Twilight is based on a novel by Stephanie Meyer, unread by me, which boasts the pedigree of the most-coveted young adult literature this side of the Harry Potter craze. On the evidence of the happenings onscreen, either the book is overrated or the movie is not a very good adaptation. There is laughable dialogue, ever more laughable make-up, and acting that bears an unwelcome resemblance to that in George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy. Still, the unrelentingly pounded story of forbidden teenage love will have the hearts of teenage girls across the world racing with the same urgency they will buy tickets at the box office. Their male dates will have a hard time stifling their snide remarks throughout, but I am sure the girls will be happy as hell. If you are outside the movie’s energetic, but rather narrow, target audience, you can expect to be either amused or annoyed by the longing sighs of the girls in the audience; this will probably be your lasting memory from the experience.

Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has to live through one of the most painful ordeals for a teenager – changing school in the middle of a grade. She moves from Phoenix to the small town of Forks in Washington state and goes through the inevitable isolation, hostility and the tiring process of making new friends. However, life is made instantly more interesting, if not easier, for her when she locks eyes with Edward (Robert Pattison), who spellbinds her with his penetrating stare. They are attracted to each other and so much so that Edward advises Bella to stay away from him or he might not resist the urge to do something really bad to her. That, of course, makes Bella even more curious and doubles her longing.

The surprise bit here is that Edward’s warning is not a ploy to cast his net on the girl, but is rather well-reasoned, within the movie’s universe, that is. He is a 114-year-old vampire, a fact which also accounts for his improbably pale complexion and ice-cold embrace, which Bella doesn’t seem to mind cuddling in. He is from a special "vegetarian" vampire clan, meaning that he only drinks animal blood, but he is afraid that he just might not resist the temptation to sink his teeth into the girl’s neck once his nostrils are full of her sweet scent.

For a rather small town, Fork has an surprisingly big school and, more importantly, an implausibly high number of vampire residents, and not all of them are as nice and considerate as Edward. The need for the villain is handled by vampire baddie James, who confronts Edward in a climatic battle, which, sadly, is a bit of an anticlimax. There is also a disorientating assortment of other characters whose presence and doings remain unexplained and will probably announce their agendas come the inevitable sequel.
Director Catherine Hardwicke is either unconvinced by her two stars’ ability as actors or does not find a way to bring it out onscreen. She resorts all too often to extreme close-ups and stages a tiring series of staring contests, which do not generate any particular chemistry between the two stars. This matters little, however, as both Stewart and Pattison, I am sure, look simply gorgeous through a teenager’s eyes. Those in the audience possessing such would follow the cross-species lovers’ tandem to the death, if death is indeed the end here.

Overall 2/5
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Genre: action, thriller, romance
Running time: 122’