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Hundreds of fan girls wearing “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob” shirts flooded Spotlight Cinemas in Orono at midnight Thursday night. No fan wanted to miss out on the chance to be the first to see the sequel of the infamous “Twilight.” Audience members waited in line for hours, only to make their way through more lines and employees with walkie-talkies. After a short trivia session involving prizes, fans were finally able to see what they had been waiting for all along: “New Moon.”
The love triangle between Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, played by Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, respectively, and Jacob Black, played by Taylor Lautner, was clear and well developed. The chemistry and comfort between the whole cast was extreme, giving audience members the sense the actors were close off camera as well.
The sequel picks up where “Twilight” left off, telling the story of Bella and her encounters with vampires. It begins with a minor incident involving a papercut at her 18th birthday party hosted by the Cullens. The incident causes Edward to flee far away from Bella, leaving her alone to live the darkest times of her life alone.
One thing the “Twilight” saga is exceptional at is making even the minor characters extremely memorable. Bella’s friend Jessica, played by Portland native Anna Kendrick, had another wonderful performance in “New Moon.” She gives off the natural appeal of a real high school student, creating the perfect amount of comic relief.
Dakota Fanning stole the show as Jane, despite her minor role. Fanning, with her piercing red eyes, played one of the most dangerous vampires and had the special gift to cause excruciating pain with her mind. Fanning only had three lines, but her presence was hard to avoid. She blew away everyone else’s performance by a long shot.
The cinematography was lovely, as was the soundtrack. The mood was set right away, capturing a dark, independent feel similar to “Twilight.” The camera caught everything at angles that left the audience feeling slightly uneasy and uncomfortable, letting them identify with Bella’s feelings. The soundtrack had a parallel effect, using melancholy and hypnotizing songs from artists such as Thom Yorke, Death Cab for Cutie and The Killers.
Stephanie Meyer’s simplistic yet imaginative writing popularized the “Twilight Saga,” but Melissa Rosenberg’s screenwriting was not up to par. Cheesy one-liners and fake-sounding remarks such as “What a marshmallow” were added, making the characters seem phony at times.
Not only was the script unnatural, but so were the werewolves. They looked like something from Cartoon Network and even had the audience laughing at times, although in the book they were meant to be petrifying.
Over-dramatic acting was also in effect. The audience especially got a kick out of a particular scene when Bella was screaming and crying at the top of her lungs while she had nightmares after Edward left her. Although Jacob’s muscles were a favorite for most, it got annoying as he took off his shirt at every second possible, adding even more to the cheesiness factor. In a way, Jacob’s newfound muscles upstaged the character himself.
Although in its entirety the movie was fun and entertaining, true fans of the novel may be disappointed. The plot is still the same, but the sorrow and darkness of the book were not as clearly portrayed. In its place were un-motivated, corny lines and sight gags that lightened the true depression and sincerity of the story.
Grade: B-
