Twilight- the madness continues

Twilight- the madness continues

With the recent release of The Vampire’s Assistant, True Blood and Daybreakers it seems the Vampire craze is set to continue its hold over the world and leading the pack is the Twilight saga. So did its second instalment, New Moon, leave us thirsty for more or running to the nearest coffin for cover?

The sheer volume of shows programmed at Storm Cinemas Naas, a total of 29 a week, not to mention the screening of the first enstalment prior to New Moon on its opening night did not prepare me for the madness I was to endure. Arriving at the cinema was surreal, hundreds of girls dressed in Twilight t- shirts were prone to screaming ‘team Edward’ or ‘team Jacob’ at a given moment and the fact that we had to queue for half an hour before entering the theatre didn’t seem to phase them one bit. Unfortunately, this was the most intriguing part of the movie experience.

One of the main faults is the extent with which the movie keeps to the original novel. The movie is slow paced and can be little enjoyed by those un- familiar with Stephanie Myers’ novels. The film is inconsistent, at one point we see Vampire Alice drive to Italy from America; the action is minimal, the entire action is confined to a single scene that looks Matrix esk and heartthrob Rob Patz is absent for most of the film apart from a few comical ‘visions’ of him thrown in to keep Twihards happy. Further, Our protagonist Bella is completely defined by her love for her Vampire Edward, which leaves the Bellla stale and lifeless. Once Edward leaves, Stuart is forced to play a one- dimensional character who does little besides mope and pout. Anyone who has had the pleasure of watching ‘Into the Wilde’ will realise that this banality is more to do with Myers’ lifeless prose than Kristen’s acting ability.

However, there are some redeemable qualities, particularly the character development of Jacob Black. Taylor Lautner comes into his own in this film, proving the directors were right to keep him on. Watch out for the scene in which he answers Edward’s phone call, adding an interesting twist.

In all, true Myers’ fans will adore this movie, not to mention those of us who like the occasional shirtless hunk, which this film is riddled with.