What Did You Think of Twilight

Buzz In: What Did You Think of Twilight?

November 23, 2008

One of the biggest movie events of the Fall has arrived, and while you've read some of my initial thoughts on the movie adaptation of the popular books, I'm curious what you all thought of the Twilight movie.

For those of you who've read the books: Is it what you imagined it would be? Did it satisfy you? Do Rob and Kristen manage to properly embody the lovebirds? What about the rest of the Cullens?

If you saw it but didn't read the book: Were you entertained? Does it make you want to read the books now? Or are you baffled by all the hype?

Chime in below!

Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment

96 Comments

3 years 37 weeks

Very nice site!

rkayc07 4 years 23 weeks

I kind of have mixed opinions about he movie. To start I would say I did enjoy the books. Yes many people have said it was juvinille and it was. However they were good books. I had my hopes up to see the movie. Me and my sister purchased tickets to the first midnight showing. My firt impression when the movie was over was disappointment. I was very sad that they did not show a lot of the romanc between bella and edward which I thought was very relevant. Instead they showed bella finding out about edward then all the sudden they were in love. A little strange. I blame mostly the directors and Rosenberg. I think she did a horrible job at writing this. Now besides the horrible special effects and what seemed like it was being rushed the movie was not as bad as people make it sound. I am very sorry but I have seen far worse movies. I thought the actor that played edward was very good looking but in the begining the acting seemed well umm strange. But he got into it and I thought he did a pretty good job. I loved the actor that played charlie he was wonderful. Kristen stewart did not do to bad either. Now with that said I liked the movie for what it was. I mean it was low budget so it could only go so far. Hopefully new moon will be better since they will have a bigger budget. I hope people do not listen to all the severe haters because they are just ridiculous and would seriously hate to see the movies they thought were good considering they say this is the worst ever. It deffinitly is not but if i hate to rate the movie out of 10 i would give it a 6 or 7

The City Girl 4 years 24 weeks

k4y--I agree ONE HUNDRED PERCENT with every single thing you said about Bella, hehe. Plus she's sort of more 'masculine' than I imagined Bella, and taller. But I will say that once I saw the movie tonight I liked her more than I expected to. Still, she doesn't really have much personality!

The City Girl 4 years 24 weeks

It wasn't nearly as cheesy as I was worried it would be, and the makeout scene was REALLY, really hot. As for the special effects, the sparkling thing really wasn't that bad. It was subtle and fine--but the sound effect of the twinkling could definitely have been a miss. He didn't make tinkling sounds in the light--he just sparkled! The only thing that wasn't as great for me was that they didn't really explain why they fell in love with each other in the film; they just suddenly were. But I accept that to draw it out like it was in the books wouldn't have worked well either, and it would have made for a verrry long movie. But I would've watched, happily :-D

The City Girl 4 years 24 weeks

It wasn't nearly as cheesy as I was worried it would be, and the makeout scene was REALLY, <i>really</i> hot. As for the special effects, the sparkling thing really wasn't that bad. It was subtle and fine--but the sound effect of the twinkling could definitely have been a miss. He didn't make <i>tinkling</i> sounds in the light--he just sparkled!The only thing that wasn't as great for me was that they didn't really explain why they fell in love with each other in the film; they just suddenly were. But I accept that to draw it out like it was in the books wouldn't have worked well either, and it would have made for a verrry long movie.But I would've watched, happily :-D

JadeNV 4 years 24 weeks

Wow!!! Where do I begin, well I'd like to start by saying that I had not read the books at the time that I watched the movie. I have heard the chatter from numerous entertainers(As I am an entertainer in Vegas) and their children, alike. I will start by saying that it saddens me to hear how angry some of you are that when a character in a book does not meet your ideals and beliefs, instantaneously the author/creator is shunned. I look to no one to be a role model for my child, I try my best to instill the values, beliefs and morals that I feel is right for her. But I also believe in allowing my child to explore other characters, to help her fully develop her senses. She would not be able to truly understand why Bella is seen as weak, to some of you, if she were force fed only "positive role models" for there would be no one or nothing to contrast and compare those ideals to. Not to mention, at what point are we to explore our characteristic strengths and weaknesses if it not begin with out first love? You have to allow your true presence to take shape at some point, just like in high school you are being prepared to embark on life....the same holds true with the early sprinklings of positive self-esteem from the home environment, you are preparing your child to embark on life where they will learn to live out their character as you have prepared them to do. This is not accomplished through which shows on television have the best role models or which characters in literature help to shape these ideals, but what we as adults actually show to the children we encounter. I try to be a positive role model for my child and all children that I encounter, but I do leave my child to her own capable devices at being able to decide which characters she enjoys, my heart leaps to know that she enjoys reading, enjoys creativity and connecting with intellectual art. And at the end of the day, I trust the values that I have instilled in her, so much so, that I do not need to have an author, expressing their creative soul, exclusively create her heroine based on an insecure feeling that my child will be negatively impacted by the character's weaknesses. In closing I would like to say that it is not my intention to argue as much as this was to inform, and offer a better way of viewing all the negative criticism, because in the end, you could simply have put the book down or left the theater. This isn't a work of art regulated by the government as having to receive the reviews and critiques of every US household. If you're so incensed at needing better role models, become one, or better yet....create your own intellectual art depicting a positive role model and have it published and make peace with yourself.

k4y 4 years 24 weeks

i definitely agree with people freaking out over Robert but hey, i can't blame them! I've loved him since harry potter so i was happy he became Edward. but i really do hate Kristen Stewart as Bella; shes too monotone and doesn't show any emotion. also i don't think she looks like Bella; a lot of my friends and i pictured her more curvy i guess you could say. i also didn't like that they didn't show Bella being as clumsy as they do in the book. overall though I'm definitely in love with this movie :}

dlmslp 4 years 24 weeks

if you are a fan of the series and were disappointed like i was in the movie, then try seeing it again. i saw it again today and liked it much better. i have calmed down over my two major gripes being lack of character development and buildup to the love story. i still wish there had been more of each to convert skeptics and nonreaders who think this is just a series for silly teenage girls, but i was much more accepting the second time around. give it another shot.

amity 4 years 24 weeks

Maybe it was the fact that I went to go see it opening night with cliques of teenage girls screaming in my ear when ever Edward had a scene but I found the film somewhat lackluster. I consumed all four books just the week before the film came out so I had all the details etched into my mind. While I believe Edward was played exactly as I imagined, there were parts of the movie that I think were not meant to be funny but I couldn’t help but laugh along with the rest of the theatre; like when he first sees her. He looks like is going to vomit which is a complete “human” response to me since he does not eat. I didn’t sense the fear that I had when reading the book during that scene.The movie just went by so fast. There should have been more scenes dedicated to building the bond between Edward and Bella; instead it seemed as though they met, he ignored for a bit, then their true love just exploded. There was no build-up which made me a little sad. I would recommend reading the books first. While the movie covers all the main aspects of the novel, I found having that background and knowing the context of what was going on (especially inside Bella’s head) made the movie more likable. Plus, the bigger budget next time will create a much better film, I think. The makeup and flashbacks were so low-budget, I cringed at points. I can’t to see how they tackle the whole werewolf thing!

amity 4 years 24 weeks

Maybe it was the fact that I went to go see it opening night with cliques of teenage girls screaming in my ear when ever Edward had a scene but I found the film somewhat lackluster. I consumed all four books just the week before the film came out so I had all the details etched into my mind. While I believe Edward was played exactly as I imagined, there were parts of the movie that I think were not meant to be funny but I couldn’t help but laugh along with the rest of the theatre; like when he first sees her. He looks like is going to vomit which is a complete “human” response to me since he does not eat. I didn’t sense the fear that I had when reading the book during that scene. The movie just went by so fast. There should have been more scenes dedicated to building the bond between Edward and Bella; instead it seemed as though they met, he ignored for a bit, then their true love just exploded. There was no build-up which made me a little sad. I would recommend reading the books first. While the movie covers all the main aspects of the novel, I found having that background and knowing the context of what was going on (especially inside Bella’s head) made the movie more likable. Plus, the bigger budget next time will create a much better film, I think. The makeup and flashbacks were so low-budget, I cringed at points. I can’t to see how they tackle the whole werewolf thing!

356UIK 4 years 24 weeks

Still havent seen it. Saving it for when I can be the only one in there and just enjoy it all by myself ;)

Antioxidant 4 years 24 weeks

I saw the movie last night with my boyfriend. What a load of crap! We were laughing or completely confused as to wtf was going on the whole time. The dialog was horrendous and the actors were all as stiff as boards. There was no continuity at all. I feel bad for dragging my boyfriend to that. Not worth the $10 we each paid.

elysiamann 4 years 24 weeks

i loved it so so much. i was expecting a lot worse. robert pattinson is so f-ing sexy it should be illegal. i thought all the casting was incredible- there really was nothing wrong that i can point out! i can't WAIT for the next 3 movies!! there was a lot of foreshadowing for new moon with the jacob thing, but my friend who didn't read new moon yet had no idea, so i guess it was done right!!

sjp0902 4 years 25 weeks

oh yeah and CYL and anyone else who was hating on the way they portrayed the girl and boy thing.... at first when i started reading these I was pretty annoyed too. (this is probably why i loved new moon...bella was such a bamf) but...i've grown up with this sort of thing. I don't know if all religions are like this but...Meyer is mormon and my parents were and that's just how it is. (haha. maybe that's why my mom loves it) but this is just how they were taught to be. my mom is defiantly always going on about needing a man to help her. it really drives me nuts sometimes. but when i was reading this i just had to accept that that was how Meyer was raised and thats still sort of how it is for some women. alot even. i don't know that it is fair to criticize the books for something the majority of the population isn't yet ready to imagine. i feel confident that one day things will change but thats still how it is for alot of people. it really isn't as bad as it could be. at least she introduces bella's weakness as a result of her clumsy unluckiness...not just because she is a girl. and also most of her problems are something that not even a human male could save himself from. i agree that there are undertones of female weakness (alot alot in twilight) but it does get better in new moon and in breaking dawn. i dunno. accept it as a religious difference is what i think. i'm as feminist as the next girl. but there are just somethings you can't change. i think that young girls will find stronger role models and hopefully don't get too brainwashed as the helpless woman. and i also hope that girls that are reading this aren't too young cause of all the sex later on. oh yeah. and don't forget about leah clearwater. she's a bit of a statement no? (although there is that whole obsessed with sam thing...)

eastsidesunset 4 years 25 weeks

I just have to say, the scene where Bella tells Edward she knows he's a vampire was priceless. When Edward told Bella he was the perfect predator after saying he had been 16 for a while made me LOL because all I could think of was "CALL CHRIS HANSEN!". I know, totally inappropriate, but come on.

sjp0902 4 years 25 weeks

i really disliked this movie. I'm pretty sure I could never sit through it again even though i've promised some people I'd go again. I hated it more than Harry Potter and that is very hard to do. I felt like Stewart and Pattinson had really no chemistry at all. All of the characters seemed to have lost their already pretty limited personalities. In a movie like this the acting is absolutely everything. It's a love story, personality is key, and it just wasn't there. Edward was always glaring and being really freaking creepy for the most part and Bella was just...an empty shell. Book Edward was the perfect man and book Bella was really quite funny and cute. This Bella was not even remotely like her. I just don't feel like the actors understood their characters and so they didn't become them. Especially Bella, especially Bella. Bella is supposed to be kind of cute and timid. Dangerously unlucky and clumsy. This girl wasn't nearly fearful enough to be my Bella...I don't even know who the hell she was. She was the same girl the Kristen is in every movie. Exactly the same. For the most part our characters personalities were lost and so therefore the chemistry. But I was also very annoyed at the awful acting and the how horribly and unbelievably the love story was introduced. It just could have been so much better. Like was it in there at all? Grr...nobody but authors should ever be able to envision their stories. Because nobody else really gets it. On the bright side. The nomads were FANTASTIC!!! They were really the best freaking part of the movie. If they could have made the transition from book to movie as well as they transitioned the nomads I'm pretty sure this movie would be better than the book. The nomads were just perfect through and through. I hope they improve for the next movie. The nomads gave me hope. I may even force myself to sit through the movie again just to watch the nomads...i'll try. But i might have to walk out, out of disgustedness. God, i really hated this movie. I wish I had never watched it. It was awful. I understand when you can't do an eccentric wizard movie right...but they can't do a love story right? well that is just sick sad news.

eastsidesunset 4 years 25 weeks

It was the best comedy I've ever seen. Wait, not a comedy? Oh well, it was still funny. Worst adaptation in the world. The special effects were hysterical (Edward's sparkle actually made noise? Really? *twinkle*twinkle*). And the acting? Oh don't get me started. I really enjoyed the books, but this movie was an abomination. Next Harry Potter, I think not.

Isista 4 years 25 weeks

Ugh, just one more, I promise. Jasper, I felt, was supposed to be hilarious. He's just learning to be comfortable around humans and isn't as used to not taking human blood as the others. If you had an addiction and your drug of choice was in the room, I think you would be awkward too lol.

Isista 4 years 25 weeks

And when is it the job of an author to dictate how young women should feel toward men? If the parents don't want them to act like this, then they should take responsibility and teach their daughters that they don't need to depend on a man. This is a work of fiction, and if young readers cannot separate fiction from reality, sounds like the fault of the parent.

Isista 4 years 25 weeks

I loved it! Bella was SO much less annoying -- I couldn't stand her in the book. And other than a few moments where the acting lacked, I thought the chemistry was fantastic. Comparatively, I thought the movie did an excellent job.

millysaps 4 years 25 weeks

I'm a twenty-something twilight fan and I would say I enjoyed the movie. Not loved it, but I am going to see it again this week and I think I'll have a chance to absorb more of it. I took my mom to see it and she liked it enough that she's going to read the books as well. With a $37 mil budget, I can't really hate on the special effects. Yes they were cheesy, but hopefully they'll be better in New Moon. I disagree with all the people clamoring for a new director because I think Catherine Hardwicke, while she has her flaws, is a fan herself and understands the story very well. My biggest disappointment was the lack of screen time for the rest of the Cullen gang...Emmett and Jasper were hilarious when they actually spoke. Now I just hope that Taylor Lautner grows up quickly because I'd hate for them to have to find a new Jacob.

maryanny 4 years 25 weeks

MuggleCrazed you are exactly right! I don't understand how people can recommend these books, esp. to young girls. Bella is a completely dependent on a man and can't live without him. Horrible. The movie was also pretty bad though it got better at the end. It was just too cheesy, my friends and I laughed throughout the entire movie.

maryanny 4 years 25 weeks

MuggleCrazed you are exactly right! I don't understand how people can recommend these books, esp. to young girls. Bella is a completely dependent on a man and can't live without him. Horrible.The movie was also pretty bad though it got better at the end. It was just too cheesy, my friends and I laughed throughout the entire movie.

vcastellanos16 4 years 25 weeks

I have read all the books and loved them all. I could not put them down. I have also seen the movie, twice. The first time I saw the movie, I was busy comparing the movie to the book. At first, I thought the movie wasn't good enough. After I saw the movie the second time, I realized that it was good entertainment. Yes, there were parts of the book that I wished had made it into the movie, and yes there were parts of the movie that I thought should not have been there. But there aren't very many books that translate well into movies. I think that Rob did a very good job with what he was given. Kristen was a good so long as the scene didn't require very much emotion. I don't know if she can handle the part in New Moon where Edward leaves her. All in all though I enjoyed the movie and cannot wait until the rest of the movies come out. I think that Breaking Dawn or Eclipse will translate the best to movie. I am not sure that Catherine is the best director though. I liked her movie, Thirteen but this movie could have been better. I hope she doesn't continue with the rest of the series. Maybe with the bigger budget they are given, the next movies will get better reviews. The camera work was shotty, you could see the camera shaking, like it was a documentary and not a fantastic fiction love story. It is the directors job to make sure things like that come out smoothly. This is definately a good take on the book. I will see the next movies when they come out and enjoy them. I cannot wait to see Rob and Kristen portray the modern day Romeo and Juliet in the next movies.... Team Edward and Bella all the way!

dlmslp 4 years 25 weeks

i love the book and it remains my favorite in the series, but was a little disappointed in the movie. not enough buildup for the romance or character development and they could have showcased the supernatural aspects more. part of what makes vampire lit appealing to moviegoers is they are either really scary or so much cooler than humans. meyer's vampires are interesting and different and that was barely covered. i did like a couple of the added scenes such as when the cullens were cooking for bella...cute! i think i will like the movie more after a second viewing.

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