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Official Trailer (HD)

Early Thoughts & Opinions

 
OMG TWILIGHT! [shrilly girl scream] Although this franchise may be way over-hyped and full of bandwagon fans, Catherine Hardwicke (director of Lords of Dogtown) sucked me in and Chris Weitz (director of The Golden Compass) is certainly a good enough reason to stay! Initially, I was thrown off by the differences in cinematography between New Moon and Twilight, but once I heard about the transition in the novels from a few readers it became more clear. I can’t say that I agree with Summit’s decision to replace most of the original crew, but it pretty much happens with every franchise and Harry Potter seems to be excelling so I’m optimistic. Fans will still get the original cast plus tons of new talent like Dakota Fanning, and with the huge sellouts i’m seeing at the box office already, I think this film will be a monster hit!

My Review

Before anyone attacks me for not giving straight 5’s down the board, I want to say that I spent more time staring at this critique than with any other film that I’ve done because I realize that I have to be as non-judgmental and open-minded to all aspects of this film and story as possible regardless of how myself or others may feel about the franchise. So, after very careful consideration and an isolated comparison with the first Twilight installment this is my verdict.

I didn’t read the books so I cannot judge the story or its authenticity with the film, but I can judge this film as I would any other through an extensive critique. Chris Weitz’s The Golden Compass may have won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects 2008, but I was not impressed at all by the effects of New Moon! Tippett Studios is no Rhythm & Hues when it comes to creature creation. Although I have a feeling that I’ll be biting my tongue when I later watch this film in Blu-Ray, I just wasn’t feeling the realism at times. However, even though the wolves were simply okay on screen, the sound effects were awesome and really helped to complete the scene! The worst part for me was really when Bella was struggling to survive the crashing waves after the cliff jump (not a spoiler, it’s in the trailer.) That was some of the worst use of green screen I’ve seen since Die Another Day.

Besides the VFX, I guess I just didn’t think the score & soundtrack held up. In my opinion, Weitz played it safe and set a basic monotone rather than an edgy mood like Hardwicke’s Twilight. So far, I have yet to get any specific opinions of diehard fans, but as a newcomer to the series, I found the first film more enjoyable overall. New Moon seemed to be more of a tease than a significant piece of the story. Much like a typical television series, it starts and ends with the characters pretty much back where they started. I would still recommend this film to anyone who liked Twilight because I know that they will probably see it regardless of anyone’s opinion, and they should. No matter what you decide about the film, it will at least hold you over until the next installment (Eclipse.) I’m only inferring that if you’re not an avid reader it may just not live up to the hype.

I would love to discuss this film in more detail, but I just don’t have the space so please leave any comments you have about this Critique & Review and I would be more than happy to discuss your thoughts and opinions.

My Critique
Film Characteristics
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Theater Worthy?:
Compared to Twilight
Direction:
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Overall Rating
Average:
*Critique Ver 3.1