Movie Review: 'Twilight' (2008)
This one's strictly for the fans
Photo: Summit Entertainment
Twilight is a film fueled by online fan fervor as fans of Stephenie Meyer's best-selling teen-vampire franchise took to the Internet to talk about the upcoming film adaptation. The media was late to catch on to the obsession, but once they did Twilight was all anyone could talk about due to the short-term attention boost it brought to any outlet willing to dedicate space to the story. Shopping mall riots, online insanity and crying 14-year-olds denied access to my screening of the film all come with the territory. The only question is: Is it worth it?
Regardless of quality Twi-hards, as the obsessed fan base has come to be known, will enjoy this film no matter what. It's their favorite characters brought to life on the big screen and that alone is enough for them. Where the film goes wrong they can just fill in the blanks. Will that stop them from recognizing the film really isn't all that good? I don't think so, it just won't matter. Because, the fact is, Twilight is not a good movie. It assumes too many in the audience have read the book of which the film is based, and as a result will leave the uninitiated scratching their heads with boredom. To that effect, it will have the same impact on the people that have read the book but don't have a crush on the film's male lead, Robert Pattinson playing Edward Cullen, the embodiment of the perfect man. Edward's only flaw is that he is a vampire, but if I am reading the metaphor correctly this is actually a good thing because every girl wants an overprotective boyfriend that only wants to suck the life out of you. As long as he is "beautiful" and shimmers in the sun like white diamonds the rest doesn't matter.
The adjective laden descriptions of Edward are not as heavy handed and sappy as they are in Meyer's novel, but his early inability to cope with being in the presence of Isabella "Bella" Swan (Kristen Stewart) is downright laughable, just ask the audience I saw the film with as they were laughing nearly 50% of the time as Edward's face twists and contorts into looks of extreme constipation and clenched fists as Bella enters the room. Long staring matches between villains and friends become old hat and the film dissolves into something of an inside joke that only the truly obsessed seem in on.
Ultimately the story of Bella Swan as she moves from Phoenix, Arizona to the small town of Forks, Washington mirrors the book almost too well as much of Meyer's writing is dedicated to lust filled longing glances as Bella, the human prey, is drawn to Edward as much as he is drawn to her. Her motives, instead of being filled with lust as they were on the page, now seem to be choices made out of pure stupidity and naiveté. This is where the film relies on the source material far too much as those that have read the story of Edward and Bella already know the relationship's motivations and will see through the onscreen melodrama, but those unaware folk will be left in the dark.
Pattinson and Stewart aren't a horrible match in this picture, but both had very hard roles to pull off due to the film's dedication to the amateurish dialogue lifted from the novel. No one could have pulled off such sappy and mundane discussions, but it does improve as the film moves forward and each become more comfortable as their characters, but only to the point the dialogue becomes a bit more – "real?"
The best performances come from the supporting cast, primarily Bella's father, Charlie, played by Billy Burke. Charlie, along with a few of Bella's human friends at school are the only actors with believable roles. None of the actors playing the vampires seem comfortable in their character's skin, except perhaps, Rachelle Lefevre (one of the baddie vamps) whose role is so limited giving her any kind of credit is really a stretch.
The special effects are extremely weak and have the feeling of a made-for-TV movie and the direction of Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen) feels as if it is done by a fangirl just as in love with the characters as the target audience. Long tracking shots and 360-degree camera pans focusing on ineffectual scenes of nothingness do zero for an audience just waiting for something to happen. It's impossible to project the emotional status offered up in Meyer's novels on film without something to keep the audience watching. Fans of the book may enjoy nearly two hours of Edward gazing, but those unfamiliar with the original story will just be left yawning.
Twilight leaves itself open for the subsequent sequels and should the first film live up to early box-office expectations there is no doubt the sequels will be made and considering the lead-in story is now out of the way and Summit Entertainment realizes the value in the franchise I expect the further adventures of Edward and Bella will be geared toward a much wider audience and more than five weeks will be spent on the script, as was the case this time. For what it's worth, fans of the books will love this movie, but may not go back for as many repeat viewings as they originally intended. For the rest of us we will have to grin and bear it, hoping future chapters will be more compelling.
For more information on this film including pictures, trailers and a detailed synopsis click here.
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