What if I'm....the bad guy?! (Twilight [2008] (DVD))

Member Name: linzeelou

Product:	Twilight [2008] (DVD)
Date:	30/11/09 (54 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fantastic all round

Disadvantages: None

Twilight is a romantic/ fantasy film that was released in 2008. There was a lot of hype in the lead up to this film being released due to the huge success of the Twilight saga books by Stephanie Meyer. It has grossed a massive $385 million and with New Moon just being released, the saga is looking to be as much of a success as the books. The film is rated 12 due to fantasy horror and violence and it is 117 minutes long.

Plot
Bella is your average teenager who moves away from home in Arizona to live with her dad in Forks, Washington. Forks is a tiny town with a population of about 3000 and Bella immediately feels out of place. She's a bit worried about her first day at school but makes friends easily enough, even having a couple of the boys after her. On her first day, she also has her first experience of the Cullen family. Her two girlfriends let her know that theyre all adopted and some of them are even couple...except for Edward.

Edward is gorgeous and apparently too good for everyone in the school and is never seen with anyone but his family. When Bella and Edward are set up as lab partners, she can feel the tension coming from him and instantly thinks he dislikes her. As the two get to know each other, they realise just how much they are drawn to each other. No matter how much Edward wants to stay away from her, he doesn't seem able to.

Bella learns that Edward and the rest of the Cullens are hiding something massive, something which could put her life in extreme danger. Bella and Edward must figure out what they really want and even more, if they can make a relationship work when so much is set against them.

Cast
Kristen Stewart ... Bella Swan
Robert Pattinson ... Edward Cullen
Billy Burke ... Charlie Swan
Taylor Lautner ... Jacob Black
Nikki Reed ... Rosalie Hale
Kellan Lutz ... Emmet Cullen
Ashley Greene ... Alice Cullen
Jackson Rathbone ... Jasper
Elizabeth Reaser ... Esme Cullen
Peter Facinelli ... Dr. Carlisle Cullen
Rachelle Lefevre ... Victoria
Cam Gigandet ... James
Edi Gathegi ... Laurent

Special features include:
Music Videos
Audio Commentary
Becoming Bella and Edward
Deleted and extended scenes
Footage exclusive to the UK

My Opinion
I was a huge fan of the book series before I'd heard about the film so I was expecting quite a lot from it, and I wasn't disappointed. Of course, with every film, there are things that get changed but I've started to forget about them now. It happens too much for me to keep getting annoyed about.

The moment I saw Kristen Steward as Bella, I thought 'oh no!'. She definitely wasn't the Bella that I imagined...as with a lot of people I know who have read the books. Overall, she did a pretty good job though, for someone quite unknown. Although I wasn't too sure on the casting, it would have been even worse if someone hugely famous had been cast. While Bella comes over as deep as mysterious, there is something about her that I don't think. I think it's because through a lot of her lines, she is very breathy and pauses a lot, taking away from the scene.

Even though I'm not with the majority of girls because I haven't fallen head over heels for Robert Pattinson, I do think he was fantastic as Edward. He, again, wasn't exactly as I'd pictured him but he was good enough. There was plenty of chemistry between him and Bella and it was utterly believable. Pattinson took on the role with great passion and it definitely came across. I thought it was fantastic that he managed so well with an American accent, hiding his strong, British accent really well.

The story was almost as good as in the book and I thought it managed to give a good mix between Edward and Bella's relationship and everyone else, leaving a lot of room for characters to be developed in further films. The end of the film really leaves the viewer wanting more and I for one, couldn't wait until the release of New Moon. Far too long to wait in my opinion.

If you havent read the books before watching the film, then there are some little moments that you will either miss, or be a bit confused about. Quite near the beginning, the first time we meet Edward, he has this little grin on his face that you don't really understand why until later on in the film or if you have already read the books.

I really loved some of the scenery in Twilight and for the most part, it was exactly how I had imagined it from the book. Catherine Hardwick, the director, did an amazing job and I was sad to hear that she wouldn't be directing the second film. A lot of the film was modern and edgy and I think this makes it more than your average love story. There is a lot that guys could be interested in as well. As it seems, a different director will be used for each film, giving them all a different feel.

This is the only film in a long time that I have pre ordered and paid full price for but it was definitely worth it. The bonus features are amazing but I was a bit upset when an extended version wasn't released but it isn't a big deal. Fantastic film! 5/5

Summary: Loved it!