Now, having said all of that, I must admit I am a fairly easy going critic to this series. The movies are cheesy and I have gone in expecting that for both films. The dialogue is bad and the acting is painful at points, but I generally enjoy the spectacle of it all.
The newest Twilight saga again follows Bella, Kristin Stewart, in all of her awkward glory. This film sees very little of the Cullen family, but instead explores the friendship of Bella and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). The movie ends up being only 30% vampire and 70% werewolf.
New Moon feels like a formula movie. Basically girl is sad over a breakup. Girl deals with sadness by focusing on anything else and finds help from this by friend who has romantic feelings for her. Girl ends up saving the boy who broke up with her and ditching the friend. It's a classic story - only with vampires and werewolves.
I thought Lautner faired best acting-wise. He certainly beefed up for this movie and his reactions are the most realistic. Stewart tones down the sputtering but at points is all over the place. Pattinson is hardly in the film but in his few scenes he continues his brooding act.
I said it last movie and I will say it again, Billy Burke is the best thing about these movies. Playing the father of Bella, he delivers an understated performance that no one seems to recognize. I think I enjoy his facial reactions the best.
The biggest difference from Twilight to New Moon is that there are few awkward scenes. There were a couple of times last movie I wasn't sure what the director was trying to pull off. Thankfully the structure in this film is easier to follow. Unfortunately the spinning field shot makes a reappearance, but it didn't take up nearly the amount of time the first did.
Watching this film in theatres over opening weekend is an experience. The high pitch screaming that occurred the moment Summit's logo entered the scene was frightening. At one point after the movie started a shouting match erupted in my auditorium between two groups. One shouted "Team Edward" and the other retorted "Team Jacob". It was reminiscent of being at a Backstreet Boys or NSYNC concert back in the day, I honestly have never been to a movie and had the same experience.
I'm not quite sure what this franchise brings that others do not. Is it the "dreaminess" of it's male stars? Is it the nature of the books? The religious undertone of the story? I don't know but this fan base grew over the course of the last year. I'm curious to see how this franchise develops.
2 Buckets
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