(andPOP) - The film adaptation of “Twilight” will most likely get thumbs up from fanatic readers of the series, but will it pass the test with people hearing the names Edward and Bella for the first time? It depends.
Although I did not read the novel by Stephenie Meyer, I do have a friend who's obsessed with the series. I asked what a “Twilight” fan would want to see in the film, and what it would need to have in order to stay true to the book. She gave me a few golden points to look for:
1) “Twilight” should be character-driven
The film succeeded in this aspect. It starts with the narration of Bella (Kristen Stewart), who is leaving her mother and stepfather in Phoenix, Arizona, to live with her dad in rainy Forks, Washington. She then encounters Edward Cullen (the vampire), played by Robert Pattinson, and the movie really kicks off from there. In many ways it relies solely on the characters' actions and reactions, mainly between Bella and Edward. You want to know if she'll accept him as a vampire (and if Edward will have the willpower not to bite her head off).
2) Bella could come off as annoying and stupid if portrayed incorrectly
This is not the case in the adaptation. Stewart manages to make Bella real, even through cheesy lines like “I want to know the truth” - and that's a challenge. There's a scene where Edward wants to take Bella to meet his parents, and instead of worrying about getting killed, she's preoccupied with whether they'll like her or not. This scene could have come off with Bella looking like anything but the smartest bulb, but with Stewart, it comes off as blind love - a plus.
3) Edward is very intense and can be interpreted in many different ways
Pattinson walked into the role with the enormous challenge of satisfying all the readers. Edward is described in the book plainly as “beautiful,” meaning there are a million and one interpretations of how he could look. But I think readers will be happy with Pattinson's Edward because he manages to be intense through some of his actions (like saving Bella in a split second from a car accident), but he also brings human-like qualities that people would never associate with vampires. In their very first encounter, Pattinson struggles to open his mouth to speak with Bella in a biology class, but he does it in a way that any other guy could have had the same reaction, which is refreshing in a vampire movie.
4) It is NOT an action-based novel
Readers will be happy to know that the film stays true to the book when it comes to action. Yes there are a few action-filled moments, most notable a scene where Edward takes Bella to play baseball with his vampire family (baseball never looked so cool!). It was surprising that the hyped-up battle between Edward and evil vampire James (Cam Gigandet) wasn't overly long.
But another question here is will the film satisfy non-readers? Plenty of friends and boyfriends will be dragged to see the film, and they may really enjoy it, or dismiss it as “random." At times the sequences are a little choppy, and although the camera technique was nice overall and added to the film, it was sometimes too shaky. The sequences with Bella and her friends in High School were nice and added to the comic relief, especially Jessica Stanley (Anna Kendrick), Bella's school friend . Although there are quite a few scenes based at school in the beginning, the movie could have used more of those in the middle. As for the effects, they're used but not overdone, so don't expect to see crazy special effects. Non-readers can also appreciate the scenery and location which is rainy and cloudy for almost the entire film, but unique.
Overall I thought the movie gave a different perspective on vampires. It might not be for everyone, but it's worthwhile seeing for the readers - and there are plenty of them. One thing is for sure: the vampires of “Twilight” will be leaving their mark on the box office.
