Oh, come ON, you guys...

Rating: 7/10 (26 November 2009)

First of all, anyone who posted a comment saying that Catherine Hardwicke should have directed New Moon needs to watch Twilight again and/or see any interview of her. She had ZERO personality. Weitz did a MUCH BETTER job directing. We all know that Stewart and Pattinson definitely need to work on their acting skills, and it's thanks to Weitz that their acting was passable enough to satisfy most fans for this movie.
Also, you have to understand that this movie was made FOR THE FANS. Contrary to what some people may believe, the movie actually followed the book very well, even better than it's predecessor, Twilight. For those of you complaining that the Cullens didn't make enough of an appearance, to change that would be a significant deviation from the book. Also, fans are going to like the books better, period. Meyer is no Rowling, but you can't deny that her books have provided entertainment for MILLIONS of people. That's saying something.
Personally, I'm a fan of the books. I'm not completely sold on Bella's obsessive personality, but the books were entertaining. So far, the movies have done a far better job at following their book counterparts, unlike other films released this year (i.e. My Sister's Keeper - a complete deviation from Picoult's heart-wrenching story).
But back to the film. The transitions were significantly better than in Twilight, which was choppy. The acting (mostly on Stewart and Pattinson's parts) was still not the best, but it was undeniably improved. Also, the casting was excellent (aside from Bella and Edward). The Cullens very much fit the part, as did the Volturi and the Quileutes. The score was richer, and the soundtrack was also excellent. The ending also set up well for Eclipse.
All I have to say is that I enjoyed the film. Of course it wasn't the best film ever, but neither did I expect it to be. It was made for fans, who on the most part enjoyed it. Give credit where credit is due, and don't let your opinion of this cultural phenomenon be affected by lofty comparisons that are out of place.