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Taylor Lautner - Source: Reuters -
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It was while queuing to find out how much a commemorative New Moon cup would set us back, that we overheard someone ask "are all these people here for New Moon?".
The kid behind the counter responded: "Yup, look, they're all middle aged women". And that pretty much set the scene for what was to follow - a little over two hours of revved up cougars oogling the buffed bodies of boys half their age.
This was best evidenced about a quarter of the way into New Moon, when adrenaline junkie Bella crashes her motorbike during an attempt to coax forth a vision of Edward, the love who deserted her. Jacob rushes to her side and tries to stem the flow of a bleeding head wound with his t-shirt.
Here's where director Chris Weitz gets the big tick from me - delivering Jacob's unveiling in glorious slow mo. As if we were suddenly blessed with the wolf-pack's collective consciousness, I heard every woman in the audience simultaneously make the decision to ditch their husbands or boyfriends and go in search of this bronzed Adonis. That was followed by a fit of uncontrollable giggling from the entire audience as we resigned ourselves to the fact that we are all sad old pervs.
So, gratuitous semi-nudity aside, was the film any good?
Well Kristen Stewart blinks and bites her bottom lip slightly less in this film than she did in the first one and I consider that a plus. The werewolf on vampire fight scenes are pretty nifty, and overall it's a fairly close representation of the book.
K-Stew and RPatz translate Bella and Edward's aching to the big screen again in a believable way, and there's more teen angst than you can shake a stick at.
If you're expecting much from newcomers, the Volturi, you'll be sorely disappointed. While Dakota Fanning's Jane is commendable, by and large the performances here lack any of the delicious malice I'd expected. Michael Sheen's Aro is more hammy "Sesame Street Count" than sadistic vampire royalty. And he's not alone.
Everywhere you look the film is dripping with cheese. In parts it's forgivable; we accept Bella telling Jacob he's "quite beautiful", but only because we agree. But there are other moments that are so gratingly bad that you wonder why any self-respecting director would put their name to them.
The macho "frat boys go bush" jostling between members of the new 'wolf pack' and Edward romping through a meadow wearing linen pants and a khaki vest are two prime examples.
But who are we kidding?
None of us went to New Moon for the witty repartee or Oscar
worthy performances. We went because we're Team Jacob or Team
Edward, or because we hadn't yet decided and knew a healthy display
of six pack abs would help us to make the decision. Personally I'm
still Team Edward. But only just.
And don't forget - we want your reviews of New Moon too. Do
you agree with what others have said about the latest Twilight
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentkatyrocks said on 2009-11-26 @ 21:22 NZDT: Report abusive post
lacked the atmosphere of twilight- perhaps the soundtrack wasn't as good ? the scene with the volturi was a case in point- too over the top. enjoyed the main cast (except jasper looks like a young frankie howard -ask your gran !) and please some fangs on the vamps. edward left bella to protect her from a blood-thirsty killing machine (jasper again!)-yeah right ! after the phenomenal success of the first movie i guess i just expected a bit more polish from the editing suite. TEAM EDWARD !
christopherG said on 2009-11-25 @ 21:16 NZDT: Report abusive post
Kerre Woodham calls Edward a "Lady Boy"? Kerre girl - what planet do you live on? Read the book and watch the movies! Or look at it this way, an unknown housewife, mother & Mormon - writes a book with a new, fresh take on an old genre - mINUS the fangs, and coffins and makes themm beautiful. What results is an equally beautiful story!
jeannie2252 said on 2009-11-24 @ 20:55 NZDT: Report abusive post
My daughter and I also went to the midnight screening and loved the movie! It is true to the book, so of course I really missed the Cullens---can't get enough of them! And there was no chemistry between Kristen and Taylor---but then there is not supposed to be. I loved the added fight scene with the volturi and the "reunion" of Bella and Edward. It was worth the price of admission.:)
sacha123 said on 2009-11-24 @ 14:25 NZDT: Report abusive post
i thought the movie was awesome, it pretty much stuck to the book. cant wait to see eclipse more edward it it. thats the only draw back of new moon. both me and my 10 year old daughter loved it. go team edward. the wolves looked awesome!!! so much more action in this movie but still had the love parts we all know and love from the 1st movie. the wolves made me jump at times lol will def watch this again as i have done with the twilight movie. hope it comes out on dvd asap lol
nzKlWl said on 2009-11-23 @ 11:11 NZDT: Report abusive post
IMPRESSIVE! The book was quite dark and depressing, and seemed like Bella was brooding most of the time. I loved that the they were able to capture all the key parts, and put their own little spin on certain scenes... I loved when she slapped Paul...FUNNY!!! There's a part where Bella tells Jacob not to make her chose, because it wouldn't be him... It made her sound like a and diminished her character. Jasper! Legend... Funniest guy in the book! Yay! Team Twilight!