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December 12, 2008

After watching Twilight, guys will have to watch Dirty Harry four times

Guys, get some points with your girl, take her to see Twilight, after a dinner and some wine. You probably won't be sorry.

With the tagline, “When you can live forever, what do you live for,” this first-in-the-”Twilight”- series movie has females of all ages falling for Edward Cullen — portrayed by Robert Pattinson.

I wan’t hopefull about the outcome of a “Twilight” movie. Movies rarely get the depth and substance from the book up on the screen.

A friend of mine refuses to go see the movie. She feels the integrity of the story will be too compromised in the translation from book to screen. One of those fan things, and the fervor is common when it comes to the “Twilight” series.

The good news is, like the book, the movie is intense and compelling. The collision of humans and vampires, an impossibly intoxicating romance, a hard-headed and hot-tempered couple, a tracker trying to snag the human “treat,” all add up to a great film. I give it a four out of a possible five score.

Cinematographer Elliot Davis captured the mystery and suspense of the story with excellent use of the cameras and lighting, which brought home an excellent visual presentation and did the ambience of the story justice.

The acting cast portrayed the characters well, especially given the limitations of developing characters and infusing them with substance on the screen. Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan and Pattinson as Cullen were believable characters and their on-screen chemistry, which was vital to the success of the film, was evident.

I heard there were complaints about the movie’s special effects being somewhat archaic, but most of them were relevant for the scene and not over-done, as happens so often in American films.

Director Catherine Hardwicke did a good job visualising the story and bringing most of the elements of the story together.

On the down-side, the movie wasn’t able to capture the “other-world-liness” of the vampires or convey their flip-side as “the world’s most dangerous predator.”

The movie was a little distracting to me as an adult, as almost everyone in the cast is so young. I mean, good vampire stories can happen to grown women, right? Most females would want a man with whom they are love-struck to tell her “I don’t have the strength to stay away from you anymore,” or “you don’t know how long I’ve waited for you.”

After the movie, I interviewed a mother and her two daughters. Jessyca Thomas, 17, said that this is the third time she has seen the movie in one week. She loved the movie but said “the book was definitely better than the movie because there was a lot more in there.”

Samantha, 14, liked both the book and the movie. Her mom said this was the first full novel Samantha had read.

Mother, Renea Smith, said she did like the movie and thought it was an interesting story. She said that she had not yet read the book because her daughter didn’t want to lend it to her because she might ruin the binding of the book.

Such is the fervor over the “Twilight” series.

If you were looking for an objective review, this isn’t it. I admit that long ago I got sucked in by the whole “Twilight” thing. If it’s not your type of read or flick, fine, there are other books and films out there!

The end of the movie leaves things wide open for the sequel “New Moon.” I do expect the “New Moon” movie to be better than the book. As for the story, enter fantastical werewolves, the Voltaire and yes, the enduring Bella and Edward.

Cast: Rachelle Lefevre, Kristen Stewart , Robert Pattinson, Cam Gigandet, and Taylor Lautner

Twilight

Rating (**** out of *****)

Synopsis: (Courtesy of Summit Entertainment) “Twilight” is an action-packed, modern day love story between a vampire and a human. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother remarries and Bella decides to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn’t expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a guy unlike any she’s ever met. Intelligent and witty, he sees straight into her soul. Soon, Bella and Edward are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance. Edward can run faster than a mountain lion, he can stop a moving car with his bare hands – and he hasn’t aged since 1918. Like all vampires, he’s immortal, but he doesn’t drink human blood. Edward and his family are unique among vampires in their lifestyle choice. To Edward, Bella is that thing he has waited 90 years for – a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. The plot intensifies when Bella becomes game to a “tracker” vampire, James (Cam Gigandet).

MPAA Rating: PG-13 — for some violence and a scene of sensuality.

Running Time: 122 minutes.

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