Temple Hill Entertainment, Sunswept Entertainment, Imprint Entertainment and Summit Entertainment.

Written by: Melissa Rosenberg, adapted from the novel “New Moon” by Stephenie Meyer.

Okay, honestly now. I am the first to admit that my experience in watching the “Twilight” movies may be tainted by not having read the Stephenie Meyer books these films are based on. With family and friends and friends of family all having read the books, I feel like I have read them, or at least, skimmed through them. Yet, as I was recently reminded again by a close friend, I apparently just…don’t…know. Well, yeah, maybe I don’t then.

For someone viewing the film who has not read the books, “New Moon”, the second film in the “Twilight” series, is annoying in almost every conceivable way. In fact, I am actual angered for the fans of the series, who frankly deserve a good film as a reward for their devotion to the books they so faithfully love and enjoy. Often fans of “Twilight” talk about how thrilling, romantic, and even inspiring Edward and Bella’s love and relationship is. Okay then…did anyone bother to convey that to Melissa Rosenberg, the screenwriter skilled at only adapting Stephenie Meyer’s prose into a suffocatingly slow and boring screenplay?

Look at what Rosenberg had to work with here…

A love triangle involving vampire-hating werewolf, Jacob (Taylor Lautner), buffed out to borderline illegal means (blood test anyone?), pining for Bella, who likes him – but not in that way. Bella’s conflict with Edward, who departs for virtually half, if not more, of the film. The reasoning behind Edward and his family’s departure from idyllic Forks, Washington is touched on but never fleshed out to the degree and necessity the book undoubtedly explores.

The finest moment in either film thus far comes with Edward’s sudden departure and Bella sitting in her room day after day, mourning her loss. A sad and contemplative ballad plays over the montage of seasons changing around here and for a moment, you connect and feel Bella’s pain and anguish.

And then we move on. Months of storyline and opportunity are wasted for a 3-minute sequence that encapsulates all the passion and emotion that two books, hundreds and hundreds of pages, and a few hours of film have built to. And just like that – its gone, we move on, and for those of us uninitiated and beginning to care about Bella and Edward – the rug is pulled right out from underneath us.

The utter lack of emotion and intensity on screen is the biggest complaint I have about these first two “Twilight” films. From what I can tell, the approach thus far placates the devoted followers of the books but leaves the rest of us indifferent and bored. Why Melissa Rosenberg’s screenplay never digs deeper and turns over some of the more interesting rocks gifted to her by Meyer’s series is a mystery to me. How Summit Entertainment producers and executives cannot demand more from Rosenberg and their current director of choice is in itself a mystery. Perhaps the answer comes wrapped in the hundreds of millions of dollars “Twilight” brings in for all involved. I just have to think that when Stephenie Meyer’s head hits the pillow and she’s alone in her thoughts, she’s disappointed on some level.

Needless to say, I am just confused all the way around.

After 90% of the movie is over, “New Moon” ends reasonably well with a move to Italy and the introduction of a whole host of new characters; a quasi-royal family of vampires known as The Volturi. Here, at least we see acclaimed actor Michael Sheen vamping it up and Dakota Fanning leering ominously in and around the proceedings.

I suppose the Volturi sequence and the 2-3 upgraded and visually impressive action sequences continue to lay the foundation for what’s next in the series. And you know what? After taking a giant step backward, it’s time for “Twilight” to deliver something big next time around.

Should I See It?

YES

You are a fan, plain and simple. Then again, if you are a fan – how have you not seen this yet?

Team Edward vs. Team Jacob, Bella, Alice, Dr. Cullen, the Volturi, Jane, etc. If you know of what I speak…again, how have you not seen this yet?.

You privately play the game, “If I were Bella, I would…”

NO

You disliked the first film and fail to understand all of the hype surrounding the series.

Vampires are everywhere in pop culture, largely because of this book and film series, and you find you are burned out on all things “vampire.”

If not engaged, the film is so slow and weighted down by dialogue, you simply will not make it through the 130 minute running time.