The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

Directed by: Chris Weitz | 121 minutes | drama, adventure, romance, fantasy | Actors: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Ashley Greene, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Bronson Pelletier, Alex Meraz, Kiowa Gordon, Billy Burke, Chaske Spencer, Edi Gathegi, Rachelle Lefevre, Michael Sheen, Christopher Heyerdahl, Charlie Bewley, Daniel Cudmore, Dakota Fanning, Graham Greene, Anna Kendrick, Michael Welch, Christian Serratos, Gil Birmingham, Tinsel Korey, Noot Seear, Tyson Houseman, Cameron Bright, Justine Wachsberger, Jamie Campbell Bower, Justin Chon, Hugo Steele

What could be better for a teenage girl than being lusted after by a handsome, mysterious, dangerous man? Be desired by two handsome, mysterious, dangerous men! You have to hand it to the Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer: she knows her target group like the back of her hand and in ‘New Moon’ she is catered for. Two worshipers for the price of one; for swooning fans, it’s a luxury issue, but Bella has a hard time dealing with it. Will she stay loyal to the enchanting but absent Edward or will she pick eggs for her money in the form of Jacob, the childhood friend with whom it is so nice to snuggle? And what if it turns out that he isn’t as cuddly as he seems? She also seeks them out, that Bella, with a vampire as a lover and a werewolf as a best friend.

Just like ‘Twilight’, ‘New Moon’ works well as a youth drama. As befits a teenager, Bella goes through a rough patch when Edward leaves her. The tragedy is overblown thanks to Robert Pattinson’s pained gaze and Kristen Stewart’s sure-footed teenage manners, but before the misery reaches the irritating limit, the much sunnier and more accessible Jacob (a fun role by Taylor Lautner) gives the story a welcome boost. Actually, the relationship between Bella and Jacob is much more interesting than the relationship between Bella and Edward. “Sometimes you have to learn to love things that are good for you,” Bella’s father remarks when she returns refreshed from an afternoon of motorcycle jobs. But then again, for a young girl, warm friendship pales in comparison to everything scorching passion.

As a horror spectacle ‘New Moon’ does not turn out so well. The two storylines that are supposed to provide the film with blood both bleed to death. The first revolves around the vampire Victoria, who seeks revenge after the death of her life partner. The scene in which she is chased by Jacob and his companions is a picture, with that dancing red head of hair against that green spruce landscape, but the werewolf effects are disappointing, the twists and turns are sought and it doesn’t get really exciting. This also applies to the storyline around Edward, who after a weak bit of confusion of tongues gets so upset that he wants to be executed by a vampire tribunal. This Volturi doesn’t pose any threat due to the unfortunate casting, and the attempt to introduce an Anne Rice-esque mythology is really just a distraction.

However, the normally rather passive Bella now finally gets the chance to step into the breach for her beloved. However, it takes tricks such as a broken cell phone to chase her into the plane and they arouse annoyance. People are not averse to tricks in ‘New Moon’ anyway. Lautner gained 15 pounds of muscle for his werewolf role, which may explain why Jacob Bella graciously offers his t-shirt as a swab for the bleeding. Where do you find them, such men? In Forks, Washington apparently. The men of Jacob’s Indian tribe prefer to leave the chest uncovered, even when the rain falls from the sky in thick drops. Werewolves have a higher body temperature. We also like one, but when you hear all the ladies in the room gasping for breath, you have to admit that those torsos on display are absolutely functional.

It must be strange if ‘New Moon’ is not to be as successful as ‘Twilight’. All the ingredients are there: a lot of unfulfilled desire, a touch of danger, a touch of humor, the natural beauty of North America (teenage girls can take the term natural beauty broadly) and three protagonists who look nice on a t-shirt. Not bad if you’re a real fan, but for less seasoned Twi-hards, there’s nothing new under the moon.