Here, years later, another movie adapted from a wildly popular series has opened. November 21st and the days after probably paid all production expenses for this Summit film. But I held back. After looking at You-Tube adaptations of parts of Twilight and the other books, and the characters painted in my mind's eye, I didn't feel comfortable going to see the movie.

A cousin of mine who is also a Twilighter, who DID see the midnight premiere of the movie said it was no where as good as the book, but she was glad she saw the movie. Her main complaint was the casting...

Well, a male friend asked if I'd like to see Twilight with him - a male friend of his told him he'd read the book, and it was excellent - My friend wanted to see what the interest was about.

I told him I apologized in advance if I yelled out, or cringed, or did anything stupid during the movie - I hold adaptations to the same high standards as I hold the books.

Well, not to pun, not really, it didn't suck.

Twilight was a fairly low budget movie, but the exterior visuals of the land around Forks and Port Angeles was gorgeous - although the production group used areas in Canada to get the most bang for the visual buck.

There were several things that bothered me, and as a person who is adapting a novel into a screenplay, I looked on Twilight the movie with special interest. Uber fans of book series are expectant to have information that is critical to not only this movie, but the sequels, clear. I had a few mutterings about items that should have been addressed in this movie, but weren't. For example, there was no mention of the Volturi, the ancient Italian vampires who Carlisle Cullen stayed with for a while after he was turned in the 1600's. They play a critical part in all of the books, and the introduction in Twilight to me was important. How the Cullens were turned was barely touched on, even the flashbacks were not satisfactory explanations. One of the major things we know of Bella is she is a klutz - in sports, in just walking around. It is a big factor in the books, and is a major factor at the start of New Moon - The movie just showed her hitting someone in gym class - small thing, yes, but important point about Bella. Also in the book, the first time Edward comes to Bella's room at night, she says his name in her sleep. This has a profound effect on Edward and he continues to watch her sleep and 'guards' her. That is one of the sweet things that made us Twilighters think this book was so romantic.

The special talents of the Cullens was also important in the books - Carlisle being unaffected by blood enabling him to continue being a physician; his wife, Esme's compassion that makes her the perfect wife and mother to the Cullen crew, Edward's ability to read all minds except for Bella's was explained, as was Alice's being able to see the future, but Jasper's talent to feel the mood of the group and be able to calm the situation is also something that is important in future books. Rosalie's hate for Bella, and Emmett's brute strength were addressed.

Some of the casting was amazing - Alice (Ashley Greene), Jasper (Jackson Rathbone), Rosalie (Nikki Reed), and Emmett (Kellan Lutz) was brilliant casting. As was James, the villianous vampire who has eyes for Bella, brilliantly played by Cam Gigandel, and Billy Black (Gil Birmingham) and Bella's Dad, Charlie (Billy Burke) were as great a casting of characters as I'd seen. Rachelle Lefevre (Victoria) also played James' mate who in subsequent books is set for vengeance of James' death.

Amazing acting and casting. Even Kristen Stewart, Bella, grew on me and I couldn't see any other young lady as Bella - no easy feat.

When I heard Robert Pattison was cast as Edward, well, he didn't look like Edward. He didn't look like Cedric in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Pattison's Edward went around with serious 'bedhead' and said in interviews he went weeks without touching his hair to get that affect...ewwww.  Peter Facinelli as Dr. Carlisle Cullen looked like he had a bad blonde dye job. It took away from his character. While his character was the gentleman that the vegetarian vampires were created, his character could have been more rounded.

Meyer's Edward Cullen had inner struggles to keep his humanity, and was adamant for Bella to live the life he was not given the opportunity to have. Edward's sensitivity and humor were not showcased.

Several favorite items were either not included or just touched upon - the gorgeous meadow that was Bella and Edward's special place, was barely shown - and the reason for Edward (and the other vamps) not going out in public in brilliant sunshine - the amazing scene where he steps into the sunshine and his skin shone like diamonds, was instead a lame visual that made him look like he had glitter make up on. The fact that a vampire would literally put himself in jeopardy if seen in the sunshine is a major factor in New Moon, the next in the series. Also, the big showdown, the climax of Twilight, at the ballet studio where James held and was torturing Bella - the Cullens were coming to the rescue - instead of looking like they were jumping in from the windows, they looked like puppets whose strings were taking them to the ground - not quite the stunning effect I would have liked to see...

Edward's musical prowess was showcased, but Bella's Theme was not addressed as his dedication to his love for her.

Am I glad I saw the movie? Yes, but it could have been so much more by a few lines in the screenplay that explained some backstory for the few people who didn't know who these characters were -

I liked Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, but when he 'matures' into his 'character' in subsequent sequels, his boyish charm will be missed.

I will probably get the DVD of Twilight, but will always wonder what if - just a little more tweaking and care and it could have been a classic adaptation.

Of course, I am not a tween, but one of the older Twilighters, and perhaps the younger fans are most satisfied with characters and adaptation, but there needs to be some explanation sometime regarding the Volturi, etc. in subsequent sequels.

Meyer has written a series of wildly romantic characters who find themselves and find their humanity in each other. I'd like to think the movies will reflect that.

A good movie that could have been great.

You'd think I didn't like the movie, but in retrospect, I did - It was done well, but compared to the Potter movies, where action and casting is meticulously handled, it lacked that reality for me.

Every Twilighter, regardless of age, will probably go to see this movie, and it has already paid for itself. I think it is more Stephenie Meyer's book rather than the casting draw that accomplished that.

It is a really good movie, but not a great one, and that is what disappointed me. Am I nit-picking? Yes, probably - but when a book becomes more the sum of its parts, care needs to be made when the movie adaptation is made. I have learned a writing lesson while watching this movie.

This is one Twilighter's opinion and I am in the minority. But wanted to put my thoughts down to share. My friend didn't quite get the whole picture from the movie, and to me an adaptation should convey what the book wanted us to understand while we progress to the next phase of the story or film.

ellen george