New Moon: Good, Not Perfect; See It with an Open Mind

Rating: 7/10 (20 November 2009)

This movie, and the series as a whole, seems to be very polarizing. Many have an opinion before even viewing the movie, and this bias is difficult to shake.
Compared to the first "Twilight" film, though, I would argue that "New Moon" is definitely an improvement. The dialogue flows much more smoothly, and has funny moments (Jessica's rant being one of my favorites), which lightens the tone of the film and balances it nicely with the darker elements. I felt Kristen Stewart's performance improved in this film as well (very possibly due to the direction), and I was pleasantly surprised with Taylor Lautner's portrayal of Jacob, which I was initially skeptical about. The special effects were done quite well, and Chris Weitz's artful direction was evident. It was beautifully shot. The scenes in Italy are lush and interesting to watch.
I do agree, however, with others who felt the film moved a bit slowly at times. Sometimes the pace felt off. I think this may due to the effort in sticking with the book. The director had to balance making a great movie with pleasing the fans of the book, and I'm not sure those two things always mesh. Most crucial scenes from the book were included in the movie, though I can certainly see how someone not familiar with the book (or didn't like the book) might be bored.
Yes, this is a film that primarily females will like (the male eye candy--in a nice reversal from the usual female sexual objects in films--does play a part of that). However, appealing to a female audience doesn't make it inherently bad, as some seem to think. I recommend anyone going to see this movie to try and keep an open mind, especially if you're not a fan. (We all know fans will love it no matter what.) Let go of any pre-conceived notions you may have about Twilight, and enjoy "New Moon" for what it is--a moody, sometimes humorous, sometimes suspenseful romance, and try and enjoy the ride.