The Sequel Without Fangs Still Sucks You Into Its Fantasy

Rating: 10/10 (8 July 2010)

The suspenseful "Twilight" sequel "New Moon" picks up where the original film concluded with Bella still begging Edward to change her into a vampire. Like any worthwhile sequel, "New Moon" develops the complications that our hero and heroine face and provides deeper insight not available within the narrative confines of "Twilight." Poor sequels replicate originals as if to prove that their predecessors weren't flukes. Good sequels broaden their narrative base, depict characters in more facets, and ultimately surpass the original in overall concept. "New Moon" succeeds splendidly in all respects. The werewolf transformations that occur in the second half-hour bolster the supernatural elements because an individual shape-shifts into a gigantic wolf as they leap into the air. What the werewolves lack in urbanity compared with the vampires, they make up for with their larger-than-life size and ferocity. Of course, nothing in "New Moon" should induce nightmares and paranoia in the real world because the filmmakers keep everything PG-13 mellow. You never get a glimpse of vampire fangs. Furthermore, the werewolves are more majestic than terrifying. "The Golden Compass" director Chris Weitz and "Step Up" scenarist Melissa Rosenberg introduce the equivalent of the vampire Supreme Court in this installment. According to protagonist Edward Cullen, the Volturi lay down the law for vampires. Chiefly, a vampire may face death at the hands of the Volturi for failing to keep their existence a secret. "We don't make spectacles of ourselves," Edward explains to Bella, "and we don't kill conspicuously." Like most sequels, characters that appeared in the first one bite the dust in this one. You'll find out soon enough who goes bye bye.
"New Moon" dwells on the themes of death, old age, and suicide. Bella is desperate to become a vampire, but Edward resists her pleas to change her. The greatest character growth in the franchise occurs when Jacob (Taylor Lautner) changes from a harmless kid to Mr. Hunk. While "Twilight" concerned an interspecies romance between a female human and a male vampire, "New Moon" takes the relationship to a different place. The hero and heroine lose each other in a sense, but Bella is inconsolable with grief when Edward abandons her for her own good. Consequently, she behaves recklessly until she learns the truth about Edward. Vampire movie buffs may turn their collective noses up in contempt for this soft vampire epic. Again, the vampires never bare their fangs and they don't sleep in coffins. Indeed, "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer follows the Bela Lugosi vampire formula. All the vampires look young, sexy, and craving to crunch neck. They aren't worried about anybody remotely resembling Van Helsing. Moreover, "New Moon" is basically a status quo values movie. As much as Bella yearns to be changed, most of the characters--especially the vampires--don't think that she should. In other respects, "New Moon" is entirely predictable in terms of romantic melodrama. Young love flourished in the first one, but it came with a price. Young love curdles in the sequel. Think of "Twilight" as gal gets guy and guy gets gal. "New Moon" strains the relationship and it's gal loses guy and guy loses gal.