'New Moon' reviews - what are the critics saying? (AP Photo/Summit Entertainment, Kimberley French)
'New Moon' reviews - what are the critics saying? -- Now that the hype machine is winding down for publicity for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, the focus shifts away from the actors a bit and on to the ever-important audience--both fans and readers of the book by Stephenie Meyer from which the movie was adapted and professional movie critics who will judge this movie with an eye toward where it fits with the hundreds of other movies they have watched this year. So, how is New Moon, starring Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner, doing with the the professional movie critics so far?
Well, so far, not so hot. At RottenTomatoes.com, a review collector, the overall score so far is a disappointing 29% out of 100 with 115 reviews counted. The movie fares a bit better among Top Critics at 37%. Here is a sampling of their comments (click on the link at each to read the full review):
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times:
"The Twilight Saga: New Moon takes the tepid achievement of Twilight, guts it, and leaves it for undead...Since they know it all and we know all, sitting through this experience is like driving a pickup in low gear though a sullen sea of Brylcreem."
Nancy Gibbs, Time Magazine:
"Twihards will appreciate director Chris Weitz's faithfulness to the source text even as he improves on it."
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone:
"I can't comment on the acting because I didn't catch Pattinson, Stewart and Lautner doing any. They basically primp and pose through the same humdrum motions they did before."
Michael Philips, Chicago Tribune:
"Wisely New Moon brings back screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, who continues to prove she has a much better way with English than the author of the books, Stephenie Meyer."
Manohla Dargis, New York Times:
"The big tease turns into the long goodbye in The Twilight Saga: New Moon."
Ella Taylor, Village Voice:
"Alone of all the earnest players in this turgidly euphemistic melodrama, Sheen seems to grasp that the only way you can keep a straight face through this choked-up virginity is to carry it way into camp."
Claudia Puig, USA Today:
"Though an improvement over the first Twilight film, this sequel (both based on Stephenie Meyer's best-selling books) drags and sputters, even in scenes meant to be infused with passion."
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times:
"The novel demands that Bella and Edward be kept apart, robbing the movie of the crazy love that made 'Twilight' such a guilty pleasure."
Examiner.com:
What about Examiner.com reviewers? What are they saying? Check out the links below to read a sampling from around the U.S.:
Tampa Movie Examiner: 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' movie review
Virginia Beach Movie Examiner: Movie Review: 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'
Dallas Movie Examiner: Movie Review: 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'
Baltimore Movie Examiner: The Twilight Saga: New Moon movie reivew, 4.5 out of 10
The movie opened at 12:01 a.m. Friday, November 20 with many theaters hosting double-features with Twilight showing first followed by New Moon.
Critics have their say, to be sure, but audiences, in the end, have the last word on every movie, and they speak loudest through the money they put down to see a film in the box office. On that score so far, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, is rising.
*****
Comment Section: What do you think, Dear Readers? Have you seen The Twilight Saga: New Moon? If so, what did you think of it? Do the critics have it about right, or are they way off base? What did you like best? least? Let us know in the Comment Section!
See Also:
See 'New Moon' for 5 dollars with McCormick and Schick's 'Reel to Reel' promotion - contest here
Robert Pattinson of 'New Moon' suggests director Gus Van Sant for 'Breaking Dawn' (VIDEO)
'New Moon's' Kristen Stewart complimented by Jodie Foster, Sean Penn in 'New York Times'
'New Moon's Robert Pattinson on Edward Cullen, 'loyalty is one of his virtues'
'The Twilight Saga: New Moon Official Illustrated Movie Companion' - what's in it?
'The Twilight Saga: New Moon' parodied by 'New Moan'
Harvard 'Lampoon' parodies 'Twilight' with 'Nightlight'
'The Twilight Journals' by Stephenie Meyer
Young Adult Pop Culture Examiner
Connie Ann Kirk is the author of 10 books and has a Ph.D. in English. She is currently at work on a novel and a screenplay. Contact Connie at: ConnieAnnKirkOnExaminer@gmail.com. Check out her other pages as the National Literature Examiner and National Young Adult Pop Culture Examiner and visit her website.
Comments
Like driving a truck slowly through a sea of brillocream...
how about quoting some examiner's review? wink, wink.
Hey, Joe--Great idea! I've added a few links from around the country, including yours.
Thanks!
~cak
"Ebert" -- I've added the quote from the review. It is quite vivid, isn't it, unfortunately for the 'New Moon' folks and fans. Still, the box office sales might help them feel better. More on that soon.
~cak
Once you've read the books, you realize that there is nothing "Normal" or "Ordinary" about the characters in it. Each of these actors/actresses, I believe, are acting "true to their fictional character"...The story is incredible and I know the fans will throw the critic's bad reviews right out the window. After all, it only goes to show that they are "merely human" and their opinions really don't matter to the avid fan!
"Ebert" -- I've added the quote from the review. It is quite vivid, isn't it, unfortunately for the 'New Moon' folks and fans. Still, the box office sales might help them feel better. More on that soon.
~cak
I am a Twilight Fan, but i found New Moon slow and disappointing. Its a shame because the trailer promised a good film, I should have saved my money and just watched the trailer over and over. Sorry twilight fans alike, I am as p**sed off for not liking it as you will be for me dissing the movie. :/
I loved New Moon. The acting and the director are better than Twilight. It stayed as close as it could to the story, which I was happy about because I love the books.
I expected so much more from Robert, I didn't like his performance at all, sorry! But I think Taylor was great! I totally believed Jake's character, the love for Bella, everything. I think the Vulturi's scenes should have been longer... I wanted to see more from Dacotta Fanning and all of them! After all, I think the movie was pretty cool :)
I was looking soooo forward to NEW MOON, but i was soooo sad.... The Make up is way tooo much, the Vulturi's too young and too fakish looking. Unfortunately, Stewart's acting was worse then in any soap opera, no passion, i was awaiting a scream of longing for her Edward, but it was simply a bad performance. Pattinson looked so different, his Makeup too much and he tried too hard to be what he was in Twilight. The Cullens looked not like "Vampires pretending to be Humans" no more. The best part for me were the Wolves, in and out of their Human Form. I bought their stories , they were natural "acting". The Jokes in the Movie were funny but New Moon is not suppose to be a "Funny Movie"... I can only hope that the third Movie will have more of the stunning Magic the first one had. Keep it natural, less is more, and by the Way , its not just a Teenagers Movie !
The movie left out important parts of the book while adding things that were not in the book. For fans of the book, this was annoying. The new director did a terrible job and who says a movie has to be done in one year? I'd rather have it take longer and be more well done. The music from Twilight wove things together well, while there was nothing impressive with the music in this film, neither evoking emotion or anticipation. The action was so mild that no one in the theatre I was in was scared and it was basically similar to soft core porn with the slow taking off of shirts of the lead males and the bad dialogue. I know they already filmed the third, but hope they'll fix it before releasing it. They really should have stuck with the director who made Twilight such fun. I saw Twilight over 10 times... this one... probably that once was bad enough.
To my greatest dissapointment...Chris Weitz has burried all my hopes at the cemetery of the "this time fake-flowered meadow",i've even invented the meaphor((((
I also LOVED the movie, and I'm not a crazed teen. I think they did a great job bringing the book to life. Those that comment on the amount of screen time or how the actors act, need to read the book. If they had changed the things you suggest, they wouldn't have stayed true.
CONGRATULATIONS to the entire team that put this movie together. You deserve the success that the movie has achieved!
Read all 4 books. NM was least favorite. Twilight was much better!
The first director did much better. She stayed with the story. Special effects were good, but that is not what we want!!! Don't you get it? We want the love story, love story!! Edward's hair-didn't look like him-too tame!!!!! Jacob was great! If you have not read the book this movie made very little sense. I was really disappointed. Sure hope Eclipse is better. The director ruined this one! Go back to Catherine Hardwick-she's a woman who knows how to do a love story!!!! This one was too chopped up! Alice didn't even look like the waif - she had too much make-up on and didn't look right. She is adorable!! Rosalie did not look right either. Why mess up something when it is working???? Make Breaking Dawn into 2 or 3 movies. It is the most important next to Twilight. I was really really disappointed. Sorry...Not worth seeing again. Some of the music was not right for the movie either........Where's C?
Horrible movie for such a good book. The director distorted the whole movie. Who gives a crap about special effects. It was about a love story. Bella was a cold fish - hope she put a little more warmth in it on her wedding night in Eclipse. Where is Ms. Hardwick and who was the dumb sh-- who thought to change directors. Don't have to worry about me buying this one. Wouldn't waste hard earn money. The characters didn't even look like themselves except Jacob. What did they do to Edward's hair? He must have had a bad hair day during the whole movie. No one looked right. Did they change make-up artist also? Ms. Meyer you yourself must have been disappointed especially since they screwed it up royally where there was no emotion and even the music did not make sense? Whoever picked out the music must have been drunk. The music from Twilight was emotional and provoking this crap was awful. People don't waste your money - all the hype and for what..... not a love story!!!!
the first director is better than the second one , who is the idiot that replaced the woman by this guy , a guy won't know a thing about love ....and besides is Edward wearing a red lipstick !!!!
I must say I liked it however I found myself laughing through most of the movie. Not at the jokes but at some of the scenes, especially the shirtless boys. I just found it a little much. I do wish they explained more about the wolves and Bella's broken heart. The love story wasn't as believable in this one. If I hadn't read the books I would be so critical.
Most of the reviews are right, they should have stuck with the same director, please bring Hardwick back for the sake of making the rest of the movie successful.New Moon was so rushed, trying to put little bits of each chapter in the movie, when you should have made it a 3 hour flick. KStew was suppose to have a broken heart and she never shed one tear in the movie, I mean come on! The music really sucked, besides for Alexandre Desplat bit. On a scale of 1-10, this movie is a 4. They took the heart of every fan and crushed it completely!!! Even having Robert Pattinson will not make the movie any better, so to any Summit execs reading this, 99% of the folks that love Twilight Saga, is for the romance, not special effects or fight scenes. I watch Twilight over and over...I can't say I will for this one.
who ever said they stuck to the book in twilight needs to read the first book again... the first director added crap that didn't need to be there took out things that should have been, at least new moon stayed true to the novel
Robward Pattinson, .... acted like he had constipation when he delivered his lines (whatsup with that?)
Also, I thought Pattinson had MORE chemestry with Taylor Lautner than he had with his leading lady KStew (check out the ending scene with the two of them - Taylor and Rob - together).
hmmmm interesting!! lol
New moon is a great movie, who ever says otherwise is just stupid so congrats to the cast, director. I loved the movie every one who doesn't go to hell!!!
New moon was amazing my friends and I liked it so much that we say it three times to really enjoy all the little details!!!!! Congratulations guys cant wait till Eclipse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG loved it loved it loved it loved it that's all I can say! New moon is totally amazing! Must see!
Saw the movie on Friday morning, and it was AWESOME! It stayed true to the book. Thank you Kristen, Robert, Taylor, Chris and everyone for bringing the books to life.
the first movie kinda sucked this one was soooo much better. kept close to book, didn't add anything unnecessary (like twilight did) new moon included most of the book and additions were just right and ENHANCED movie and book. wish the movies would include the other characters transformations... Twilight really missed the boat with carlise's story and Alice's...lets see how the rest of them do..
Ill keep it short.......I am a HUGE fan however anyone that has seen Twilight can tell that New Moon has a new director ( who ruined the movie). I was very unhappy with it. It was slow and I agree wtih the above, we dont care about special effects. The music SUCKED and I will not be buying the soundtrack as I did with Twilight. Definately a shame
New Moon is not a bad movie, but I feel that it lacks something. I prefer the Director of the Twilight, please bring her back for "Breaking Dawn"!.
my daughter and I saw it 3x's. We loved it,and can't wait to see it again. The music did lack the magic that Twilight had,but the action scenes were what made it bearable to watch,since it is a story of love lost. I believe those who don't like this movie are those who are diehard team Edward...I am myself,but I had an open mind for the part of the story that was portrayed here. I think they did an awesome job of making it interesting and there watchable with Edward gone. I can't wait for eclipse.
I wasn't planning to see New Moon at the theater. I wanted to avoid the frenzy and wait until New Moon came out on DVD. Then a relative convinced me that I just HAD to see it right now and not wait.
I'm glad I went. The movie is quite good, but I agree with those of you who felt the loss of Catherine Hardwick. Catherine was able to embed a sense of realness into a fantastical story that I missed in New Moon.
Taylor Lautner--WOW!! He fits the part of Jacob perfectly. When I read New Moon, I feel in love with the Jacob character(My niece informs me that I am Team Jacob). I may be a little biased here, but I believe there may have been an attempt to keep Robert Pattinson in the movie as much as possible. In doing so, the whole point of the werewolves was kind of lost and even though the movie felt slow, the growing relationship between Jacob and Bella felt rushed.
But as a fan of the series, I did enjoy the movie and I am looking forward to seeing it again.
i actually really liked new moon, i liked twilight but the effects were so cheesey, i personally thought that new moon was a major improvement and i can't wait to watch it again :D
VERY DISAPPOINTED..... glad to see it of course, I was super excited... but what was up with all the CHEEZE??
The music was dry basically all the time, It evoked no feelings in me. The relationship with Bella and Jacob was rushed... & I ended up cracking up laughing more than feeling heartbroken... the last straw for me was when Edward and bella appear in Alice's vision... frolliking through the forest... what was up with it was super Cheeze...
Even the gazillion fake flowers in the meadow... why???
Yes the Movie has done so well because of High expectations... not because it was good.
The only saving part of the movie was when Bella ran through the square to save edward from revealing himself... and the dialogue between her and Edward was so intense, and a good adaption on the book. I was happy with this change!
Please no more male directors! I know Eclipse is basically done, but please no more CHEEZE.
Bring back Catherine Hardwick PLEASE.
Harsh fan critics here!! I thought the movie was great and followed the novel very well. People who talk about it being slow...um...did you actually watch Twilight? Twilight was ridiculously slow. It is supposed to be brooding and slow. I think its great. I think Catherine did the best job she could with Twilight. I also like Chris, he did a great job bringing out the special effects with keeping it in line with the love triangle. People critisizing the shirtlessness...did you read New Moon?...the guys never wore their shirts so they could phase quickly. Interesting to me how people expect line for line similiarities with a book. Not going to happen and in fact would probably be very boring in a movie. Books are different and always have been. We expect movies to move along, but expect books to detail more for us. Good Job New Moon and Good Job Chris Weitz!!
Wanted to add one more thing...my biggest disappointment was the soundtrack! It was horrible in my opinion. The music when Edward is walking toward Bella from his car...so cheesy! Too bad too, because i really like the soundtrack from Twilight. The music is my only complaint.
i liked twilight it was ok for a low budget film. but i hated the parts she added and could have used scenes from the book instead of using scenes that werent in the book.new moon was great it was by the book. chris did great bringing wolves to life.but bella and jacob time was too rushed i didnt feel like she cared about him.it was more like she used him. i liked jacobs acting but edward,bella, and alice acting was not good in new moon.i
it was amasing i was knocked off my feet! when jacob (taylor lautner) took his shirt off i almost fanted p.s. he is so hot!!!!
as a 10 year old i loved it taytay was sooo hot! 100,000,000% better looking than edward robert patinsen
have seen new moon twice know i must say i was dissapointed in the way it is filmed gone is the cold moody grey film to reveal a warm and also warm looking bella i liked the original grey moody filming and has anyone else noticed the vampires eyes have change and dont look as convincing as in the first movie but i still loved it as i have read all of the books but i wanted it to still make me feel that wierd sense of wanting to actually be in the movie and i didnt lets hope the next one is better as i want it to be so much and th love story wasnt as real this time round please please bring back grey an moody and no tan for bella she just didnt fit with edward she had lots of blusher on which made her look better for jacob make bella look dead again ha ha
i am a fan of the books yet when i went to watch the movies a similar projection was not portrayed for myself. if you rcap the movie the dilemma comes 15 mins before the movie ends. no special emphasis has been added to the breakup scene. i am a fan of the cast but not there acting skills in thismovie. pattinsons acting was painful to watch , taylors was Amateurish and kristen didnt perform too bad considering the deep depression and sad state she was portraying. i think the actors themselves dont know how to portray the charachters and cant really relate to the stories. they never expected to make all 4 movies. the fact that they painfully do it insults the book. the story is amaizing. the movie does not reflect that. its just driven by chests , abs, musles and pretty facces. did not live up to my standards nor my expectations. dissopointment .
did you see taylor take his shirt it was soo hot and not to mean but robert was ugly p.s daaaaaaaaaaaaa
im only 10 and i think taylor lautner is HOT. i was told new moon sucked but that is not true! now i call my cosin stupid for telling me that.
omg i just got finished reading eclips i hope breaking daw is good. but i have to say books are better eclips dident even come out but i still think the book is better!
I saw "New Moon",it was really awesome!But I think it would've been better if they made Bella's depression as serious in the movie like in the book.And I wished the fight in the Volturi chamber didn't happen....because it didn't.And,Bella heard Edward's voice,she never saw him.But,all in all,"New Moon" was absolutly fantastic!I loved every minute of it,even when the title was coming on!Really cool!Extra scenes or not,"New Moon" was hot!Loved it!"New Moon" has always been my favorite "Twilight Saga" book.I'll list them:New Moon,Twilight,Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.Is the order of which I liked best.Anyway....they're all so good!
New Moon was AMAZING!!!I totally loved it!!!!I can't wait for Eclipse!!!!Twilight was my fave book,though.But New Moon's second!!!!Then Breaking Dawn....then Eclipse.I didn't like Eclipse....Bella seemed sooo moody!But,I got around to her being my fave character again in Breaking Dawn!!Cause she loved Renesmee soooo much!!!!!You rock Bella!!!!
I think that jacob is really HOTT but Taylor Lautner brout alot into jacobs character....
the movie was very HORRIBLE! it was soo bad..kristen steward was over-acting too much and i didnt see the point in the movie at all. ive read all the books and they were awesome but the movies so far are very disappointing. complete utter GARBAGE!
i hated it..such a crappy movie
the guy in the movie was hot
the movie was utter garbage. it was like modern warfare 2.... too much hype and then it sucked
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