In “New Moon” we find Bella, its brooding heroine away from her depressive fanged boyfriend and pushed into the paws of a werewolf hunk. Talk about getting caught between a goth and a jock. This second installment of Meyer’s “Twighlight” series focuses on the emotions of 18 year old Bella, who struggles with her love for the undead.
Following her ill-fated 18th birthday party, Bella’s family abandon the town of Forks, Washington. Distarught, Bella sleepwalks through her senior year of high school and she discovers Edward’s image materializes she puts herself in jeopardy. Help soon comes in the form of Native American dream boy Jake Black. Together, they refurbish an old motorbike to help Bella with her adventures.
Soon, however, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edward’s true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved. Bella engages in several desperate acts that leave her torn between Edward’s far-reaching grasp and Jake’s big bad biceps.
Ok, so Jacob is a big bad wolf as well. If this is a surprise for you, then you haven’t been reading the books as all Twighlighters have done. Besides, haven’t you been watching all the trailers? The beast, so to speak is already out of the bag. So, to help those who haven’t been indoctrinated, here goes: “New Moon” is the second installment where Bella, a dazed, confused, moody, (translation: a teen) girl, and Edward, a smoldering teen-throb vampire, swear true and chaste love (what’s up with that?).
Deep inside, Bella is longing to go all the way. But that would mean undeath. So what does Edward do? He abandons her in a supreme act of self-control. Bad move. Leave a girl in such an emotional state and it is only a matter of time when another with a penis comes along to woo her. Then it’s on to dick fencing. See how messy this turns out? The devastated Bella re-bonds with Jacob during a couple of motorcycle rides without helmets. Cheap thrills. While all of that his happening, Edward heads to Italy to conduct Vampire business and runs into a few interesting characters. All grown up now, Dakota Fanning is looking hot as Jane the pain-inflicter.
Of course, Edward soon reappears, and the action is pulled into the royal Italian council (Volturi). But the movie never wavers from the fact that Bella’s experience is the hub for the entire film. It really can’t as many characters are degrees of separation away from each other, and everything goes through Bella. Edward’s presence may have been diminished since the last installment, but fear not, as he appears in a cliffhanger that ultimately sets up the next episode.
Chris Weitz directs from a script by Melissa Rosenberg. Weitz gave the whole thing a look in which the near-constant rain reflects Bella’s internal turmoil. Next up: Eclipse.
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