The London Reviewer

Film review: Twilight
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Review by: Alexa Williamson

For those who love fairly light and romantic vampire films (and can tolerate teen flicks), then you are bound to love Twilight – as there’s action, a noir* feeling throughout and vamp legend alongside engaging teen angst and general American ‘teen-ness’.

Based on the novel series by Stephenie Meyer, for one who hasn’t read the series yet, this is a great book-to-screen transfer by director Catherine Hardwicke and screenplay writer Melissa Rosenberg.

As moody and pale high school junior** Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) moves to Forks, Washington to live with her dad, she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) a pale, nervy and utterly attractive and fit teen, who has been ‘adopted’ by a local doctor and his wife.

As Edward reveals more of himself to Bella (such as saving her life with super-human strength and speed, when a car nearly hits her) – and with the help of an American Indian friend named Jacob – she learns that Edward is not like the other teens in their high school – nor are his adoptive brothers and sisters. In fact, he is a vampire who has lived with his adoptive family since 1918 and, being made into a vampire by Dr Cullen, has learned to control his urge for human blood and be a ‘vegetarian’ – ie only drinking animal blood.

What unfolds after Bella and Edward meet is their burning love for each other, which Edward tries to resist as he also wants to drink all her blood and kill her (which, obviously, comes naturally when you are a vampire).

The romance between the two, however, is tender as Pattinson plays the role excellently and Stewart does ok in her role (although she is an un-unique, angst teen). The movie, overall is also generally exciting as there are a lot of action scenes with interesting demonstrations of vampires’ super-human abilities and Blade-style fighting between various vampires.

And, the ending is cliff-hanger as there are surely another three movies to be made to coincide with the books. Recommended viewing – although, admittedly, it does also remind one, a bit too much, of the bittersweet love between Buffy and Angel. (Perhaps though, we have now gone too long without Buffy the Vampire Slayer – and this fulfils former Buffy fans’ needs?)

* although admittedly you’ve seen the ‘outcast’ teen stuff before (particularly in Heathers, which is also done better) and the sense of noir is done a tad better in Underworld (although the storyline is weak).

** the second to last year of education/age 16 in American schooling

Further information:
Twilight (IMDB)
Stephenie Meyer (official site)