Yes, I went to see this movie. And yes, I felt a little awkward since I did not have a teen girl, or even any girl, with me. I was curious. I have read all the books, so I thought it would be good to see how the story was told. How will they accomplish the storytelling since so much of the book that I remember plays out in Bella’s mind? How will that communicate on the screen? It actually worked pretty well.

The movie was well done considering the story. The story is very “teen girlish,” so I am not exactly the demographic. I like the overall story, but I don’t swoon when Edward or Jacob show up without a shirt on. The books are fine because I can read faster and I do not need to linger over the intimate details I care nothing about. But movies are different. This movie will work for the demographic that they are trying to reach, but for the rest of us, let’s move on from the bare chests of the two guys.

But that fact brings me to the major issue I had with the film—lust! I think this is the big struggle of this portion, but really all, of the story. How many times in one movie can you portray and even state that your life is nothing without another person. If this is not talking about Jesus, we have a major problem. In this movie, the need is not for Jesus, but rather Edward. Some people would not want this called lust, but come on. If this is not lust in the eyes of teen girls everywhere then I don’t know what is. Interesting that girls, who tend not to be as visually oriented, are getting more and more visuals in the films. I think that they are probably more attracted to the character, because most of them have read and reread the books. But I am curious if we are seeing a shift. Are we setting up women to struggle the same way guys do with the visual temptations? Is that being encouraged by movies like this?

Personally I could have done without the slow motion of Edward walking and all the shirtless scenes of Jacob. In fact, I would have preferred more story and less of the eye candy. Again, the movie was not made for men, or even people my age. Fortunately when I went to this movie, I had only two other people in the whole theater with me, my movie buddy and one other woman probably in her 30s or 40s. This means we missed out on all the teen craziness whenever one of the two guys came on the screen. Thank God for His grace even in the small things of life.

Unless you have a teen girl that wants to see the movie or you liked the book and what to see it on the screen, I would pass on the movie. While it was somewhat well done for the story, there are better things out there. Don’t worry. They will still make the rest of the books into movies even if you don’t see this film. Teen girls alone will make this profitable.