Twilight (2008)

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Cast:
Kristen Stewart/Bella
Robert Pattinson/Edward
Billy Burke/Charlie
Ashley Greene/Alice

Plot: Bella is a new girl in Forks. She is pale and "unique" and totally different from everyone else...obviously. She meets pale Edward and instantly falls for him. But the catch is he is a vampire...that sparkles. Wait what? Here is the bigger surprise...I enjoy this film.

Review:
I've reviewed (and destroyed) both the sequels to this film, but I never actually got around to reviewing the film that started the series from hell, Twilight. Where does this film rank in the scheme of things: honestly, not that bad.
As bad as the sequels are, I have to say I DO like this film. Don't shoot me! I know it's not a great movie. I know it probably isn't even a good movie, but I can't help but like it anyway. This film is a guilty pleasure for me in every sense of the word. What about this film do I like so much?
Let me start with our main character of Bella! I know in both reviews of the sequels I bashed her and spoke about how she is one of the worst heroines to ever exist. And I'll still abide to that! I hate that fuckin' girl! BUT in this first film, I actually didn't hate her. I can't say I loved her either. But I thought she was likable enough. We never learn TOO much about her, but Kristen was very likable in the role and I believe added SOME depth to the character, whether it be a little thing like just listening to her iPod or carrying around pepper spray. It added some character traits to her. (In the shitty book, she has NONE! She even mentions at one point she hates music. How does one hate music?!). So right there is a small improvement from the book. Too bad the sequels made her more like the book character in the sequels.
Robert Pattinson was awkard in the role of Edward...and can someone please say miscasted?! Edward is supposed to be beautiful...I'm sorry, but Robert Pattinson is ugly as fuck. How are chicks interested in him? Sorry, it had to be said. His acting wasn't that great either. He wasn't terrible, but he wasn't great. He was just okay, if not awkward in the role.
I also have to say, the love story won me over in this film (unlike the sequels). I fell for it. I found their awkward conversations kind of cute and their relationship did touch me for some reason. I couldn't help but smile at these two kids falling in love. In this film, Bella isn't her selfish bitch yet. Her world isn't ONLY Edward and she is actually somewhat independent. In the end, when she thinks her mother is kidnapped, she goes BY herself with pepper spray to save her from vampires. That is actually pretty cool I have to say. Usually she'd wait for Edward to save her, so I liked that they made her a bit independent in this film.
My favorite part of the film is her relationship with her father. It's awkward but cute. I liked the way they interacted and how they never knew what to say. Whenever the film was about them, I was loving it. I could have actually watched a film just about Bella moving in with her father.
Another plus is the high school environment that actually felt like a real high school. No cliques or stereotypes - just human beings. And it would be stupid of me not to bring up the best part of EVERY film: the soundtrack. The score is beautiful and movie chooses some kick ass songs. Is anyone surprised? This is the ONLY part each film excels at.
I think what really sets this film apart from the sequels is the director. This film is BEAUTIFUL to look at, and Hardwicke seems to have a firm handle on the romance and the action. Her indie roots really help this film and she seems to be trying to almost cover up the sappiness of the film. Good job!
But...the film isn't great. I mean, I know it's not. Again: guilty pleasure. Let me start off by saying sparkling vampires? Seriously? I don't care who you are, but that is NEVER EVER going to be a good idea. Fuckin' retarded! In the end, these are NOT vampires. They're superhero fairies. They sparkle, they run fast, and they look like abercrombie models. How can I be scared of these "monsters"? It doesn't help that the film glamorizes the lifestyle. Yes, I know True Blood does too but at least that show also portrays them as monsters and doesn't shy away from the blood. This film makes their lifestyle seem perfect. I like my vampires to be animalistic monsters thank you!
The Cullen clan wasn't explored enough for my liking. They were really only there as pretty faces. Although Alice is such a GREAT character! I get such a kick out of her first meeting with Bella and that kick she does when playing baseball. Someone give this character a spin off please! This all leads me to the bad guys of the flick. They were not scary...AT ALL. In fact I kind of found them funny. I should have been terrified by them, not wanting to laugh at them. Actually I found myself wanting to bang the blonde dude James at one point...yeah scary...whatever. It doesn't help the fact that their subplot just felt thrown in. It was kind of just there and didn't feel right and felt really rushed.
My last flaw is that a lot of the character development of Bella and Edward was sent to a booming soundtrack so we don't actually hear their conversations which is a shame, cause that would have made the film more meaty.
Overall, this film is a guilty pleasure for me. I know it is like the antithesis of horror films and vampires, but I can't help but like it anyway. I own this on dvd, but FUCK THE SEQUELS!!! Fuck both of them!

Overall Grade: 6/10