Twilight – New Moon

 
Let’s pretend it’s still possible to speak rationally about this movie.

I just got back from viewing New Moon with the world’s leading Twilight experts: my 13 yr old daughter and her friends.  If you go, I recommend going with them.  You’ll need them to explain the dialogue (I know teenagers mumble a bit in real life but the characters in this movie make it an art form).  And the raging debate in the car on the way home is fascinating and instructive (the most burning question: did Bella kiss Jacob or not?!?!?!   My answer: lips touched.  It was a kiss).

Ok, here’s the deal:

The good: Um, the cast is very pretty.  And there’s some clever lines where you might find yourself laughing.  The special effects are good (especially compared with the first movie) but not great–the wolves look a bit fake.  The main actors are, once again, quite believable and do a creditable job in what is (let’s face it) a really difficult task to pull off.

The bad: The plot is generally non-existent or completely un-buyable unless you’re 13 or on drugs (or both).  There are a couple of scenes which are meant to be serious but end up being laugh-out-loud mawkish (look for the flash-forward scene in the second reel where Bella and Edward are running in slow motion together through the forest–what the hell are those outfits?).  I thought the music would be good, but it really wasn’t much of a factor.

The worst part: The pacing. In places, this movie drags like a bum with his last cigarette.

The bottom line:  Despite its flaws, it’s still a relatively inoffensive and mildly entertaining way to spend a couple of hours. If you or your family members are fans of the books, you’re probably going to see this movie regardless of what I say. If not, you’re probably not going to get it, so stay home.