(no spoilers)

Amy and I saw the midnight premier of Twilight.  The theater was packed and guys were definitely in the minority.  But we were there early and I walked in, proudly sporting my t-shirt (Tease me all you want, but the story is engrossing and I’m into it.).  Here are my first impressions of the film:

* The acting was quite reserved, especially on Kristen Stewart’s part.  That’s not a criticism, just an observation.  It was a curious directorial choice given that Bella goes through such an emotional roller coaster in the novel.  There was a brief moment in the film where Stewart gets a chance to let loose, but it comes near the end.  I realize that it’s especially difficult to capture internal monologues and private emotional experiences on film without expressly narrating it or spending precious second and minutes on character minutiae, especially the amount of exposition that was needed.  That being said, I would have liked to see more of that emotional spectrum throughout.

* The special effects were interesting.  Some parts were used well, such as the portrayal of the vampires’ speed.  Others, however, were a little cheesy and probably could have used some ILM magic.

* Being an adaption of a novel, there were bound to be details left out, and as a result, some of the plot and character development seems glossed over in the movie.  I’d be interested to find out just how much was filmed and how much was cut from the original version and also from the theatrical release, and the reasoning behind those omissions.  It definitely helps to have read the book first before venturing to theater.  There are some inside jokes that may be lost on those previously unfamiliar with the story.  Plus, prior knowledge of plot helps fill in some of the apparent shallowness of the film.

* The casting was great.  I thought Kristen Stewart was a perfect Bella Swan, physically.  She was pretty close to the Bella I imagined while reading the book.  Robert Pattison as Edward Cullen was spot on.  In fact, all the Cullens were cast very well.  Alice on screen was a little different from the Alice I pictured in my head, but in a good way.

* Comparisons to Harry Potter are inevitable.  I just hope people remember that there are vast difference between the two series, beside the plots and characters of course.  Harry Potter starts when Harry is 11; Bella is 17, so the emotional state of the two characters and their subsequent development are radically different.  Also, Harry Potter is a coming-of-age/fulfilling-a-destiny story.  Twilight, essentially, is a love story, with a supernatural twist (OK, several supernatural twists.).  Harry’s story is told from the outside perspective of third person; Bella narrates her own story, which adds to the difficulty of adapting it for the big screen.

I left Twilight like I left the first Harry Potter film.  The way I see it, it was solid first effort with room for improvement.  Overall, I liked the movie; it’s nice to have a visual analogue to the story that has captured the imagination of millions, including yours truly.