So the dying question is; did I find New Moon to be as diabolically bad as its predecessor? No, not by a long shot. Is it a good film? No, also by a long shot. First to the positive; as a film it’s vastly superior to the first - but only because the benchmarks were so low to begin with. Almost every aspect has been improved; the direction under Chris Weitz is infinitely better. It feels like an actual movie, rather than a cheap direct to DVD special. Visual effects are almost believable. Acting has improved. The whole film has an air of confidence about it that was completely missing from the first. Flush from the winnings from the first movie, production company Summit has pumped up the budget and it shows on the screen.

Now to the bad. With the technical details having improved somewhat, my attention is now drawn to the story itself and I must say it’s as bad as the first. It’s akin to building a mansion on quicksand; it’s fraught with danger from the start. It’s just so lacking in common sense. Why do the Werewolves keep busting out of their shirts? Why does a 109 year old vampire want to go to school? Why does the vampire Cullen family, sworn off human blood but not impervious to their desire, mix so freely with humans? That’s akin to bringing a smorgasbord of booze into an alcoholic’s anonymous meeting. As I mentioned in my previous review, whilst I do appreciate the love that these films have (and I’m all for getting the kids to appreciate books), I just can’t see the appeal. Despite this, New Moon is still mildly entertaining and if shirtless guys are your thing, you’ll be in heaven. I’m afraid it fails to do much for me.



Link: TweakTown