Loving a vampire, eh!

Rarely a film is better than the book it is based upon. Twilight is one such case; based on Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling novel of the same name, Catherine Hardwicke’s film stays true to the book but its pace makes it much more enjoyable. While the film’s sequel, New Moon released worldwide this week and is setting all time revenue records, Twilight makes its debut in India now.

Set in a high-school, Twilight is about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) falls for Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), the best looking as well as the weirdest guy on the campus. Everything about him attracts her and she is not scared even after discovering his true identity. Then there are other interesting characters who take the story forward, Edward’s ‘vegetarian’ vampire family and the other vampires who are not that nice.

Twilight works as it captures the high school romance well with all the mush and the underlying sexual tension involved; though nothing explicit is shown. What makes it a sensation is the theme of defying the norms or going for the forbidden. Edward is dangerous and Bella is aware of the fact but still she chooses to be with him; similarly, Edward risks being exposed to the world by being with Bella.

Robert Pattinson has extremely good screen presence, something that was noticeable in his brief appearance as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goble of Fire. Kristen Stewart does not really has the charm that Reese Witherspoon or Anne Hathaway had in their earlier films; but guess that is because of her character, where she is supposed to be extremely ordinary and plain.

Overall, it is a good film, bit cheesy in parts but it is a high-school romance so enjoy that bit.

My Rating: * * * ½ Three and a half stars (on five)

– Shrey Khetarpal