The Twilight Saga: New Moon

** out of (****)

Chances are, your feelings toward the film "Twilight" will match your feelings for "New Moon". Mine sure did. This film basically did nothing for its predecessor, which is a shame since the trailer looked somewhat decent. I thought that maybe an above average Twilight flick would make its way, but I guess that's too much to ask these days. The characters are surprisingly more stale than before, although this movie is a little more interesting. For everything that is in this movie that was better than Twilight, there is also the opposite. However, the special effects improved slightly and fortunately we get more action than romance. Still, this movie is basically neither better nor worse than "Twilight". You can take that as a complement or a negative, and you know which side you're on.

"New Moon" revolves around Bella (Stewart) and Edward (Pattison). Edward leaves Bella in the forest and now Bella is all alone. However, she meets Jacob (Lautner) and gradually develops a crush on him. Although, Edward returns and Jacob has a secret: he's a werewolf.

I think it's kind of humiliating that a director gets a better script, yet makes a film that's on par with Twilight. I mean how could this have not been good? You have werewolves vs. vampires. That sounds cool already and imagine the type of execution that Scorsese can make *faints*. Folks, if you think this latest installment is impossible to have worse acting and dialogue, then you are dead wrong. Yes, it might seem improbable, but the performances and dialogue have gone from beyond awful to officially the worst I've seen. Moreover, I thought the first hour was way too boring and a chore to sit through.

Now, there are some redeeming qualities. The technical aspects have improved. Not by much, but a sufficient amount. Moreover, the last hour is actually watchable. The action here is also not too shabby. Also, I thought that the story was slightly more interesting.

"New Moon" is basically on par with "Twilight", but that isn't a complement. Both films boast decent technical aspects and interesting stories, but also boast terrible performances with an awful script. "New Moon" is neither a bad nor good film and compared with its predecessor, it matches its film quality. This weekend, I'll seek out "Eclipse" and see if that film can break the mediocrity streak. Hey, David Slade is directing. If the third installment is even just the slightest better than "New Moon", I'll be satisfied. Until then, this is my review of "New Moon".

We've all dealt with unrequited love before, but "New Moon," the second installment in the popular "Twilight" series, takes it to a whole new level. Bella Swan, the moody high school student who found herself in love with a vampire - the brooding Edward - in the first film, now finds herself attracted to a werewolf, her long-haired Native American childhood pal turned cropped-haired, muscle-bound super-hunk, Jacob. Now, that's a love triangle you don't come across every day of the week.

This disappointing, time-marking follow-up to the flawed but often imaginative "Twilight" is a tedious, slow-moving bore, consisting of little more than endless conversations about which of Bella's two "monstrous" beaus loves her the more and which is more likely to protect her from the danger posed by his rival and the assorted associates and kinsmen who come with him. In fact, so focused is the story on the romantic travails of the three main characters that the movie ultimately stalls out in a puddle of its own sappiness. And on a purely technical level, even the CGI werewolves are not as impressive as we'd expect them to be, given the massive amount of cash clearly lavished on the project.

Actually, the thing that strikes one the most about "New Moon" is just how much of a rehash it is of the previous film, with Bella's predicament simply being played over, only this time with a lover from a different species (especially as Edward voluntarily removes himself from much of the action this time around).

Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson return as the human/vampire lovers, while Lautner gets to run around with his shirt off a good deal of the time (despite the damp, rainy climate). That may be enough to keep the movie's targeted audience of teenaged girls awake and glued to the screen for the duration, but the rest of us will have no trouble snoozing our way through to the next installment.

I saw the first film Twilight when it came out and absolutely hated it. From the acting to the story and special effects to the script and dialogue. I promised myself I would never ever see New Moon. I broke that promise as I saw it at my university at the film society with friends who were girls who begged me to come along. I was bored at the time and it was free and thought I could just fall asleep or maybe laugh at how awful it is but heavens above! This was actually mildly enjoyable! What has helped maybe I don't know is the new director Chris Weiz who took over from Catherine Hardwicke. The main problem still with the last film that hasn't changed is the acting from Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. It's still really awful. There is still no chemistry between them and Stewart with her character of Bella is still boring and won't smile and just broods about. The two actors can't seem to finish a sentence without pausing awkwardly as though they have forgotten there lines. What Stewart and Pattinson need to do is eject more emotion into there voices that would convince me that they care about each other. Weiz has failed to instruct the actors more. The script and dialogue don't help as it is corny and clunked. Though less so than in Twilight that is an improvement. Another criticism is that the guys in the film always seem to have there damn shirts off. Have they heard of a shirt? Now obviously it's done because the teenage girls love it but logically within the realism that should be apparent in the film, it's just silly. Guys no matter if they are werewolves or vampires don't run about with there shirts off! But that is a minor criticism. Some of the music was also cringing, particularly one track that was played a couple of times when Bella was missing Edward, the girl couldn't sing!

However one big improvement is those special effects, they were much better! Because more was spent on the film. When the guy Jacob and his friends transform from human to werewolf and vice versa was impressive to watch. I also did like some of the music as well. But the best thing about the film, which made the rating even this high was Taylor Lautner who played Jacob. His acting was surprisingly good. There was emotion in his voice when he talked to Bella and told her how he felt, which made me believe he really did care for her. (Take note Stewart and Pattinson) Other actors in it like Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen, Michael Sheen as the vampire Aro and Anna Kendrick as Jessica who is Bella's friend make the most of there tiny cameos. In the end New Moon was watchable but still too long. I would be willing to see the third one and hope that there will continue to be improvement, hopefully with Stewart and Pattinson's acting. If it does get better along with better dialogue and script (though in New Moon it was better than Twilight) I would give it a higher rating. This is bad in a lot of ways but there have been improvements and are some good things about it. Believe me I'm surprised I even mildly enjoyed it. Let's hope the third continues on the road to improvement.

I too expected this movie to be better. I read the 4 books. The thing is they cut out the best lines from the books which can add SO much to the movies. I was looking forward to some seens in the movie: Edward proposal for Bella, when they talk while they are waiting to get out the Volturi, very romantic and whilte they are in plane going back home. I think the scenarist must be replaced or the writer should oversee the script. The only reason movies are hit cause of the books only. Most people who did not read the books did not like the movies. Hope they'll do better in the 3rd one. But I really hope they'll do much much better in the 4th movie cause this is the book I'd like most. In general, if you read the books you must watch the movies, its nice to have the characters & seens a life.

The first movie is better / fresher probably because it was directed by a woman... (maybe that's why the books are just SO cool) and as for the music, well Carter Burwell has genius and experience beyond his years, so that too would make Twilight an infinitely exquisite experience over and above the sequel. More budget doesn't always produce a superior movie, sometimes less is more, so I still prefer the first movie to this one. (I went into the hall and tried opening it. then i forgot what happened next and somehow) I actually couldn't think of enough things to say about this movie for the required minimum of ten line criteria by IMDb, so sorry about the random bracketed words in the middle.