The Twilight love triangle is first introduced in "New Moon." (Flickr/Hey Kisty)
Remember last year, when we went to see the midnight premiere of “Twilight,” and we told you it was really good? Yeah, that was a lie. We were in the midst of reading the books, and we were drinking the Twilight juice back then. Consider this an official apology.
“Twilight” is a subpar film version of the first book in a well-constructed series; but “New Moon” is everything that “Twilight” was not. “New Moon” is a decent movie, and it’s a sign of good things to come for the next three Twilight movies (you heard right– three more movies). Unlike other film franchises, the Twilight Saga is literally that; a story that builds as the books continue, and a story that will only be completely told through all five movies. Each book is not a stand-alone adventure; rather, each adventure builds until the very end of the story is hardly recognizable from the very beginning. This makes “New Moon” an important puzzle piece for building tension and developing the story, and it does both well.
The movie opens with Bella’s 18th birthday and the start of her senior year in high school, two things she’s unhappy about. How can she continue to get older, with Edward eternally stuck at 17? A Cullen birthday party full of gifts is well-intentioned, but when Bella gets a paper cut on some wrapping paper, Jasper cannot control his thirst and lunges at her. Edward restrains his brother before anything really goes wrong, but the next day, he breaks up with Bella seemingly out of the blue. She’s suspicious Edward is torn up over the Jasper incident, but Edward insists it isn’t that– it’s really just over between them. He makes her promise not to be reckless, and then vanishes permanently; devastation sets in quickly for Bella.
Three months of nightmares and loneliness almost break Bella, but a surprising newfound interest in motorcycles leads her to Jacob Black’s door just in the nick of time. The pair become fast best friends, and maybe even something more. But all the while Bella cannot forget Edward, and hallucinations of her former love haunt her. (And we won’t give it away, but somewhere down the line, werewolves come into play here too.)
The most important thing about “New Moon,” both for the story and for women of all ages, is the promotion of Jacob Black from a minor character to a major player. Although we saw Taylor Lautner in the first movie, he was a kid– not just physically, but also in Bella’s eyes. In “New Moon,” Lautner earns his keep in the Twilight franchise, both with a ridiculous body (that should not belong to a 17-year-old) and in his scenes; his acting is believable and he brings a necessary likability to Jacob that might in some ways actually be absent from the book. (Lautner even gained 30 pounds of muscle and reauditioned for his role; that’s how different his character was supposed to be from the first book to the second, and he made it a reality in order to keep his job.) Jacob rescues Bella when Edward has abandoned her, and this will forever change the course of her story.
The second most important thing about “New Moon” is that it is leagues and bounds better than “Twilight.” Although screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg stayed consistent for both flicks, the studio fired “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke and brought in Chris Weitz, whose past credits include “American Pie,” “About a Boy” and “The Golden Compass.” Weitz gives the sequel a completely different feel than the first film; although it’s still essentially a teenage movie, the cheese factor has been dialed way down. If you saw “Twilight” in the theater, chances are the audience was laughing throughout at moments that were not intended to be funny, but with “New Moon,” serious moments actually come off serious. Weitz clearly knows how to appeal to his audience without treating them like they’re idiots– or five years old, for that matter.
Robert Pattison’s (Edward) acting has particularly improved too, making his character more believable and bringing up the overall credibility of the series at the same time. Michael Sheen as Aro of the Volturi vampire leadership is excellent; coming off of his role as David Frost in 2008′s “Frost/Nixon,” he easily shows his versatility. And so does Dakota Fanning. At just 15 years old, Fanning has long since earned her stripes in the acting world, and her appearance as the diabolical Jane, albeit minor in this chapter of the epic, also promises for better movies and even more believability as the films progress.
Even for nonfans, “New Moon” will be a bearable movie. You might not understand every character’s specific place as many establishing details are implied and not explained, but you’ll easily pick up on the importance of Jacob’s character and what he could mean for the Twilight series. And he’s crazy beautiful to look at, which never hurts.
And all of this coming from someone who hated Jacob Black through all four books, so you know you can trust me on this one.
