Film Review
Director: Chris Weitz
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Rating: ***
Unlike Twilight, whose tight screenplay and passionate romance didn’t allow much time to ponder on the trivial potholes that the film possibly had, the sequel easily gives you enough scope for scrutiny. The Twilight Saga: New Moon undoubtedly has more action to offer and elements in terms of story development but lacks the pace of its predecessor and somewhere the intensity too. But at the same time, along with the drawbacks, it does have areas where it scores above the first part, especially in the visuals’ department.
So we are back to Forks where Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her 108-year-old vampire boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson) are ‘flying’ around in the forests, giving their love story a new dimension. Until Edward and his family decide to leave the place forever in order to ensure Bella’s safety. They want to protect her from their own recurring thirst for human blood, which emerges everytime Bella cuts her finger or hurts herself by accident. Hence, dismissing Bella’s constant pleads of changing her into a vampire, Edward walks away stating that she isn’t good for him and that she will never see him again. That is the first instance, which gives you a hint of the melodrama that’s about to unfold in the rest of this romantic-fantasy saga.
Bella but naturally goes into depression with Edward’s sudden move and spends months sitting by the window, seeing the weather change. Her loneliness finds solace in Jacob’s (Taylor Lautner) company, who turns out to be a werewolf from the Quileute tribe. So while the first part dealt with Edward’s history and origin, this pretty much touches upon Jacob’s. But this cinematic version of Twilight’s sequel doesn’t really explore any concrete romantic relationship between Bella and Jacob even though it was meant to. The sparks are evident whenever Bella and Jacob are in the same frame but there are no significant moments that portray their chemistry or relationship in a justifiable manner.
Hence, you are amused when Bella asks Jacob not to break-up with her and wonder what was there in the first place between them to probably break off? Their relationship is so hurried that their separation hardly generates any sympathy. Except for the scene where Jacob begs Bella to stay back --- your heart really goes out to him at that moment. What is perhaps a fascinating angle to this part is the rivalry between vampires and werewolves and how Bella is stuck between Edward and Jacob due to that. Also, there is an interesting role reversal as Jacob efficiently slips into Edward’s shoes to protect Bella in this part.
As for the performances, it is only Taylor Lautner, who wins you over with his ruggish looks and a crackling body. His oomph factor beats Stewart and Pattinson’s draggish acts. He surely has an upper hand over Pattinson in this one, who doesn’t seem to be in his element at all. And also, since the latter has a brief role, Lautner is definitely the hero here. The Twilight Saga… is strictly for those who are either hardcore fans of the series or then are willing to revisit their teenage phase of ‘attraction’ through this fairytale, devoid of any rational premise!
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