'Twilight' Countdown: L.A. Times gives 'Twilight' movie a big thumbs up

It's here! Today is the big day.

Yes, midnight is technically Friday. But the point is most of you are mere hours away from seeing "Twilight."

I've seen the goods, and I can assure you, the movie delivers whether or not you've read Stephenie Meyer's vampire book.

But don't take my word for it. Here's what our pro, L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan, had to say:

As romance fans know, love needs obstacles to hold our interest, and in this egalitarian age, obstacles are hard to come by. The Oscar-winning "Ghost" of several years back had one lover living, the other deceased, and "Twilight’s" notion that he’s undead and she’s not is just as good, maybe better. Connecting this to the extreme emotions of the young teenage world, where every moment is a crisis and the chaste romance of passionate soulmates is more attractive than dubious sexual shenanigans, was the masterstroke that created a phenomenon.

It’s very much to the credit of director Catherine Hardwicke and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg that "Twilight" the movie really gets this. This film succeeds, likely unreservedly for teens and in a classic guilty pleasure kind of way for adults, because it treats high school emotions with unwavering, uncompromising seriousness. Much as you may not want to, you have to acknowledge what’s been accomplished here.

He even gives extra props to the actors playing Bella and Edward:

Hardwicke also was intrumental in casting Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison as the star-crossed Bella and Edward, and those choices were excellent, not only because they’re skilled performers but because they, too, threw themselves into their parts as if they were Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor doing "Camille" for George Cukor.

Read the entire review here.

And our Countdown isn't over just yet! Tomorrow I'll have outtakes and exclusive art from Gina McIntyre's interviews with Catherine Hardwicke and Kristen Stewart. Her big "Twilight" feature ran in today's paper. Check it out!

I'll also be posting the best of the fan reviews here. So come back, and don't forget to send in your thoughts. I can't wait to read them.

Seeing "Twilight" on Thursday at midnight? E-mail me your review at denise.martin@latimes.com and I'll post a roundup first thing Friday morning. I want to hear all your thoughts!

And catch up on past Countdown interviews: Robert Pattinson (Parts 1, 2 and 3), Kristen Stewart, author Stephenie Meyer, director Catherine Hardwicke (Parts 1 and 2), screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, Peter Facinelli, Edi Gathegi and Taylor Lautner.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
Complete "Twilight" Countdown coverage
Complete "Twilight" coverage on Hero Complex

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[Nicole Allen]

i am whating in line with my laptop to keep me busy im sooooooooo exited and i wont it to be 12:00 already im to exited to what any longer!!!!!!!!

[megan]

one of the worst remakes of a book ive ever seen. :( i lowered my expectations because obviously movies cant be as good as the book it was made from, but i didnt realize that it would be worse then i expected. kristen stewart was an alright bella, except most of the time she just looked frightened. rob wasn't a very good edward either, although im sure ill get some angry comments on what i think because people think hes good looking. whenever the camera would cut to a picture of him, his expression was so hilarious the whole crowd laughed. i went with a bunch of twilight fans and they all said there was no chemistry between the two, you couldnt see the passion that they had for each other. although the movie was 2 hours long, it didnt seem enough in order to portray the depth of their love, it just went from one scene to the next really fast. the only part that was almost dead on was emment, who was perfect. although it wasnt the worst movie ive ever seen, i wouldnt go see it again. im sadly disappointed

[Hannah James]

I am an enormous fan of the Twilight saga, so of course I went to the midnight premiere! However, I am sad to say that the film adaptation of the book that I love so dearly, was not at all what I had built up in my mind to be the "be all, end all" film of my generation. First of all the film seemed rushed, by merely adding a half hour to the 2 hr movie the director could have had much better results. Very important scenes from the book were left out and scenes were added in that made no since, scenes which were never in the book (the police station, the tree climbing, etc.). The scene in which Edward and Bella have their first kiss was totally wrong! Hello! That did not happen in her room and definitely didn't happen while she wore panties and a t-shirt! Anyone remember the sweat suite? Plus, the scene where Edward takes Bella to his favorite clearing in the woods was bass-ackwards! The fight scene with James was awful! Ugh! I am so disappointed in the director, the writers, and most of all Stephanie Meyers for letting her masterpiece be butchered on screen. However, the movie had it's strong points. The casting was superb (except for Rosalie), and some scenes (Baseball scene, cafeteria, Edward's car save at school, and the shopping/saving/first date scenes) were absolutely spot on! The movie was good, but having read all the books recently the film just can't compare to the world in which Stephanie Meyers created through her exquisite writing. She is one of the best, if not the best fantasy writer of our time and in my personal opinion she should have been more involved with the film.

[Alex Klapp]

IT WAS AMAZING! the soundtrack fit perfectly and the whole cast was amazing especially Robert and Kirsten! they did an awesome....it wasnt what i expected it WAS BETTER! AND the baseball scene awesome job! i cant wait to see again tonight actually since its 3am and im just getting home for the midnight movie! ILL KEEP GOING TO SEE IT! LOVED IT THANKS FOR MAKING IT!

[Whiskahs]

Just got home from the midnight premeire of "Twilight". It wasn't bad but it was nothing like the book. So much was left from the movie that was important in the book. To me, the movie was like a high school kid having to write a paragraph long summary on a book. You don't get all the details. It was kind of awkward to watch as well. Pattinson and Stewart made loveable characters, Edward and Bella, seem like they were ready to rip each others clothes off than being in love. Don't get me wrong, Pattinson is a pretty good Edward but a little more work and he would of been great. All the actors seemed awkward on screen. My opinion, Twilight is better off as a book. This is coming from a person who has read all four books atleast 3 times.

[Cher]

Absolutely FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! It was a tad short for my taste, however there was more passion and heat in the movie. I was not expecting that, if you did not get out tonight PLEASE get out there this weekend. I am going to see it again now that I am over the anticipation, and I can focus on more than just Edward.
Alice was so cute, Rose did an excellent job and she completely lived upto her part. Jazz was adorable, even though "he always looks like he is in pain". Emmet well he is Emmet very HOT.
Kristen, did a great job in her role, as did Rob. Most of it matched my own images of how it would be some was a little more than I imagined, and some was a bit less. It as a perfect combination. Plan to go to see it twice, the first time you're in awe.
I even felt a little somethng for Jake, and James was slight appealing in a sick sort of way. Veronica was hot, she is actually an AMAZING actress I really enjoyed her parts.

I better shut up now, but do see the movie, I am getting ready to reread the first book again, now that I watched the movie I can relieve it one more time! Ahhh..

~Team Edward

[Twilight Devotee]

I have been a fan of the Twilight saga for quite some time now and I have to disagree with these reviews..almost whole-heartedly. I had such high expectations for it, but I left the theatre more puzzled and disappointed than anything else. Kristen Stewart delivered a flat, monotonic performance and never emoted a sense of true passion, love, or longing for Edward. Not once did I feel that if Edward left her, she would crumble. Instead, I felt that if he left, she would flicker her eyes and say something along the lines of, "Oh Edward...why?" and then press her lips together--a very stoic reaction for someone who is completely, truly, madly in love. Rob Pattinson, on the other hand, I think performed excellently and portrayed what he needed to. (The same can be said for the rest of the Cullen family who acted their parts to match the novel). Not only was the protagonist's acting mediocre, but the production of the film was comical at best. The first half of the movie had the audience in laughter, which did nothing more but break my heart knowing what it could have been. The Twilight saga is so captivating because the relationship between Edward and Bella is so incredibly passionate and real and true and none of that was seen in the film. Basically, the film was a choppy visual of the first 2 pages of every chapter in Twilight (with the exception of the meadow scene and the fight scene). The scenes they chose were questionable (why did Charlie and Bella go to the cafe every night for no reason?). The script was sketchy; it repeated lines and ideas that became redundant. Work definitely needs to be done for the second movie, New Moon.

I can only hope that people who have not read the series do not see the movie. If someone sees the movie before divulging into the book, they will not even want to touch the novel. There is no reason to read the book when the visual is nothing more than a pretty face (no offense to Pattinson, not only was his acting exquisite but his face is beautiful and perfect for Edward Cullen). I just wish that the relationship between Edward and Bella was transferred from paper to screen and so far I am sadly disappointed. Hopefully, New Moon will work to fix these errors so people can fall in love with Edward and Bella through another media.

[Jennifer Fletcher]

I disagree with all of the above. I thought it was unbelievably bad in every possible way and I want my money back! The acting was painful to watch. The script didn't come close to developing the romance. And, on top of it all, it was a visual nightmare. I know Edward is supposed to be pale. But why does it have to be so annoyingly obvious that he's wearing more make-up than Bella? And, for heavens sake, you'd think in Hollywood they could have found actors to play the parts of the jaw-droppingly beautiful vampires! But instead the vampires were just as flawed as the humans...the only distinction being the gargantuan amounts of make-up they wore. And I'm not saying I'm a promotor of the unhealthy trend in Hollywood to set unrealistic standards of beauty for all of mainstream America. I'm just saying that when you go to see a movie, you want it to be believable. The vampires were supposed to be stunning. Instead they were second-rate actors weighed down by copious amounts of eyeliner.

Don't even get me started on the flying scenes......or the music...or the lack of any character development whatsoever. Ugh. My eyes have never rolled so much in my whole life. I can't believe I gave up a good night's rest for this!!!

[Amy Beck]

I went to the midnight showing not quite sure what to expect. I knew the movie could not be exactly like the book because there is far too much detail. However, I left the movie satisfied. Some scenes were not verbatim from the book, but the important aspects of the book were there. I thought the writer and director did an excellent job getting the key elements into the book in a sort amount of time. I thought the fight scene was great! Some expressions the actors made did come off a bit on the funny side when they were quite serious, but to portray the intensity that was constantly going on would be hard to do. I would imagine if I did see someone that looked so intense all the time, I may fine some humor in it. My friend and I are actually going to go again tonight to see the movie for a second time. I thought the cast was great! And I can't wait to watch it again. So I give the movie two thumbs up... not exactly like the book but wonderful in its own way. I also loved Robert Pattinson's songs.
It was greatt!

[Kara Strate]

I really, really wanted this movie to be successful. I think most people will go and see it as a result of much hype. It goes without saying that the books are incredible. Yes. I recently became aware of them shortly after the release of Breaking Dawn and have read them several times.

At any rate, I think I will have to see the film again. Of course I was thinking, "this wasn't in the book, that didn't happen here....." But overall it was an above-average teenage film. If I hadn't read the books and known of Edward and Bella's intense connection I would have thought the film versions were slightly off. I would not have believed they loved each other as they said. Their performances left me confused. I thought the remaining Cullen family delivered to a tee. Some scenes appeared in the film that weren't in the book, but they could have been, they fit. I think mostly Edward was just awkward, and both he and Bella didn't smile enough. The climax was done pretty well. And Bella didn't need to make out with Edward in her panties. Stephenie didn't write tasteless material.

[Lisa]

Twilight was GREAT! Everyone has differences of opinions of course, but it’s a MOVIE – they are never like the books. Casting was great! The slight changes that were made gave the movie a more serial and modern feel. Really for people who are saying things like this “Kristen Stewart delivered a flat, monotonic performance and never emoted a sense of true passion, love, or longing for Edward. Not once did I feel that if Edward left her, she would crumble.” It’s as if they didn’t even read the book(S) or are just lacking true passion, love and emotions in their own lives. If you have not logged onto Stephannie Meyer website to read what should have been Midnight Sun (DRAFT), you should so, maybe then you can get a better fell of what Edward is all about, since Twilight didn’t seem to you enough passion.

I hope to see New Moon in theaters soon, followed by Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

[Tianna Ellis]

I thought this movie is incredible, but sadly, it was hard to understand if you did not read the book. Most parts were really good and the romance was incredible, but they probably could've done better. It did not thoroughly describe what was going on half of the time. One thing that I thought of was that the soundtrack could have been chosen a little bit better, because some of the songs didn't entirely fit the scenes. I also found most of the movie changed or out of order, which got me disappointed, but I still enjoyed this movie and am planning on seeing it again.

The midnight premiere was great tho, and there was just more excitement. The movie was actually funnier than described in the book, but it might just be because a majority of the people there have read the full Twilight Saga.

Well, I agree that you should definitely see this movie because it is a very incredible, cute romance movie. It was so worth the wait, and I'm definitely buying this one once it comes out on DVD. :]

[Kiara]

ok.. i havent seen the movie.. but dammit i want people to stop being so picky.. its a almost 400 page book.. that wud have been one heck of a long movie.. people need to realize movies re not as good as books... thats kinda why some people read and dont watch tv. but thats beside the poin.. im gonna watch it tonight.. with a n open mind. ive been waiting for it for a long trime.. and i know everyone did a good job.. people just have tobe open minded.. forget the book while your watching the movie a ppreciate it..

i hope they make new moon.. i ont kare wat you guys say..

[Casey]

I fell into the Twilight Saga this summer, when I read all four books back to back three times before I put them down. I am a reader, and because of that knew I had to lower my expectations for any movie adaptation of the series. I am older than the target audience. I am not troubled by the casting choices. I think that putting big name stars into these roles would have been a mistake. What I was most disappointed in was perhaps Hardwicke's direction and the actual adaptation. There was no reason for the various love montages sans dialogue. The dialogue in the book is how the characters are developed on the page, but in the movie the characters are barely introduced-- not just Edward and Bella, but the entire Cullen family. I would have appreciated more development of the relationship between Edward and Bella as the movie doesn't do a fair job of showing the passing of time. I've read that the screewriter has not read ahead in the series in an attempt to keep the character development pure. I hope that more work is done to make New Moon a purer adaptation as it goes into production. If I had not read these books, I would be whole-heartedly disappointed, as it is, I plan on seeing the movie once more in the theater after the fervor has died down a little.

[Carla]

Was it SUPPOSED to be funny? I'm still trying to figure out if it was a joke or not. I mean, were they just teasing us and are gonna release the real one soon?

[Dani]

I fell in love with these books and had very high expectations for the movie. I left confused and let down. I think that the chosen actors all played their parts well, and for me, there wasn't one thing majorly wrong with the move... It was lots of small to moderate things that in the end added up to the dissapointment. For example, the music - I pictured lots of really moving orchestrated pieces during some of the Bella/Edward scenes, and instead was left with a mix techno beat in the background. Also, the makeup was way overdone in the first few scenes and really made me laugh when Edward first walked into the cafeteria (I feel like I should have gasped like Bella). The overly 90210-like high school friends were way overboard and made me roll my eyes numerous times; etc. etc. Lots of little hicups to me, made this not what it could have been.

Overall, I do still want to see this again just to see if I can pull more out of it. The books were a really huge emotional experience for me, and I just hope that the next few movies improve. We do need to remember that this was low-budget film and that in the grand scheme of things, the first book is really the most basic and for me, my least favorite. For all of us dissapointed Twilight fans out there - just remember that we still have the pictures we drew in our heads while reading the books.... nothing can really spoil that!

[SlightlyBizarre]

Well hello everyone.
I have not seen this movie yet and right now I'm not exactly sure if i want to see it now. I am IN LOVE with the series and i am quite afraid i might be EXTREMELY disappointed. Either that or i will be very happy. No one said that it was okay so it must be one or the other. I love Rob's looks and i really LOVE Edward Cullen. Will i be disappointed? I will have to view this differently now. I can see this as JUST a movie and pretend that there was never a book written so i can not compare it to the book which will be excruciatingly hard to do, or i can pick out every little thing that didn't happen or that is replaced and slaughter the movie in my mind.
Lets see.. enjoy or depict everything wrong?
It's hard to choose.
I am expecting this to be an AMAZING production and if it is not i will aghast.
I will update again on what i think :]
or perhaps i can see it in both views for people who read the book and for the people who didnt.

I hope it is exquisite.

[Jenny]

Well I must say that I was unsure of how I felt at first when the movie ended... I understand that they can not make the book and movie completely alike so I appreciate that they for the most part followed the main points of the book. Of course we all have favorite parts that were probably left out at some point but the film had a budget and should be happy they for the most part stuck to the story (unlike the Golden Compass ick...) I went with a bunch of friends and one who had never read the book and he said he thought it was real good (Mind you we are in our mid twenties and were worried it would be real teen bop like) And I drilled him with questions of how he portrayed Bellas and Edwards love and other emotions the film envoked and I am happy to say that I was thrilled when his response, for the most part, matched mine of the book. So yeah the movie doesnt follow the book word for word or scene for scene but it still envokes the right strong emotions of Bella and Edward... I am taking my husband to see it today since he isn't a big reader but I still want him to feel some of what I feel for the Twilight characters...

[D C]

Catherine Hardwicke and Melissa Rosenberg did a good job in directing and adapting Twilight, and the cast members were great with their roles. But as expected, the movie won't (and can't) satisfy the fans. And for those who are unfortunate enough to read at least the first book, I'm sad to say that the movie has trouble standing up on its own.

Twilight is a low-budget film, and it shows. The first half of the movie feels incohesive and monotonous as cut scenes are sewn together in order to quickly move through the storyline. The emotions that Bella and Edward were supposed to portray are lost through this process. The second half, on the other hand, is much better as the scenes are limited to the significant events of the story (i.e. baseball, the fight, and prom). I believe if the scenes transitioned more fluidly, the movie would be more understandable and enjoyable. If New Moon is adapted, I hope Melissa and Stephenie can work together in condensing the scenes and maintaining the fluidity that is in the book.

From a fan's point-of-view, I personally enjoyed the movie for what it is, and have no regrets in spending the $11 and missing sleep. I hope Twilight generates enough revenue to give the franchise a second chance and a bigger budget for New Moon.

[Gaby Flores]

I went to go see the Twilight movie at midnight of course since i'm a huge fan and at first i was really disapointed and the acting at the beginning of the movie was terrible. However when i stopped worrying about all the things they left out and added I actually enjoyed the movie. They got the basic idea right and I respect the fact that they weren't going to be able to make it exactly like the book. Rob and Kristens acting got way better as the movie went on and some of the casting was perfect. Charlie, was very good not how I pictured him but very good. I thought Jessica was absolutely perfect. Alice was a really good choice but she was hardly in it at all Rosalie ended up having a bigger part than her. Rosalie and Emmet were both perfect as well and I was satisfied with Esme and Carlisle. I did not like Jasper at all. Also Angela is supposed to like Ben not Eric so that was annoying. The other thing I didn't like was that Bella was scared of Edward SHE ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE SCARED. They also never said that they loved eachother and the one kissing scene was too much for only the first movie, i mean come on Bella did not need to be in her underwear and it's not supposed to last very long. All those things aside though and the movie was good, by the end it had the Twilight feel and Kristen and Rob delivered. The scene in the hospital after James is killed was especially good, Kristen did a good job of giving me the same panicking feeling as I get when I read that part of Twilight and if New Moon is made I think she might do a better job than she did in Twilight, unfortunately I thnk most of the problems were due to directing I think Catherine might have gotten the actors a little off track because she's the one who's supposed to say to do something different and there were a couple parts where I was really mad at the actors and then i realized maybe that's what they were told to do.

[Shari]

i loved it.

[Wendilynn]

Overall, I enjoyed the film. I do think that Twilight suffers from the same problem that Harry Potter deals with. Too much info and not enough time to tell it. Rob and Kristen did an excellent job. I don't know where the complaints of Kristen being wooden comes from, I found her very expressive. And I feel for Rob, the mobbing is going to get worse for him. He was absolutely adorable. The actors playing Charlie and Billy completely stole any scene they were in. It doesn't help that Rob and Kristen were clearly trying to convey that nervous-obsessive-new love-tension- energy that next to Charlie's calmer portrayal made them appear jumpy. The two affects I was looking forward to see was vampire baseball and the sparkle affect. Jasper's bits in the baseball game were cool to watch and Emmett reminds me of goofing around with my brothers. I was pleased with the sparkle affect, it was understated and believable and I thought Rob's looks were nicely enhanced. I was at a midnight showing so the theater was packed and feeling the energy coming from the audience made it interesting. You could feel the mental checklists going off as each story milestone was reached. And when it came time for their first kiss you could feel the entire audience breathlessly waiting, even leaning slightly at the agonizing slowness and anticipation. Being stuck in row three, he could have been kissing me. :P I will go back and see it at least once more, I've had my "checklist viewing" and will be able to just sit and enjoy the movie without worrying what they used and what they didn't.

[Caley]

If you are a true Twilight fan, DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE. My bf and I walked out only an hour in. Words cannot describe the disappointment and sheer anger. No one was able to portray their character, they tried too hard, and ended up looking more awkwardly comical than anywhere near accurate. Trying to cover the terrible acting, they added horrible music and almost nothing but fake scenes. They spent more time trying to inaccurately develop character's like Eric Yorkie, instead of focusing on any development of Edward and Bella. There was so much hype about not just the movie in general, but of the chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, which to say the least... they significantly lacked. Every deep emotion that Stephenie Meyer worked so hard to animate in her novels, was destroyed and replaced with comedy. It is more than evident that the movie was only directed towards a young teen audience. Watching it reminded me of sitting in an over-crowded theater on a Friday night, waiting to see the newest teen spoof. You know, the ones that teens see only due to the lack of better option. If I had quite understood where they were taking this film, I never would have wasted my time, gas and ticket expenses. I have seen both of the main actors play far better roles, what happened?!

[Elauna]

It's been a few hours sinse seeing the movie. It's a great rendition of the first book. Each actor/actress potrays their character very well. Some scenes from the book weren't there unfortnately. It's understandable. A CD of the book runs 12 hours. We know that every detail of the book couldn't be there. If anything, people will want to read or re-read the book to see what it's about and catch up with all of the moments from the book. It's not your typical vampire movie just like the Cullens aren't like the typical vampire family. Scenes from the book had to be omitted or changed. I'm going back to see it again tonight.

[Christina]

I am completely disappointed with this movie! It was nothing that was expected. I wasted time, sleep, and money for the crap that they called acting. The only thing you could say about it was that there were a few funny scenes. The acting was such a disappointment, it lacked so much more character and depth. The entire movie felt fake and rushed. They played the cheesiest effect music I have heard in a long time. The cullens were absolutely terrible they were supposed to be breathtakingly beautiful. This movie just felt like watching a cheap low budget teen flick. The characters have given me nightmares of what my beloved book was. I am trying to forget the movie and just remember the book, because the movie ruins it. The movie was just plain cheesy! Why couldn't warner Bros have made it?? I wish they would remake it because it was just bad. I haven't seen a movie that I considered bad in a looong time but this movie deserves the criticism. I think Stephanie Meyer should have waited until a better company could have made her book into a better quality movie. It seems like she just wanted to see it become a movie and didn't care that much. I don't even know how Stephanie is happy with the mess they made of her book.
Yes the truth is that books are always better than movies, but hollywood has made many onscreen adaptations of books that have turned out good. Just do yourself a favor and stick to the books because the movie is sure to disappoint!
I say we petition for a remake. lol

[Olivia]

As a Twilight mom, I think the movie was great. Not only am I an avid reader, I love movies. I think the teen fans of this series were expecting Twilight verbatim onscreen. Impossible. Twilight is a fantasy. Actors are real people as are directors and screenwriters. They all bring a bit of themselves to a film. The movie was in the spirit of the book (Stephenie meyer wrote it for goodness sake and loved it), not an onscreen copy,.

Go with realistic expectations. Don't take the novel and read along with the film. Go, see all the hard work and creativity these folks made on a limited bdget with nearly impossible to please book fans.

[Emily]

Wow. Huge dissapointment!.

I am obsessed with the Twilight books and have been waiting for this movie for a long time now. It was awful. NONE of my favorite scenes from the book were in it, and in there place where completely pointless stuff. I have absolutely no earthly idea what the director was thinking-did she even read the book! I really did feel akward watching most of it because the acting was really not that great. I still however adore Robert Pattinson.

[Leah]

I have already seen the movie twice and I plan to see it many more times. I loved it, for me it was absolutely perfect. I only wish it could have been longer, but unfortunately there are no 8 hour long movies.

[regina]

very bad movie.i really want my money.i must listen critics

[Kim]

I have the SECRET TO LOVING TWILIGHT THE MOVIE!!!
After seeing ‘Twilight the first time I came home and read a slew of disappointed and even angry posts about it. I, having loved the movie, was shocked. I went back to see it a second time to see why these book-loving fans like myself didn’t like it. (Well, and I couldn’t wait to see it again.) WHILE WATCHING A SECOND TIME, it clicked. I knew the minute that Edward opened his mouth, what set them off: Edwards’s non-melodic lack-luster approach in line delivery. Bella sees Edward as a velvet crooner who spills each word in fluent confidence; however this is not how Rob Pattinson chose to deliver it, and for good reason. REMEMBER, Edward is dealing with 4 MAJOR DILEMAS while talking to Bella: 1. He has an intense desire to launch at any moment and drink the blood form her body. 2. He is feeling intense love for her, something he’s never experienced in his over 100 years on earth. 3. He is an imposture—not human—and he’s trying to act as if he is. 4. He’s never communicated with somebody whose thoughts he can’t read. Rob Pattinson played the character true to this. So, IF YOU WANT TO LOVE THE MOVIE—and who doesn’t--Look for where the REAL MAGIC HAPPENS: IN THEIR EYES. Rob HAS mastered Edward in the eyes! The intensity of his love & desire for Bella is evident in his hypnotic fix as they are locked into each others gaze. SIMPLY BRILLIANT!

[Tracy]

I saw the movie twice on Friday and will see it at least twice more over the weekend. I liked it the first time, loved it the second time, and can't wait for the dvd. I understand people's disappointment in that it's not exactly like the book, but how could it be? Come on, they can't make a 10 hour movie to include everything. I thought the acting was great and the direction and production was beautiful. I feel sad for the disappointed book fans and hope they will be able to open their minds and give it another chance. I love love love the books too but understand that a book is always better than its movie adaptation and appreciate the hard work and total heart that went into bringing this story to the big screen.

[Fille]

Saw it with my 13 year old daughter last night. It was her 2nd time seeing it after her midnight viewing with friends. She liked it. I also enjoyed it. I was very annoyed by several things however. The production values (blue fliter) over the entire film looked low budget. The music was poor quality and un-memorable. Too bad there wasn't a soundtrack composed that would be a gorgeous and interesting theme to carry through the entire 4 book series. The most annoying and LOL aspect was the horrible lipstick on Edward. It was annoying to the point of humorus. The entire theater laughed when Dr. Cullen made his first appearance due to his ridiculous movie makup job. However, Dr. cullen's acting was spot on.
On the positive side, I thought that all of the actors really tried to portray their characters well. Jacob was so perfect. Billy charismatic. Charlie perfect. Esme charming. Bella was just right too. Edward was pretty good too but just needed the stupid thick lipstick wiped off.
I liked the baseball scene. I thought that Edward sparkled just like in the book. The forest looked right. I imagined Bella's room larger. The beach was perfect. I thought that the Cullen's house chould have been much more grand. It was missing the grand staircase and a more elegant feel. I thought Rosalie's characterization was good but that she should have been more breathtakingly beautiful. At the end, Victoria should have been watching them through the window and had a sad look or tear on her face (due to her mate being killed) and then turned angry and get the wicked look of revenge in her eye as she left. She looked great though. I do hope that all of the books will be made into movies. The negative things can be fixed. I look forward to the next one.

[Alicia]

I also am gravely dissapointed by the remake of the gifted authors wonderful book! i was too excited and then utterly let down. I do belive the actors did a good job portraying the charactors but i feel that it was all in the production and direction of the film. whoever re did this didnt see into the mind of stephanie meyer or even try! it went by way tooo fast and they did NOt need to add all of the extras that tokk way to much time and distraction from what the story was really about. I do have to say i really appritiated the fight scene and the settings but that was it. I found myself laughing more then ne thing. they squezzed a bunch of crap into two hours that WOULD HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF TIME TO PORTRAY WHO THE story was really about... its a shame... over all dont go see it! just keep reading an leave your imagination to the rest! ~ a disapointed fan

[Mikki]

I'm a Twilight mom and my family has read them as well. we've read all of the books and think that are fantastic! I've never read a series of books that have captured not only my mind but my heart as well, I can't get them out of my mind and find myself with feelings I haven't felt in such a long time. I think the movie was great! They kept the essence of the book in the movie and was able to with the short 2 hours they had. I definitely think they could've gone longer to capture more of the relationship and a bit more of the Cullen family. Yes there were a few things off in the movie (I won't say them for those who haven't seen it yet). I sincerely hope Stephanie writes more Twilight books, finishing Midnight Sun and she could even go beyond with more (I have ideas). I cannot wait to see the rest of the series on screen - the actors and actresses did a great job becoming their characters and you can tell they worked very hard.

Kuddos to Stephanie for making sure she was involved in the movie process. Catherine did a great job - thank you so much Stephanie, Catherine, Melissa and Summit for bringing such a wonderful fantasy to life. Please hurry and make the rest - vampires don't age but actors do.

I was highly disappointed with the Eragon movie after reading the books. I wish someone else would re-do that movie completely and bring back what they screwed up. You can tell Christopher didn't like it either which is too bad, he's a fantastic writer and I'm sure he put too much heart and time into writing his series. The only movie that I've seen that has even come close to the books and were actually good movies are The Lord of the Rings. So people - please be realistic. What YOU read and picture in YOUR mind is going to be different than on screen and different from every other person. So, PLEASE Give them a break - they did a fantastic job with Twilight.

[Angel]

C'mon give it a break people! I havent seen the moivie yet, but me and my three daughters are tonight.But all this negativity is driving me crazy. Anyone and everyone should know that a movie that is based on a book is NEVER as good as the book. You need to go and see the movie with an open mind and dont set your expectations to high.Thats what me and my daughters are doing. I will post later after i see the movie and im sure its not as bad as everyone is saying it is.Two words describe all the negativity..... LOW BUDGET! Everyone knows that with all the attention this movie is getting it will be the top grossing movie this weekend and if it is... then it means more money to spend on New Moon when it goes into production! So stop hating and be patient...and look forward to the next three movies New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn getting better and better with each movie!

[Mikki]

I am a Twilight reader and mom, along with my family reading it as well. I've never read a book that has captured not only my mind but my heart as well, I cannot get it out of my mind. We all went and saw the movie yesterday and we all thought the movie was fantastic. They definitely grasped the essence of the book in the movie in the short 2 hours, they could've gone longer and still kept the audience interested. The actors and actresses did an excellent job in becoming their characters and you can tell they worked very hard. They could've gone more into the Cullen family and more into other area, but again they did great with the little time they had. I sincerely cannot wait for the rest of the series on screen, hopefully they will be longer 2 1/2-3 hours, that would definitely give them an opportunity to gain more of the books into the movies and still keep the audience. WB had the same problem with Harry Potter but have succeeded overall.

The only other book that was made into a movie that I believe was as good as the book was The Lord of the Rings movies. Of course I'm sure they had more finances involved. The other movie that I was completely devasted seeing was Eragon - I read those books and loved them but the movie was completely screwed up. I hope someone else re-does that movie correctly so they can actually complete the movie series. You can tell Christopher was disappointed, which is terrible because he is a fantastic writer.

So PLEASE people, give them a break - they did a fantastic job. Kuddos to Stephanie, Catherine, Melissa and Summit for bringing this fantasy to life. Great job to Rob, Kristen, Ashley, Nikki, Jackson, Kellan, Peter, Taylor and the rest of the cast! PLEASE hurry and make the rest of the films, vampires age and humans don't.

[Amy Beck]

I'm back again. I have already posted a comment and went again lastnight to watch the movie. For all you nay sayers out there, I advise going and watching the movie for the second time. Once you get past your expectations of the book and just watch the movie, which keeps the key details of the book in it, you will see how good it really is. You pick up on alot of subtle details you miss in the first viewing and you understand how the actors are portraying their characters better. The movie is actually really good and all of the actors did a great job. :)

[KLLMBC]

I've been twice; the Midnight showing Thursday and then again on Friday. I am a Twilight Mom I suppose, if you consider that I am not a Teen but have 2 teenage daughters that are also huge fans. We've all read the series several times and have been waiting patiently for the movie while absorbing absolutely every little tidbit of news that's been published on the internet etc.

I think the movie was extremely well done and very very enjoyable. One has to realize that this is an adaptation, and that is all it can be. If they were to follow the book verbatum it would have been 6 hours long and even that would not have been enough time to fit in every little nuance, every favourite phrase, smouldering look or burning desire between Edward and Bella. Looking at it as an adaptation rather than something that was supposed to be the book word for word they pulled it off impeccably . Robert and Kristen as well as the rest of the cast were amazing in their roles, the mood of the film was incredible, the music was extremely well chosen and well placed and by the time it ended it left me wanting more and looking forward to New Moon.

If fans are blinded and closed-minded by their perception of books then these movies will not fare well and that is unfortunate. If fans are open to allowing the imagination the Director and the Screenwriter to pull out as much of the essence of the books as possible to put it on film then there may be a chance that we could see more of these movies. If the fans allow the Actors the opportunity to perform these mythical characters in the way that they've perceived them then again maybe we will see them come back in future adaptations. Unfortunately the main audience is a fickle bunch and as we found with the release of Breaking Dawn they can sometimes be unforgiving so who knows what the furture holds for this franchise.

I wish the best of luck to this movie effort, they did an incredible job bringing this book to life. They went into it without the knowledge of how huge the fanbase was. They went into it without the benefit of a HUGE Hollywood budget. They were fans too and they wanted to do the best for something that they loved and I think that they should be applauded rather than criticized.

I am sure that none of you out there could have done it any better...

Catherine Hardwick, you pulled it off Congratulations!!

Robert Pattinson, no one could have brought Edward's brooding painful torment to the screen better than you, you were the embodiment of Edward Cullen, Amazing job!!

Kristen Stewart you were the perfect Bella Swan, your protrayal of this deeply emotional and perceptive character was bang on. I have a daughter this same age and she is exactly this way, you captured her perfectly, Well Done!!

To the rest of the cast you were awesome in your roles and portrayed these characters very well. I for one look forward to seeing you all in future adaptations of the books and look forward to seeing how your careers take off from here.

Kudos to Twilight, I look forward to more!!

[Lovin' the Twilight]

Hey! So I saw Twilight last night with a group of friends (guys and girls) all of whom already read the books. Now, we're a bit older and knew going in not to hold any real expectations, and over all we left satisfied. There was definatly some things that left you wondering (bella's lack of emotional diversity, lack of character development, and no where near enough sunlight sparklin' in my opinion!) But after watching it the first time and getting all the dissappointment out of the way, we stayed to watch it again, and have to admit, loved it the second time. Once we knew what to expect, (and where to hide our heads in shame for the poor people lol) we could really jsut sit back relax and enjoy the ride for what it was. A cute little teen movie, with some over (and under) acting, and a low budget. I left pleasently satisfied, and would totally go again.

and btw, hello Edward is beyond perfect... he's got the smirk nailed!

[Imaan]

OH MY EDWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MOVIE WAS SOO FREAKING GOOD I LOVED IT I T WAS REALLY GOOD AND ROB AND KRISTEN WERE OUTSTANDING PLEASE GO SEE IT IT IS REALLY REALLY GOOD I JUST WATCHED IT AND NOW I'M LEAVING TO SEE IT AGAIN. GOOOOOO SEE IT!!!!!!

[Jasmine]

saw the movie too last night and imma a Twihard fan (i read the whole series in a week) and i LOVED it. I think it wasn't as serious as the book but if it wasn't funny do you think as many new fans would want to see it? It wouldn't make as much money if it wasn't alittle funny. Edward and bella played their parts very well and from the previews i wasn't expecting that. At first i was worried that they weren't going into enough detail and it would be hard for people who didn't read the book to understand what was going on. But it was the opposite. The people i went with hadn't read the books and they not only understood it perfectly but they LOVED it. Everyone was so hawt! Especially James! Edward, Jacob, Carlisle Emmett, Jasper All of them were so sexy! The girls were pretty too.Charlie was REALLY funny also! And i loved how it ended with a "to be continued" theme (with the surprise character at the end).

[bee-]

I am obsessively in love with the twilight series and think its just a great series overall... Its definitely an "attention grabbing" book...Although movies can never compare to the actual book, and nor did i expect it to be half as good as the book, I have to say i was COMPLETELY DISAPPOINTED.& wish that i would have just stayed content with my book fantasy. The characters were on point but their acting was NOT! There was no type of passion, or deep development of their love as to how it was portrayed in the book.I mean, was this an actual comedy? Because everyone in the theatre was laughing throughout the ENTIRE MOVIE. I mean, NOT ONCE did i laugh while i read these books. What a let down. Stephanie Meyer should be disappointed as well and be more involved in not letting the fantasy of her books get destroyed through on screen!

[Angel]

After two viewings, I am warming up to the film. The initial expectations are gone (along with some disappointment) and I can watch the film with enjoyment. If you think of the movie in terms of an independant film (very low budget and very young movie studio), as opposed to a Hollywood blockbuster, you will appreciate it more. Give it up to the promoters who really gave it that Hollywood blockbuster flare. I feel that if they continue to make the other movies, larger production budgets and learning from mistakes will help the future films of the saga. We should be happy that the characters we love so much have come alive on the big screen. Remember that there are a lot of character and story introductions in "Twilight" that should not have to be revisited in any future films of the series. This should give creators more of an opportunity to incorporate more of the books original writings into the movies and also tell a better story in accordance with the books. Lastly, be patient with Kristen and Rob. Although most of us noticed the same things in the acting, read some of the writings about how serious they were with regards to getting the characters right. Sometimes we all try a little to hard at something and things do not turn out as planned. I think the performances will improve as the two actors embrace their characters for possible future roles with the saga.

[Jess]

I thought it was great. Some people have too high standards, and it's not the movie's fault. Most people finsh the book in about a week, and it's hard too fit everything in a 2 hour movie. The cast was great, i loved the extra scenes, and they tried their best and it was good enough. I loved the cast for Bella's school cast the most. Anna is the perfect jessica, and I though Gregory was an amazing Tyler for his first time acting. It can't be perfect, but I would say it almost was.

[TwilightLover---]

I read all four books 6 times each, and I'm also the biggest film critic.....It ROCKED!!!!!!!!

[Victoria Dew]

I think overall, this movie was pretty good. id have to agree with jenny with the whole acting thing. it really seemed like half the scenes in the first 45 minutes were either meant to be funny, or the acting was just horrible. however, as the movie progressed it got alot better. i think that the actors they picked for the cullen family was really good, but i wish we had seen them more because i think it wouldve made for a better movie. i really thought the cullens' entrance into the school at the very beginning was very cool.i will say though, if you havent seen the movie yet i wouldnt go in thinking its gonna be a typical romance/action type movie. the way its filmed and directed is very different, not bad but different. i really like the mood music they had going throughout the movie, it really set the tone that the book seemed to set. i think honestly, it began and ended strong and thats what most people remember in the first place. with this movie though, i advise accepting helf of the first 45 minutes might suck to you, because it did to alot of other people haha. but again, as i said, give it a chance, because it gets ALOT better as it goes on, and remember people its a low budget movie! once this one shoots off their gonna have lots of money for the second one, i believe itll just get better and better. so if you didnt like it, dont give up hope!!

[Nat]

Ouch! This movie was not good. I knew it wouldn't be as good as the book but man, they could have at least tried! Where was the writer? Editor? Director? Was this a high school class project? The romance was sucked out of the movie. The actors could have been good if there was something for them to act out other than a lot of uncomfortable staring. Jasper? Bella seemed annoyed the whole time. They didn't develop the love story that the books so generously gave us. I can't believe anyone 'loved' this movie. It was underdeveloped and sadly but expectedly, did not live up to the hype. I also agree with previous reviewer, I wish the Cullens were more developed, they were cast perfectly. Overall, the cast has potential. Not sure if I want the sequel made. Its going to take a while to block this one out of my mind. Go at your own risk!

[CM]

People seem to forget that this was a low budget movie. For what they were given to make it, I think they did a pretty good job. Was it perfect? No. This movie was made with a budget of $37 million, I went into the theater expecting to hate it but I walked out like wow they did a good job considering they were given nothing for money to work with on such a popular book.

Kudos to the crew who worked so hard on trying to live up to such a phenomenon and Kudos to the cast for bringing to life characters we fell in love with. You may have some people who hated it but in this case, it seems that every where I have looked, the good out weighs the bad. I and many others that I know will be anxiously awaiting New Moon.

[Sadly Disappointed]

So Bella is Italian and likes Italian food (and the Cullens make it for her) based on her first name? And who remembers the nickname "Spider Monkey" from the book, or the flying up into trees, or the first kiss being in the wrong place with significantly less clothes on, or the out of sequence events, the infusion of humorus lines (or attempted humor) that made the audience laugh, etc, etc, etc.? And lets talk about the Volvo- I don't recall the book referencing Edwards hot Volvo as a hatchback...why not at least pony up for the real Volvo model referenced in the book- SR60 wasn't it? Don't hop all over me about the cynicism, but this movie missed the mark by miles. No pun intended, but it was WAY out there in left field even Edward could not have ran fast enough to catch up with it. The screen play left alot to be desired in the sense that many scenes should have been left out to make room for some scenes that actually happened in the book. The flow of events from day to day were not fluid, and it was excessively choppy at points. The inclusion of made up scenes that were not part of the origianl book did nothing to clarify viewers experience of the event flow. The only scene that I agree they needed to include that was not directly and explicitly referenced and included in the book was the ballet studio fight scene (which fell short of the potential it had). And can I say that the acting left much to be desired??? Kristen visually hit the mark for Bella, but her portrayal of the true characteristics of Bella was lacking in some areas. Edward was so-so with a poor makeup job, and the rest of the family was not on screen enough for me to make a real judgement call. The one character they really seemed to get right was Alice- too bad she didn't have more screen time since I think she had the potential to really redeem the casting director. I guess I will go back and read the book (for the 4th time) just to get back to Stephenie Meyer's vision of the vampire/mortal struggle of love and life.

[MzLoathsome]

BIG DISSAPOINTMENT, bella and edwards relationship had nothing special about it, The movie wasnt suppose to be a comedy, and what was wrong with Robert pattinson he played edward soo...retarded. Kristen I have to say played bella very well but I have to say I enjoyeed the basball scene (thts about it) but overall I give it a 2 star.