The Twilight Saga: New Moon

(M) Sony DVD/BD

Star-crossed lovers Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Edward (Robert Pattinson) are at it again in this predictably morose continuation of the Twilight “saga” (part two of five). Undead shenanigans and teenage angst prevail as vampire Edward leaves Bella for her own safety and she begins a friendship with Jacob (Taylor Lautner) a young Quileute Indian who has his own troubles.

Believing reckless behaviour may bring Edward back, Bella embarks on an extreme sports binge, cliff jumping, totalling motorbikes and generally making odd decisions about her personal safety.

Things go awry, however, when Edward believes Bella may have killed herself and he approaches the Volturi (vampire royalty) to end his life.

Director Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass) carries out the thankless task of helming this workmanlike sequel, not straying from the formula which made the first film into a bona fide phenomenon even if at times the pace seems a little glacial.

Pattinson and Stewart have the mumbling melancholia acting master class down pat and Lautner’s performance consists of chiselled abs and wooden dialogue.

Frustratingly, Stewart in particular spends a large amount of screen time curled in a foetal position bemoaning the departure of Edward.

Such niggles aren’t going to deter Twi-hards though.

The brief third act visit with the Volturi threatens to steal the show entirely, with the all-too-brief screen time of Michael Sheen (as the wide-eyed and crazy Aro) and Dakota Fanning (as intense psychic torturer Jane) proving a tantalising duo for future instalments.

Extras across the two disc formats consist of interviews with the stars, music videos, on-set video diaries and a sneak peek at the next instalment — in short, a fan’s delight.

Adrian Drayton