkwardness surrounding Edward and Bella makes their relationship thrilling and fascinating, while allowing a drop of sweet, uncompromising romance to slip through. Fear is a strong motivational force for both lovers, who struggle in order to achieve different ends, but the pursuit of eternal love is an equal contender which shatters their feeble resolve. Once we've established that, are we to regard Edward and Bella as heroic figures? Personally, I don't think there's anything "typical" about their love story, a fact which brings me to my next crucial point: even though there is an epic resonance to the story, the main tone of the film is profoundly introspective, in line with the director's idea of what makes a good story. Therefore, I wouldn't qualify the two main characters as heroes, but rather as people who are compelled to make heroic choices to catch a glimpse of a wonderful and apparently unreachable dream. Rosenberg's subtle and pondering analysis manages to hit the right cord and feel honest, also thanks to Hardwicke's non-intrusive focus on the characters' feelings, without sacrificing too much of the other characters by giving each one of them a well-defined first introduction. I must say I'm not too keen on the choice of Nikki Reed as Rosalie, but it's an impression that comes from having read the book before seeing the film, so I won't bring any arguments to the table just yet. Elliot Davis's empathic cinematography adds a lot to the feel of the story, as does Carter Burwell's low-key score, a fusion of classical and rock, even though the latter seems at times misplaced. It has been announced that the "Twilight" team will continue working together (production is due to start next March) on the second chapter of Meyer's saga, "New Moon": hopefully its trickier structure won't influence the final result. My hopes are certainly up.