★★★★ Stars: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Cam Gigandet, Kellan Lutz, Elisabeth Reaser, Nikki Reed 122 mins TEEN love is never easy at the best of times. Things get even tougher when one of you is mortal and the other is a vampire, even if this bloodsucker exists on a diet of animal blood rather than humans.

Bella (Kristen Stewart) is the beauty among the beasts when she arrives in the small town of Forks to live with her father after her mother goes off on a road trip with her new partner.

Not everyone in Forks is quite who they seem. The Cullens keep themselves to themselves, understandably as they’re vampires. They’ve made a lifestyle choice not to drink human blood but live off animals.

Fellow student Edward (Robert Pattinson, alias Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter films) is a goodlooking lad in a mysterious sort of way. But family life means he’s shy with girls. After all, one thing leads to another, kissing could lead to necking with fatal results.

Abstinence makes the heart grow fonder after he and Bella lock eyes and are instantly attracted. Romeo and Juliet had warring families to worry about, these teens have a little matter of bloodsucking to keep them apart.

Bella begins to see that Edward isn’t like other boys when they go on a date. I mean, how many young men can take you flying through the trees or stop a moving car with their bare hands?

Fans, and there are many of them, of Stephenie Meyer’s books should be well pleased with director Catherine Hardwicke’s film that plays up the teen romance and keeps the vampire horror elements to a minimum to get a 12A certificate.

Pattinson’s chiselled looks and otherworldly demeanour make him a perfect Edward, with Stewart feisty and independent as Bella.

The film is good enough to make me eager to see the sequel that must surely be in the works.