If I haven’t read the book,

(a) I might probably still appreciate the movie Twilight. But I might just see it once.

(b) I will find it definitely unnecessary to scream and/or swoon when some of the Cullens (family of vampires living in Forks) made their first appearance at the cafeteria.

(c) I will find it really, really odd why the Cullens are uberly white and Edward’s lips are so red.

(d) I might notice the missing link, somehow lost, why Bella and Edward are suddenly obsessed with each other and why they can never be apart since then and when.

(e) I would find it impractical that Bella went to Port Angeles just to buy the book about Quilete Legends wherein she can just google related things about that, just like what she did after buying the book.

(f) I would have unanswered points like why the Cullens decided to be vegetarian vampires (i.e. drinking only animal blood), why Rosalie is so unwelcoming of Bella while the rest of the Cullens approved of her, etc. (Please refer to letter F below).

(g) I will find the flying and crawling from one tree to the other and fighting scenes at the ballet studio entertaining.

(h) I will assume that there will be a sequel because of the ending.

(i) I might decide to read Twilight book (just like my officemates) after watching the film.

Because I have read the book,

(a) I find so many discrepancies between the book and movie. Though I promised myself I wouldn’t compare, it was the normal thing to do when you see it the FIRST time. In general, the book version will probably outshine the movie’s. How can you effectively squeeze 434 pages into less than two hours flick? However, what I’m concerned about is that the important points should not be omitted.

I watched the film again simply because. I just knew that I would do that. Especially when my fellow Twilighters advised me that it would be better the SECOND time. They were right. And at the third time, what I did mostly was to analyze their characterization, faces, etc. as described in the book. Though I didn’t picture out Rob Pattinson while reading Twilight, he IS so Edward in the film. I think he prepared well, like he isolated himself for a while in real life and his reading of Midnight Sun’s partial draft absolutely helped. He had felt and saw it in Edward’s point of view.

(b) I was so mesmerized when the Cullens entered the cafeteria one by one. It’s like seeing the characters in the book into flesh. I instantly knew who is who. (I didn’t really indulge much in reading the promotional interviews). Eric, Charlie, and Billy Black were a surprise for me. They’re much better in the movie.

(c) Though I am long oriented that the Cullens are vampires, I was still initially distracted by the make-up. It’s exaggerated, especially the super red lipstick in Edward’s. Eventually, I got used to it. Alice is the hippest for me.

(d) I believe that the biggest omission from the book is the build up of love and obsession between Edward and Bella. In the movie, suddenly they are in love with each other (appeared so rushed). But despite the omission of that essential part, the intense care and passion could have still been fairly executed if Kristen (playing Bella) did better. Don’t be mad.  Yes, she eventually got into characterization. But not so Bella. She needs to improve her facial expressions and delivery of lines. Did you notice some of her lines did bear too much air? Saving grace is that Rob and Kristen look good together as Edward and Bella.

(e) It surprised me that Bella was using a Mac. In the book, she has an outdated desktop in her room instead. Wherein she researched about ‘vampires’ and not Quilete in particular. The googling included a search result about Danag in the Philippines. In the movie, that was omitted.

(f) Though I instantly found discrepancies and omission, I never had a missing link just because I’ve read the four books already. In Book 1 (Twilight), there were some points that kept us wondering, too, until we’ve found the answers in Eclipse in particular. So, don’t feel like there are too many inherent flaws in the film.

(g) To be fair, the movie was better in the sense that it has reduced the mushy lines from the book. Also, by reading we only imagined the hunting and the vampire’s speed and extra abilities. Here it was visually entertaining (flying, crawling, fight scenes, etc.). Most importantly, some characters came out as better in flesh (i.e. Charlie is so fatherly in a unique way and humorous, Jessica is not so bitchy, etc.)

(h) I love the ending and the pre-ending (i.e. when Jacob conveyed his father’s message to Bella to break up with Edward. I remember a group from the audience swooned. Haha. Team Jacob. Honestly, I can’t wait to see a different Jacob in New Moon. And Taylor (playing Jacob Black) is very good in delivering the lines. I think Rob has to improve his, because he inherently has British accent.

(i) In three times that I saw the movie, the audience consistently swooned in the cafeteria scenes, Biology class, Edward and Bella’s kissing scenes (why is it very short? I think they’re so concerned about the PG 15 rating), when Bella curled up to Edward while asleep the first time they kissed, and when they were at the mountains and Edward confessed to Bella, “The lion fell in love with the lamb”.

My most favorite part? The first day they decided to go on public as a couple. The few seconds scene that Edward put his arm around Bella while all the students in Forks High School were staring at them.  And well, all those moments of brooding smiles that I was just imagining while reading the books, were perfectly executed by Pattinson.

The movie is good. It is not superb, it is not overwhelming. You may even get disappointed depending on your level of expectation (if you’re not too willing to depart with the book). It is entertaining. No question about that.

What did you think of the movie?

Share/Save/Bookmark