Twilight fans split as Breaking Dawn hits cinemas

Just as they could choose to be Team Edward or Team Jacob, opinions are divided among some of the first people to see The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.

Die-hard fans of Twilight, nicknamed Twi-Hards, were largely in favour of the latest instalment, as they spilled out of special preview screenings in Sydney on Wednesday night, ahead of its midnight release.

Danielle, 22, said it lived up to the hype.

"The die-hard fans were never going to not like it, so I think yes, definitely they will," she said.

Eighteen-year-old Jessica liked the film, but said "it was a bit mushy" in parts.

"It was kind of corny ... but the end bit was done well, it was intense and stuff," she said.

Jordana, 14, was not impressed however.

"It was horrible. It was like half the movie was just really dramatic music and really dramatic shots, and it led to nothing," she said.

"It was very anti-climactic."

Based on the first half of Stephenie Meyer's fourth novel in the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn follows Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) as she marries her vampire boyfriend, Edward (Robert Pattinson), much to the dismay of her werewolf best friend, Jacob (Taylor Lautner).

When Bella falls pregnant on her honeymoon, not only does the mysterious unborn child present a threat to the nearby wolf pack, but as Bella wastes away, it appears to be killing her from the inside-out.

Bella's severe weight loss while she's pregnant was a hot topic of discussion among filmgoers.

One viewer laughed at a conversation she overheard coming out of the movie.

"I heard some girls talking in the line (saying), 'so that's how you get that skinny for summer, you have like a vampire baby. Damn, I wish we could do that'," she laughed.

Justine, 22, wondered whether Stewart actually lost weight for the role and how much was make-up.

"It looks like she could've actually lost weight, or something like that. Even her face, arms, everything - her legs. She's normally skinny, but that was ridiculous," she said.

"I thought the make-up was better in this one, even the wolves looked more real."

Jane, 26, said she couldn't compare it to the first three movies.

"It's different, because it feels like it finished mid-story, which it obviously did, so the ending was not really the ending. I feel like, 'okay, cool, but what happens next?"'.

Reviews haven't been positive, with one Australian radio critic saying: "This weekend, millions of people around the globe will be conned into handing over their hard earned cash to see a film with no plot, no action and no climax."

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 is out now in New Zealand.

Check out the trailer:

- AAP