---- WARNING! SPOILER ALERT! ---
After seeing New Moon for (gasp) three times, I can safely say that not only was I completely satisfied with the movie as a fan, but that it blew me away! Here's why:
1) It was so true to the book.
Twilight was pretty straight and stayed on the book, but New Moon added little tidbits from the book that you didn't even expect! I was impressed how they managed to get the viewer into the mind of Bella - from how it was difficult for her to even say Edward's name out loud to can't believing that there are werewolves and vampires that actually exist in Forks. I think it was awesome that they included the months that Edward was gone, and I love how they did it (although it was a bit dizzy.) Those kind of little things are really important, and it's great that they didn't forget about them when making the movie.
2) Taylor nails it!
You have to admit that although Taylor Lautner is so loveable as an actor, whether he could really handle the role of Jacob in New Moon. But he really has matured physically and mentally, it seems. He delivers, and surprises even the non-believers that he is and will always be Jacob. You gotta love those cut-off shorts, too! But although his body is indeed lovely, when you're watching the movie you can really see how he is going through all these range of emotions from falling in love with Bella to being frustrated with his transformation into becoming a shapeshifter.
3) Edward, Edward, Edward!
My only complaint here is that there was not enough of Rob! Ok, ok, he wasn't really in the book that much to begin with, I know... Well my giddiness started from when he was doing his "walk" from his Volvo, but after he started reciting lines from Romeo & Juliet that's when I was like "I'm in love with him all over again! [sigh]" He did a good job in the break-up scene and the hallucination images, and I just love how he says "Heaven" when Bella saves him in Volterra, thinking that he died already. Gotta love that reunion kiss, too! But my favorite smooch was their first one in the school parking lot.
OK, all of my friends complain about Rob's body in this movie - and all I have to say is, he DID work out, ok?! He just doesn't have the body type that will allow him to really bulk up like Taylor, so I thought he looked juuuuuust fine.... Of course he won't look as lovely as Jacob, because he's supposed to be pale, not to mention they were trying to make him look gaunt, ok?!
4) Cool music montages
Twilight had the neat vampire baseball scene with Muse in the background. New Moon has an awesome Victoria chase scene with Radiohead's Thom Yorke's song playing. And I just love it! There's beautiful forest scenery, wolves and Victoria running, all put together really well with the song. Cool CG effects of their speed, too. Seeing this makes me melancholy about Rachelle not being able to play Victoria in Eclipse, though...
There is actually another song playing while Jacob & Bella's relationship progresses, and the scenes they show with it are cool, too. You basically have them tinkering in Jacob's garage, but it explains well how it helped heal Bella and how loveable Jacob is.
5) The little things
How irrelevant this is, I don't know, but did you guys just love the steam coming out of Jacob's body! It would be like pouring rain, and you see this steam rising around him, cuz his body's so hot! And of course, that would totally make sense, because wolves run around 108 degrees, right? And how he warms Bella in the truck? I just love how they included that bit about how he is like his own sun, because his body and personality are so warm. That is classic Jacob, and so important to convey to the viewer, because it's that type of quality that makes Bella fall in love with him!
OK, so now that I've built this movie up, I'll talk about what I didn't like in it. And basically, it's that there wasn't enough of certain things! I know that due to time restraints it's impossible to get everything crammed in there, but I did want more of the wolfpack in the movie! The Volturi, also! Alex barely said one line in it, along with Heidi.
But other than that, this movie did a great job of interpreting the book! It's not as exciting as Twilight, because you already know that Edward is a vampire and that he loves Bella, but the main point that needed to be covered was that Edward made a mistake by leaving her, and that it cost him by forcing her to seek refuge in the arms of Jacob. And the movie is totally about him, as it should be!
