TWILIGHT

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Stars: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Cam Gigandet, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Taylor Lautner

Year: 2008

Rating: PG-13

At first it seemed a good idea to read the book first, so I avoided seeing this film ... until I realized it might not be such a bad idea to view the movie "fresh" - to avoid the inevitable comparisons between novel and film that might make me enjoy the film less (as, in almost all cases, the novel contains so much more).

Which is, perhaps, why I enjoyed the film version of the first book in Stephenie Meyer's phenomenally-successfully series as much as I did; Twilight is a moody, visually intriguing and dramatic love story that has enough special effects and violence to suck guys into seeing it, as well.

Kristen Stewart stars as Bella Swan, who has just moved from Phoenix to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father. Her mother, in Arizona, has a new boyfriend who plays minor league baseball, and Bella wanted to give them their time as they are planning a long, cross-country trip. It's been awhile since Bella has been to Forks, however - plus she's not all that close to her dad. But her mood and pale skin seems to belong in the tiny northwestern town, where fog and rain are far more the norm than the exception.

Enrolling in the local high school, Bella - as the "new meat" - makes a few new friends easily, and definitely has the attention of the local boys - but what intrigues her most are the Cullens, a group of five adopted teens who also attend Forks High School, but never talk to or associate with anyone other than each other. In particular, Bella is intrigued with Edward (Robert Pattinson), the tall, handsome and pale leader of the group who walks around looking all sullen and brooding even as the girls titter about how hot he is whenever he passes by. In Biology class, Bella finds herself sitting next to Edward - seemingly the perfect chance at getting to know him a bit - but on that first day in class, Edward seems to be appalled by - of all things - a scent or smell coming off Bella, and bails from the room minutes after she sits down next to him.

From there, things get weirder; more and more, Edward comes off a both drawn to and repulsed by Bella at the same time. Each encounter they have confuses and irritates Bella, who sees Edward as running hot and cold for her. But when an accident in the school parking lot almost costs Bella her life, everything changes when Edward saves Bella's life - and displays a level of super-human strength and speed that, along with his pale skin and color-changing eyes, starts Bella on a search for the truth that leads her immediately to one word: vampire.

And when Edward can no longer ignore what she knows, he lets down his guard and the two begin a romance that leads to the Cullen family's eventual acceptance of her (well, for the most part) - and to genuine danger for Bella, as a trio of rogue vampires settles temporarily into Forks, with one of them in particular taking not only a predator's interest in the girl ... but also a malicious delight in the idea of destroying Edward.

Twilight, in short, lives up to the hype. Director Catherine Hardwicke, along with a cast of talented young actors, has fashioned a film with a near-perfect blend of drama, romance, and action that should please fans of any of these genres ... without having too much of any of them to annoy non-fans. Stewart and Pattinson do an excellent job of creating the necessary chemistry to make Bella and Edward's love story work, and the look and moodiness of the film perfectly reflect the Pacific Northwest, as well as the story that unfolds. I was thrown, at first, when the movie ended and I realized that not once were actual fangs ever shown - no hissing, spitting vampires here, and even when someone is bitten you never get a hint of over-long incisors doing the deed - but while that omission was more than noticeable, I think in the end the film actually benefits from the lack of toothy grins; somehow, it makes the vamps that much more human - one of us. Even the hint of the wolf-pack to come, in the sequel - along with the very end of the film, which definitely sets up the forthcoming New Moon - was intriguing enough to assure my place in line for the follow-up to this entertaining, visually intriguing film.

But yeah, this reviewer has joined the Twilight bandwagon; happily so. All the hype aside, there's quality here worth seeing. And while I'm glad I didn't read the book first, to keep the film pure, I more than ever want to read the book now. **** - Reel Awesome