Not groundbreaking, but enjoyable and moving

Rating: 8/10 (23 November 2009)

Movies are not created for the same audiences, motivations, or aims. This film was not intended to win any Oscars or to shatter somebody's world view. If you read the books, you'll understand that there's really no way it could without fundamentally changing their tone or message.
Still, it serves its purpose delightfully. The scenery and cinematography is rich and colorful. The score and soundtrack are beautiful, as they were in the last film, and I found myself remarking on the sound effects because of how pleasantly surprised I was (the wolves' growls in particular); they added immensely to the feel of the movie.
For those that claim that this movie was only unintentionally entertaining, I doubt that they fully comprehend its intent. There were some seriously hilarious moments, both played straight ("You're 100 years older than me. That's gross.") and tongue-in-cheek ("Ow, paper cut!").
The acting was perfect for its purpose: not overly realistic, no, but dramatic enough to tell such an emotional and indulgent story. Would normal people behave like the girl Kristen Stewart portrayed? No, probably not. But *Bella* would (and did in the novels), and she's a perfect complement for both the melodramatic Edward and the brooding, lovestruck Jacob.
Anyway, if you're looking for something that makes a poignant comment on the state of the world, you won't find it here. If you're looking for an indulgent popcorn feature to make you giggle, cry, and pine after cute boys, you will likely be very pleasantly surprised. There's a reason it had the third-highest opening gross of all time: it offers people a pleasant escape from reality that many of us could use these days.