Blu-ray review: "Twilight"
The Movie
Around this time last year, my dad asked me if I knew about Stephanie Meyer. "Don’t know her," was my likely response. That was before Twilight mania hit movie theaters. As the film neared release, I found out all about the new "it" author and her rabid fan base. My first impression of the story was that it was an Anne Rice-light romantic vampire tale for the teenage set. After watching the movie, I realized that my first impression was pretty much right on the money.
The book and film revolves around Bella, a lonely teen who moves from Phoenix to the wet and dreary small town of Forks, Washington. The kids on the Olympic Peninsula are a friendly lot and they immediately welcome Bella with open arms. Despite the warm greeting, she’s immediately fixated on the pale and enigmatic Edward Cullen and his strange family. The Cullens keep to themselves but are conspicuous with their unusual looks, flashy cars and aversion to bright, sunny days.
The part that doesn’t make sense to me, but likely makes a lot of sense to young teenage girls is that Bella falls madly in love with Edward long before she figures out he’s a vampire. The discovery of his true identity intensifies her attraction to him and soon he’s forced to keep his animalistic urges in check, lest his desire for Bella turns to blood-lust.
There are really two ways to look at Twilight. It’s both a teenage romance and a vampire story. I have to admit I enjoyed the vampire lore Stephanie Meyers has written. The Cullen family members are reluctant monsters who have renounced their desire for human flesh. The temptation surrounding the family due to Bella’s presence adds tension and is a highlight of the story. Twilight also hints at a long-standing rivalry between the vampire family and a mysterious group of locals; sure to pay off in future films.
As a 38-year-old man, however, I found the romance to be juvenile and silly, which is the point, I guess. Twilight is and always was for teenage girls and the movie is aimed squarely at that audience. The cast is headed by leads Kristen Stewart (Jumper) and Robert Pattinson (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) who looks like a taller version of Cure singer Robert Smith with his teased out hair. The actors are young (nice to see younger actors playing high schoolers) and good-looking, adding more excitement for teenage fans. The film also boasts a few exciting action sequences, but the emphasis is on the romance.
Ultimately your enjoyment level is probably going to be dictated by your age. If you’re an older person like me…say over 25, I’d honestly tell you to skip it. If, however, you’re a teenage girl or currently have a subscription to Teen magazine, Sassy or Tiger Beat, you’ll probably love it. If so, run out, get your copy and make sure to place it safely under your pillow while you sleep.
Twilight
Rated PG-13
5 out of 5 for teenage girls
3 out of 5 for everyone else
The Blu-ray
Twilight hits home video on both DVD and Blu-ray. The Blu-ray comes in a single disc edition and it’s fairly impressive. Mastered in 1080p, the movie looks great despite its heavy use of blue and gray tones (the movie is called Twilight after all). Despite its Olympic Peninsula location, filmmakers shot the movie in the Columbia River Gorge and around the Portland area. It’s a striking setting for a vampire film and our local area looks very nice in high definition. Be on the lookout for wonderful gorge vistas and beauty shots of Multnomah Falls. Twilight also comes with a number of bonus features tailor-made for fans of the book series.
Audio Commentary – Director Catherine Hardwicke joins stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson for a discussion on the popular film and book series.
Music Videos – Hardwicke and Stephanie Meyer introduce a trio of modern rock songs by Muse, Paramour and Linkin Park, used in the film.
Extended Scenes (9:36) – Four scenes from the movie are presented in uncut form – with an introduction by Catherine Hardwicke
Deleted Scenes (5:54) – Four scenes cut from the final version
The Adventure Begins (54 minutes) – This hour-long documentary can be enjoyed either as a stand-alone feature or in a picture-in-picture format while the movie plays. Broken into seven chapters, the doc covers all aspects of the film’s production and features extensive cast and crew interviews. Learn about the actors, art direction, special effects and more in this very thorough documentary.
Comic-Con Phenomenon (7:58) – This feature comes in standard definition and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Twilight panel at the 2008 San Diego Comic-Convention. This event has become a cornerstone in Hollywood film marketing and now you can enjoy the excitement of 6000 girls screaming for their favorite film project.
Theatrical Campaign – 5 trailers and sneak peeks
Bonus Features rating
4.5 out of 5
Conclusion
Twilight is a movie for young-folks and while my interest and enjoyment was limited, I can only give high marks for the Blu-ray presentation. The disc looks and sounds great and anyone who enjoyed this movie would be well-advised to spend the extra cash and upgrade to the high-definition format.