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Lady and the Vamp

There's something about doomed love affairs that gets people all aflutter, whether it's Romeo and Juliet or Jack and Rose or even Ryan and Reese. "Twilight," based on the first book of Stephenie Meyer's uber-popular young-adult series, capitalizes on this notion and is displayed on posters worldwide declaring "Nothing will be the same." It's true -- there's no going back to mere mortals once you've tasted a vampire.

Especially one like Edward (Robert Pattinson), who's like a gothic, edgy version of Hayden Christensen. He's impossibly gorgeous, spooky, brainy, big-hearted and enigmatic, and 17-year-old Bella (Kristen Stewart) is instantly drawn to him when she matriculates at a new school in Forks, Wash. The lustful feelings are mutual, though he's aware of his thirst for blood and doesn't want to put her at risk. But since teenage hormones are involved, the "stay away" concept lasts about as long as a rebel in gym class.

"Twilight" is far more entertaining than it has any right to be, mainly because it's in capable hands: Director Catherine Hardwicke tackled adolescent angst with "Thirteen" and shows the same brutal grasp of it here. Similarly, Melissa Rosenberg has penned episodes of "The O.C." and "Dexter," which flaunt her ability to write snappy high school dialogue with a deadly edge. This comes in handy when the "bad vampires," led by James (Cam Gigandet), stir up trouble later.

Wisely, "Twilight" plays by some of its own vampirical rules, so it doesn't feature the same sanitized-two-dots-on-neck, sleeping-while-hanging-from-the-rafters principles. Edward's skin sparkles like a diamond in the sunlight, there's no bed in his room -- he's an insomniac, and a vegetarian; his family, under Dr. Carlisle (Peter Facinelli), only drinks the blood of animals -- and his eyes resemble topaz. He is plagued with immortality, however, and has been 17 … "for a while." Incidentally, he is far more interesting than Bella, who endures typical growing pains and whose semi-blandness makes him appear all the more shiny.

Carried by Pattinson and Stewart, who are perfectly cast and have an erotic kind of push-pull dynamic, the film is strangely effective for its genre. It's mainly aimed at teens and rabid fans of the books, but it may appeal to anyone who's burnt out on reality and craving a temporary escape of the undead variety. Beware the mesmeric power of the "Twilight" zone.