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“This romantic story, directed by Catherine Hardwicke,...”

written by CharMckO on 31/05/2009

This romantic story, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, has Robert Pattinson, 22, and Kristen Stewart, 18, as the lead roles: not much could've gone wrong. Kristen Stewart fits the character of the clumsy and ever so slightly idiotic Isabella perfectly. She makes her vulnerable and strong at the same time. Former Potterer Robert Pattinson has transformed from the modest and popular Cedric Diggory to the self-loathing and tormented Edward Cullen. Pattinson looks born the play the undead and although he struggles at times, after a few hard-faced pouts, he almost gets used to the face of strain and it becomes natural for him. It's a demanding first lead role.



Although it's a vampire tale not much blood it spilt until the last half-hour. With three nomadic bloodsuckers who take a sudden liking to Bella's sweet aroma. This ignites some action to occur in Mimi's visually dynamic mirrored ballet studio. Hardwicke's fighting scene is unfortunately predictable and the wiring occasionally obvious but it is none the less impressive. So, although the movie contains vampires it's a romance, not a thriller. Anyone hoping to sink their teeth into a bloody gore fest will be miserably disappointed.



The films main strength is its genre. Without the vampire side to it, it would be a typical teenage drama story. Even though the vampire movie isn't an original genre Stephenie Meyer gives it a fresh twist with the colour-changing eyes and loss of fangs.



The director also finds the image of vampires in direct sunlight challenging. Meyer's saga was originally based on a dream in which she saw Bella and Edward lying in a meadow with sunlight sparkling on Edwards's diamante skin. Hardwicke wanted to remove this scene but it was too important to the author. So Hardwicke went to ILM and sadly Edwards's skin looks a bit spangled.



It took Potter's November 19 release date in the US, where it racked up a frankly ridiculous $69.6 million in its opening weekend alone, more than James Bond or High School Musical 3. The author, Stephenie Meyer, is said to be the next J. K. Rowling as the first book of the four-book saga sold over 5 million copies in the US alone.