I don't know what I expected. The books are being snapped up by teenage girls around the world. Being a huge fan of vampire movies such as Blade, Underworld and being a proud owner of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer boxset, I was not about to let the “teenage girl” thing put me off. And I am glad I didn't.
Without saying too much, the movie offers little action for blood and gore loving movie goers…and yet the atmosphere is intense. You could possibly work out from the cover-art and the Paramore hit Single “Decode” video, that this is a love story so that's not giving anything away. Twilight really is a moving and yet torn tale between an immortal and a human, with new "vamp” rules added to the mix (as mentioned in a previous review; the skin sparkling in the sunlight instead of burning…because THAT's a true story folks and this is made up…hello this is a MOVIE people!) this is new material and worth a watch. Each character is important to the story and the two main roles Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart – Zathura, Panic Room) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson – “Cedric” in Harry Potter) are played out perfectly, each actor fitting the roles like a glove. Bella is your typical teenage girl with self esteem issues, just moved in with Dad, and embarks on a new college in a new town, and on her first day finds that she seems to repulse this mysteriously pale student. Little does she know…
I watched this with a fellow male friend and he was expecting an action movie and therefore was a little disappointed. I hesitate to call this a chick flick simply because it takes things slowly. You have to remember this is the first, in a series of (potentially) four movies, so the characters need to be fleshed out fully for the next instalments to make sense. Trust me, I have read ahead (sorry but I have) and there is plenty of action on the way.
If you are like me, and enjoyed the Buffy and Angel relationship/tension more than the Buffy and Riley standard boy/girl stuff, then you will enjoy this movie. I am a straight married man, and Kristen Stewart is attractive in every sense…but I am sorry to say; Robert Pattinson stole the show with his brooding intensity and ridiculous good looks.
If the movie does nothing but gets you reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, then that's more than most movies I've watched have achieved.