A Beautiful Adaption - Yes, it is an ADAPTION.

Rating: 6/10 (20 November 2009)

So, I am an avid fan of the Twilight Saga. I admit it is not high quality. I admit the books are poor quality. Yet, I still love it - I love the characters, the story, the romance.
I waited with ridiculous expectation for New Moon, and my high expectations were mostly rewarded. New Moon is a weak book overall, and I thought the film did an excellent job making it appealing.
The good: - The plot was well interpreted. Reviewers claim the film is 'boring', but I considered it to move along at a ripping, exciting pace. Much of the plot was crammed in, kind of like a checklist - but this did not detract, it enhanced. All the necessary elements were included and polished, and the weaker details were ignored - Overall, the cinematography was impressive and occasionally quite artistic - Special effects, particular the werewolf transformations, were very good - a HUGE improvement from the first movie (which is quite abysmal) - Kristen Stewart's acting had improved dramatically, even if I still dislike her acting style. She portrayed the pain and numbness of Bella's character quite well. - The Italy scene was almost entirely how I pictured it: Sweeping, melodramatic and intense - All additions were impressive: The wolf pack, and Volturi (particularly the gorgeously scary Dakota Fanning) - Stand out actors were Billy Burke, Taylor Lautner, Chaske Spencer and the humans in general, who added some nice comic relief. Oh Anna Kendrick, what beautiful zombie ad-libbing. - The gorgeous Ashley Greene as Alice - The ending make me smile - The soundtrack was beautiful, particularly the use of Anya Marina's Satellite Heart, Bon Iver's Roslyn and Lykke Li's Possibility. Perfection.
The bad: - Kristen Stewart still manages to stutter and blink more than what is normal for a human - Bella's initial escapades in Port Angeles - really? REALLY? - Removal of a few minimal key moments, such as a few lines spoken by Edward in the book which could have been included - Cheesy dialogue - 'you're like your own sun'. Let alone pointing out Lautner's biceps. Don't worry, we noticed them already. - Alice's horrible vision. A nice idea, badly shown.
All the bad points are very nit-picky points, so they can be disregarded if you desire.
If you love the book and the series, you should enjoy the film. Chris Weitz has elevated the Saga to new levels of quality, and is a huge improvement on Hardwicke's initial disasters.
If you haven't read the books - see the film, ignore the critics, and make up your own mind. I think it's worth it. It's not genius, but it's entertaining, devastating, melodramatic and romantic. What's not to love?