New Moon: A Review

First of all, let me say how much I adored the books. The entire series kept me engaged late into the night for seven consecutive days, which says a lot when you have a house and a business to run, three kids, school, a schedule, and, well, you have to eat, but I'll say it again, New Moon was almost as disappointing as Twilight. While the special effects were much better this round, which is what I believed held back Twilight's potential due to a small budget, I'm now rethinking it to be a casting issue.

Simply put, Kristen Stewart cannot act. I believe that she's taking this entire experience for granted and it's coming across in her performance as Bella Swan. She's great in Panic Room before she was the Twilight mega star. As Bella, there is no life in her eyes, she breathes heavily for no reason, and in the most heart wrenching of scenes (ie: "Can I ask one thing? Kiss me.") she lacks some severe passion. Robert Pattison at least has it in his eyes (and is extremely pretty to look at), but he also lacks in the passion department, perhaps as a reaction to Kristen Stewart. The pair together have failed to ignite in me what the written couple had. With the book, I felt the pain, the longing, the desperate, the love; all of it deeply, but nothing in the film comes even remotely close to igniting a spark of those emotions in the theater seats. It's sad really.

The overacting award goes to Jamie Campbell Bower for playing lackey Volturri vamp, Caius and the person who didn't live up to media hype was definitely Dakota Fanning; Jane is much more intense and intimidating than a cute 15 year old girl.

Taylor Lautner, however, despite being absolutely h.o.t., is a fantastic Jacob. I don't disagree with this casting decision. He's boyish, strong, and passionate right on cue. I love how you can see that he's trying to stay calm, to not morph, when Bella shows up at his house right after he's changed. I had completely forgotten that anger is what caused them to morph, until they were standing in the rain and he was telling her to leave; I saw his entire being in character. Major kudos to Taylor for bringing it!

Kudos also to go the eternally adorable Ashely Greene for her portrayal of Alice Cullen and to Billy Burke for an ever so hysterical performance of bachelor dad, Charlie Swan. And, of course, Michael Sheen made an amazingly creepy Aro. I can't wait for Eclipse just to see what Mr. Sheen does with his character.

In comparison to Twilight, it was miles better, but it still wasn't good enough. As a stand alone film, it was just okay. So, while I'm not looking for or wanting those two hours back, I certainly wouldn't spend them or the $9.75 on New Moon again. But if you're going to ask if I am going to see Eclipse? I respond with, is Taylor Lautner hot?