Film Review


Twilight

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Billy Burke, Peter Facinelli, Cam Gigandet
Rating: ***



It’s not your usual gory and dreary world of blood thirsty vampires that author Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series takes you through. Instead, the writer has managed to create a whole new breed of ‘vegetarian’ vampires in her novel, who survive on animal blood and refrain from their temptation of feasting on human blood. For the uninitiated, Twilight mainly explores an intense romance between one of the vampires from this vegan clan and a teenage girl, a theme that caught on big time with adolescents and made the novel very popular ever since its release in ’05.
The 70mm version of the first installment of this bestseller series by the same name remains faithful to it’s literary one and provides all the necessary thrills and frills of the cinematic experience, whether it’s the cinematography, music or the steaming chemistry between the lead characters. Seventeen-year-old Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) moves to Forks in Washington to live with her chief-of-police father Charlie (Billy Burke) after her mother remarries. Vegan vampire Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a non-ageing 108-year-old vampire, has an instant desire for human blood after meeting Bella and the two fall in love.
Apparently, other than the thirst for her blood, it is Bellas’s immunity to Edward’s mind-reading ability that draws him towards her. Except for her mind, he can read everyone else’s. And on the other hand, it is Edward’s mysterious nature that attracts Bella before she learns of his origins. Alls hunky dory for the two lovers until three tracker vampires come into the picture. They aren’t vegans like Edward and his family and survive on human blood. One of them, James (Cam Gigandet), the vampire with unparalled senses, develops a strong urge for Bella’s blood and wants to hunt her down.
Targeted at a teenage audience, Twilight, on the contrary, is a film that would appeal to all age groups. There is an enlightening message that underlines this film and takes it beyond the reigns of a romantic-fantasy film --- that of resisting one’s temptations. Although Edward has an undying hunger for Bella’s blood, he controls his urge throughout and lives up to his family virtues. Also, his attempts of staying away from Bella to ensure her safety and protecting her whenever required highlights his unconditional and selfless love for her. Twilight also marks an interesting demarcation between love and lust through Edward’s and Jame’s characters respectively.
The gloomy, sunless cinematography and the classic music enhance the intensity of the story and sequences like the baseball match between the Cullens shape up the fantasy element. The shot where Edward and Bella are sitting atop one of the trees amidst the forest with a wholesome view of hills and water bodies in the background is particularly breathtaking! The performances are ace too, but what works best for this film is the chemistry between Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. The bedroom scene between Edward and Bella is proof to the amount of sensuality the two can create with a mere kiss. They strike just the right chord as the unusual couple in this unusual romantic tale.
A must watch for the ones who have read the novel and all those who haven’t, don’t miss this interesting and dreamy experience!

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