The Twilight Saga: New Moon premiered Friday after months of unprecedented hype. In the end, a solid picture delivered as advertised and almost lived up to it.
Having been a part of box office history, we've got our New Moon review for you here. Tell us what you thought of the film by commenting and voting in our poll!
As is our custom with The Hills, The City, The Bachelor and Bachelorette, the THG staff reviews New Moon, awarding and deducting points as we see fit ...
The feel of the movie is better than Twilight ... the scenery a bit less bleak, the vampires less pale. There's even some sun in the Italy scenes! Plus 2.
Edward leaves Bella after a birthday paper cut nearly gets her eaten. Minus 10. We knew it was coming, but thanks a lot, Jasper, for what resulted in a movie almost entirely devoid of Robert Pattinson. Control your urges next time, jerk.
Listening to the majority-female audience erupt at the first glimpse of Taylor Lautner shirtless - when Bella wrecks the motorcycle and Jacob dispatches of his shirt to stop the bleeding - was a scene out of a movie ... at a movie. Plus 19.
In Twilight, Kristin Stewart was great as Bella discovered love and grappled with its forbidden nature. In New Moon, she just kinda stares a lot. Minus 5.
Edward: "You gave me everything just by breathing." Swoon. Plus 4.
Jacob, on how his wolf pals in all their shirtless, homoerotic roughhousing glory must look to an outsider: "It's not a lifestyle choice." LOL. Plus 3.
Bella's "visions" of Edward aren't really doing it for us. For a teenager, this guy seems awfully lifeless, like even he can't believe he's doing this. Minus only 2, though, because it's better than no Edward, and he is 104 years old after all.
Plus 3 for the convincingly bad ass werewolf special effects!
We know it's a four-part saga, but New Moon is the ultimate Team Jacob show. Unlike brooding Edward, Jake has a wicked sense of humor that adds a new element to the sexual tension smoldering just beneath the surface with Bella. Plus 7.
Bella's dad: "Love who is good for you." If only, Charlie Swan. If only. Minus 1.
Mixed reviews on these Volturi peeps. Some are hard to take seriously, but the lead guy is evil and Dakota Fanning creepily sadistic as hell. So ... Even.
Man, Bella wants to be bitten so hard. When she gets on an plane to rescue her lover, it happens to be ... Virgin Air. Think that was intentional? Plus 2.
Edward finally figures out he was wrong to leave Bella, and slow motion, shirtless drama ensues. The theater explodes again. It's. About. Time. Plus 6.
Seven freaking months until Eclipse. Minus 1,293. But Plus 1,294 because if it's true to the books, it'll be worth the wait, and better than New Moon.
TOTAL: +29! In some ways a letdown because its most popular star plays a supporting role at most, New Moon is at the same time sexier, darker and funnier than Twilight. The characters are (mostly) relatable and dynamic, and the action riveting.
Its biggest flaw was the PR machine setting the bar too high. Obviously, it's all about getting people in the door, but it couldn't possibly live up to the hype - especially for what many believe was the least awesome of the four Twilight Saga books.
What did you think of New Moon?
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32 Comments
November 21st, 2009 1:13 AM
Hey New Moon stars, you have plenty of fans here in SA that justifies as visit! How about some promotion here in sunny South Africa?! The movie was better than expected and everybody in it rocked - especially Taylor's abs!
November 21st, 2009 8:31 AM
New Moon and Twilight are eurasian propatainment junk that isn't being released in America. It's eurasian, NOT American, which explains everything about the failure of its boatshit marketing campaign. Taylor Lautner is a eurasian actor, NOT an actual American. This is why Twilight never sold in America and Americans have never even heard of the thing. This is no different than the way 2012 was made by eurasians, and NOT by Americans, and was never even seen in America.
November 21st, 2009 9:18 AM
to:twilight stars
when will you visit the philippines?? where waiting to all of you....specially me...
November 21st, 2009 9:58 AM
great review! agree with almost all except kristen stewart I think is still good in this one too. i can really feel her pain throughout
November 21st, 2009 10:05 AM
Great review. It was certainly better than most critics gave it credit for.
November 21st, 2009 10:24 AM
i think new moon was amazing and alot better then twilight, i though that robert kristen and taylor were realy good :)!!!
November 21st, 2009 2:05 PM
As a fan of the books I have to say that New Moon was AWESOME!! I can't say it was the best because I have yet to see how eclipse and breaking dawn turn out, but better than Twilght "yes!". Chris Weitz did an awesome job directing and in my opinion followed the story line more closely, I woudn't oppose to him directing Breaking Dawn. And I said the movie is AWESOME!!
November 21st, 2009 2:15 PM
LOL good call on the virgin air
November 21st, 2009 3:22 PM
I really enjoyed it. I don't think it was quite as good as Twilight but I kinda expected that because the reason everyone loved Twilight was because the chemistry between Bella and Edward, without that its just a good movie. But for me it helped having Jacob in the mix too. And also cos he's hot! Haha.
I found the Virgin Air thing funny too!
November 21st, 2009 6:00 PM
I was a little disappointed after all the hype there was over the movie.
It was a little too teeny bopper for me. I'm 21 and I just found that some parts were a little cheesy. I know that Bella and Edward are supposed to be like soul mates but they're just so "Oh I love you, kiss me" like come on, honestly. LOL. I'm not usually too much of a critic, I either like the flick or don't. I DID like it, there was just a little too much in there that didn't really tickle my fancy. I was really excited and sort of let down, but I'm still pretty stoked for Eclipse, suprisingly enough.