Twirlit Movie Review…In “New Moon,” Love is a Battlefield

By Kat Ahn on November 20th, 2009

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Disclaimer: No, I did not read the “Twilight” or “New Moon” books and am just basing my review on watching the feature films that were produced by Summit Entertainment and star the ever-popular Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Just FYI for all you Twi-hards out there. There are a few spoilers below…WARNING

I was not one of the original Twi-hards that helped Summit Entertainment make $70.5 million during the opening weekend of Catherine Hardwicke’s “Twilight,” movie that was based on Stephanie Meyer’s beloved book series. Instead, I came home one Friday night after a long night of vodka tonics and proceeded to watch the “Twilight,” DVD about five times in a row. No, I’m not kidding.

Was it the haunting stares between Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart,) as well as the gorgeously thick sexual tension between the two photogenic teenagers? Or was it the fact that their unrequited love represents that one person(s) in your life that you knew that you could never have even if those feelings were present?

In “New Moon,” director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, The Golden Compass) takes the rein and focuses on the story between emotionally broken Bella and the suddenly uber-buff Jacob (Taylor Lautner) who has his own hairy secret that he’s keeping from his lady love. While watching the scene in which brooding Edward breaks up with Bella, seemingly for good, my own heart stopped a bit as I remembered what it was like when my own first true relationship crumbled. You know, that one that had you dreaming about weddings, happiness, and eternal bliss. And then the world came crashing down.

Jacob is the nice guy who nurses Bella back to health by being her friend, even though he wants more. And each time Bella rebuffed him, I wanted to shake her and say, “Why don’t you just go for the guy who doesn’t screw you over…even if you’re obsessed with Edward. I get that he’s hot, sultry, and eternally 17, but Jacob saved your life, cared for you when Edward left you in the forest, and will do anything for you.”

TEAM JACOB.

The movie delves into what happens when you allow your love for another person to become greater than yourself or your own self-worth. And what if the love of your life breaks your heart — does time stop or do you just stop living? It’s 2010 and our heroine, Bella Swan, is seemingly pulled in various directions by the whims of either Edward or Jacob. I kept rooting for her to be pro-active and make the right choice and choose the guy who would be good to her instead of the one who kept breaking her heart. I’m not blaming her character, but when she finally got the chance to make a pro-active decision that would bring her closer to her ultimate love, Bella didn’t even make him work for an apology. It was as if all those months of heartache had never happened.

Is this what we all do in love and relationships for that one person that we’re crazy for? No matter how much they stamp on your heart or break promises, you take them back … just because. I guess that’s the eternal wonder, mystery, and frightening power about that thing called love.

No matter what you may think about love, I’m pretty sure that you’ll enjoy this movie, especially if you’re into love triangles between vampires and werewolves.

For further analysis, check out what our KIDGLUE editor thinks of “New Moon.”