Twilight Reviews
Super Reviewer
I think there was just something missing. Don't get me wrong I love supernatural stuff and I like romantic teen angst crap or well I did. I mean movies like Some Kind of Wonderful I have enjoyed. BUT this just felt like a bad teen romantic drama masquerading as a vampire flick.
Kristen Stewart I think has done better. For some reason she just looked uncomfortable in this role. Pattinson seemed far more comfortable in his. If anything his sometimes casual joking attitude at times made me like the movie. Stewart just seemed just along for the ride.
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Anyways... I felt that Catherine Hardwicke added a certain humor to the film- the audience laughed out loud very often. I was pleasantly surprised with Kristen Stewart- I was expecting to be completely disappointed by her portrayal of Bella. I felt that all of the Cullens were cast very well. I especially enjoyed Robert Pattinson (of course) and Esme. I also felt the cinematography captured the beauty of the Pacific Northwest very well (it is where I grew up and live currently).
The one complaint I have about the film is that Edward and Bella seem to RUSH into a relationship. There is no build up to it. I felt that if a person had not read the books they would not understand how all of the sudden these two young people are so completely in love. The beginning of the movie also seems pretty choppy but it's nothing too serious. I also found myself laughing out loud when Jacob explains the legend to Bella and the movie cuts back to the members of the tribe confronting the Cullens in the forest decades earlier. It was hilarious and I'm sure it wasn't meant to be.
I particularly enjoyed the baseball scene as well as the scene in which Edward sneaks into Bella's room(!). The thing about the movie that bothered me the most was the soundtrack. The lullaby was nothing special (they really had an opportunity to make the song beautiful) and the emo/indie music all throughout the movie made everything seem TOO serious at certain points and NOT serious enough at others. The music (for me at least) distracted me instead of enhanced the experience.
Overall, however, I really enjoyed and loved the movie. I liked that there were parts you could laugh at. Edward and Bella also had excellent chemistry and Robert Pattinson did an amazing job of giving Edward that "outsider" quality. I think the movie was very entertaining and also set up very well for New Moon.
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Summary: When Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest to live with her father, she starts school and meets the reclusive Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire. Despite Edward's repeated cautions, Bella can't help but fall in love with him, a fatal move that endangers her own life when a coven of bloodsuckers try to challenge the Cullen clan.
My Thoughts: "The movie seemed very rushed. There is a lot in the book, and I understand you can't fit everything, but at least make the things you do show similar. People who do not read the book will not get the sense of how intense the relationship between Bella and Edward is. I understand the film had a low budget, but those running scenes and fighting scenes where just so tacky. The face Robert makes when fighting Cam is just insane looking, but not in a scary way, more like crazy funny. I did think the make up was good but some of the vamps wigs where awful. I've seen the other films and thankfully they eventually get better. The acting is just so and so. I've seen Kristen do better. The script and directing could and should have been much better. This movie for me is the worse of the series."
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Okay, let me talk about the film. For me to get a good impression of this film, I had to see it a year after I saw it in a local theater in order for me to get a fresh opinion. Now, I do not know if this was intentional but this has to be one of the most hilarious films I have ever seen. Just, so much is completely idiotic and pathetic that I am wondering if the writers of this screenplay or even Stephenie Meyer even took the time to learn how teenage relationships actually work, or even how teenagers even talk. The dialogue and characters in this film are completely stereotypical that you could take these archetype characters from any other story, put them together, suck out all likability and you would get the same story.
With the vampires, I have to stress one thing: there never has been a set rule on how vampires are suppose to be. Never has been, never will. So, the idea for the vampires in this film to be sparkling in the sunlight, live off of animal blood, and go to high school is not an idea that I would call stupid, but very odd. While watching this film (and reading the novel), I started to wonder why these immortals go to school over and over again, live off of animal blood, etc. The sparkling thing, while unforgivable by some vampire fans, I can deal with even though it is absurd. Personally, in my opinion, this film would of been better off if it explained why they do things that immortals would not do (why don't they live in a place of high art and kill evil humans? If that was the film, then it would of been much more enjoyable and I would of forgiven the film a bit more).
The acting in this film is, to be honest, not as bad as it could be, but nothing mediocre or great. With this being the first film in the planned five film series, I would of expected the cast and crew to give strong performances to please fans and critics alike, but they must of thought that this film was going to make money already so they do not need to be top actors in their roles. I was not expecting Award Winning acting or performances that will be remembered for years to come, but this is just flat and pathetic.
The only other thing I can comment on would have to be the direction. Now, Catherine Hardwicke has made some impressive films that deal with teenage problems like love, drugs, and sex before (Thirteen). After that film, she just went downhill faster then a shooting star. This is one of her more okay films, but nothing that would be inspirational. With her knowledge of teenage girls, I would of thought that she would of, at the least, given this film some more realistic qualities instead of making them flat or flatter then those of the novel.
But this film does have one redeeming quality. The scenery of this film (the shots of the mountains, forests, landscapes) is beautiful to look at and, in reality, more impressive to watch then the film itself. But, you can only go so far when you make a forest and mountains the only good part of a film. As a documentary, that would of worked wonderful. But, here, it does not redeem the film.
So, is this film worth watching? I will say no and here is why: it offers nothing new and what is new is nothing that people would respect or care about. Stephenie Meyer, when she wrote this novel, I will admit did have some genius in how to manipulate an entire generation of teenage girls (and some teenage guys) and vampire fanatics into falling for her tale of teenage romance. But, for this vampire lover, her story fails. And it has nothing to deal with me being a guy. Films do not judge people by their genders, but by their intelligence. With this film, it heavily undermines that with sloppy direction, bad acting, and a horrible script. Sadly, this film could of worked if they wanted it to.
Super Reviewer
But why even call these guys vampires?
Super Reviewer
In case you may be unaware, this film starts off when Bella Swan, 17, moves to Forks, Washington with her father, a laconic police officer. When she goes to high school for the first time, she realizes something (or a few things) strange about Edward Cullen, who is in her biology class. She notices that he is making attempts to avoid her at all costs, but somehow, she also has a mysterious feeling of love for him. Then, when he saves her from being hit by a car and from being mugged, she knows there is something going on.
I'd like to clear up the whole "Team Edward/Team Jacob" thing: There is absolutely no way Edward is "so hot". He has pale skin, color-changing eyes, and he's clearly bi-polar, for crying out loud! (This is advice from a MALE!) And if Robert Pattinson was "so hot", why are adolescent girls just now realizing it? Why weren't they lusting when they watched him in HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE. So vote "Team Jacob" (if you even want a part in that crap!).
TWILIGHT has some major flaws with its acting quality. Kristen Stewart does a dull performance as Bella Swan, sometimes making it seem like she's reading off a script; and Robert Pattinson was well-chosen for a role as a vampire, but he could have done much better and made his role a lot more believable.
That said, TWILIGHT is a film that not many will enjoy. It's possibly worth a try, but then again, you have a good chance of turning the TV off in the middle, saying, "If this is the best they can do, I feel sorry for them." Especially fans of the book.
Super Reviewer
The vampire 'family' thing felt more like an 'X-Men' type family really, the strangest scene being the baseball game sequence, never seen that idea before, as said more like comic super heroes rather than brooding vamps.
It does what it says on the tin and doesn't fail in that respect, daughters and mums will love I'm sure whilst vampire fans may enjoy a newish angle but its very 'teen heartthrob' type stuff and kinda sickly.
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
The acting is poor, the script is terrible, the camera work lousy, the atmosphere awful, the story irritating. Overall the film comes together perfectly to make it an awful, awful watch.
Despite the screaming girls flocking to see every new edition, I advise you, no I warn you not to watch this film. Unless of course you watch it, take notes and then review it, but the film fails in every aspect.
In three words, poor, poor and poor. The film fails to impress, even for the tiniest moment and is a good example of how bad a film can be.
' Half A Star
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
