Slightly Disappointing

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2009)

As a huge fan of the books and the first Twilight film I waited with baited breath for the release of New Moon, only to be slightly disappointed.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the film but I personally felt that it lacked on the emotions side. I have a tendency to cry at everything and when I didn’t cry when Edward (the lush Robert Pattinson) left Bella (teen sensation Kristen Stewart) I thought something was wrong. Being such an emotionally written book, I was slightly confused at why the emotional side of things didn’t come over in the film. Then I realised, it’s because it was a male director who had the say. Typically as far as guys and films go, it’s all action and no emotion, everything just black and white, there’s no grey.
The director of New Moon, Chris Weitz- Who is mostly known for his long list of producing projects, which includes all the American Pie films, did (true to his word) stay close to the book. Despite the fact that he was the director for two films I really enjoyed (About a Boy and Golden Compass) I really do feel that he didn’t do the film side of the twilight saga justice. Like I’ve said already, I’m not slating him for anything really; I just think that some decisions could have been made better by a woman. And no, I wouldn’t class myself as a feminist in any sense of the word (not say feminist are bad in any way). So this idea that I bare is not because I’m ‘doing it for the girls’. My reasoning is this;
I truly believe that Catherine Hardwicke (the director of the first of the twilight saga) should have been the director for the entire saga, after all consistency is the key. I mean god look at Mission Impossible (all six million of them) it’s practically the same thing in every movie. Okay maybe consistency to that extent is a little excessive, but you get my point. The first film: Twilight sets a bar. A bar that pushed my expectations and everyone else’s real high. I suppose that’s what happens when a film ticks all the boxes. The music was fantastic, the acting superb and directing brilliant. Slightly Disappointing In light of all this I came to the conclusion that, although I’ve excitedly awaited New Moon like the rest of you crazy Twilighters, I feel slightly disappointed. The music for instance, did not leave a lot to be desired, unlike the first film. I’m going to give the music another go, to make sure I’m not just dismissing it. The lack of emotion really bugged me, again in comparison, the first film took us on Bella’s journey, we as an audience lived and felt what she felt. Whereas New Moon feels as though we are just watching and standing on the side lines. The only part of the film that made my heart race was the intense fight scene in Italy, and again I as a watcher didn’t feel Bella’s pain, I just felt as though I was watching an action movie.
The acting was brilliant and I loved the new cast members (little Dakota Fanning!!), and the film over all looked great.