by H. N. Sallee

Created on: July 19, 2009   Last Updated: July 20, 2009

I had heard the buzz about the infamous "Twilight" series while at work one day from a co-worker. I have always had an addiction to literature, but just could not find the time to sit down and read a good book. As I listened to my co-workers plan on being at a book store for the midnight opening to purchase the next book in the saga, I was intrigued. I borrowed "Twilight" from a friend and started reading. I finished the book in the same night. That was just how much I was hooked; I literally could not put the book down. Stephanie Meyer has written a book that captivated me with fantasy and romance. Needless to say when the movie was in theatre's, I was there waiting for tickets like a love struck teenager waiting for her high school sweetheart.

I had high expecations for the film and I couldn't wait to see the romance played out on the big screen. I knew that movies were widkly known to never be as good as the book they were adapted from, but I was still optimistic.

I was first impressed by the detail of the scenery used throughout the film. Forks is described as a town "constantly under a cover of gray cloud's". The movie did not disappoint in this aspect. They did an excellent job at pinning down an outstanding location to film.

Character wise, they did an exceptional job at finding actors to portray the characters. Bella is played by Kristen Stewart, who did a decent job. I was a little disappointed that on screen Bella wasn't as independent and clever as Bella from the book. However overall, I could not imagine who would have been a better Bella. I was most impressed by Robert Pattinson as Edward. He does a breathtaking job of conveying the pain he feels just by being near Bella. The first kiss scene between Bella and Edward was just as I had pictured it while reading the book. You can see the pain on Edward's face as he battles to control his urges for Bella's blood.

I was not as impressed by the other actors as I was with the Edward character. Throughout the book, the Cullens play a big role. You learn why they chose not to feed on humans, and you learn a lot of Carlisle's history. The movie included snipets of this information but it was not nearly as detailed and enthrailing as the book. This was a minor disappointment. For those who had yet to read the book, they really missed out on some pertinent and entertaining aspects. I did agree with using Nikki Reed to portray Rosalie. Reed played the part to perfection and her looks were perfect.

An outstanding job was done in the special effects department. The baseball scene was just as I had imagined while reading the book, if not better. The fight scene towards the end of the movie definitely benefited from the computer generated stunts. Catherine Hardwicke really let her imagination soar with the scene, which is probably why the scene won an award from MTV. The scene did not embellish much when compared to the book; the movie just made the scene more vivid, which was a delightful surprise.

The movie did stick to the book very closely, however there were a few scenes that I would have loved to seen in the movie that were in the book. However, for time and action sequences the book could not have been depicted page by page on the screen, which is understandable. Overall, the movie was excellent, and I was pleased with just how closely related it was to the book. For those who have yet to read the book, I would highly recommend it. By reading the book you get a better understanding of the Edward/Bella relationship, and if you had a few questions after watching the movie, the book can clear those up.

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