Eclipse: A Review

Eclipse (2010)

Directed By: David Slade
Written By: Melissa Rosenberg, based off the novel by Stephanie Meyer
Genre: BOOK TURNED MOVIE?
Time: 2 hr 4 min
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Bryce Dallas Howard, Billy Burke

Plot: As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: mortal or vampire.

Review: I should begin right off that I am not a fan of the books. I tried to read them, really I tried, but couldn’t which is saying a lot considering how much I do read. However, I have seen each of the films…because I was forced to. So I had low expectations but the girl’s book club was attending and I hadn’t seen a movie in the theatre in a while so I thought I would give a go. Now as I said I don’t know the story other than what I gleaned off of wikipedia after returning Twilight to the library after reading only four chapters of it. Sorry gang, if you are a lover of all things Edward and Bella I just couldn’t get into it. I’m sorry vampires should not sparkle. I don’t care how impossibly gorgeous they are.

So I went. I did not wear my “Then Buffy Staked Edward, The End” shirt. I was polite. I was being a very good Smirking. First off it made me giggle that almost every single trailer before the film was once a book. First we had “Eat, Pray, Love”, then it was “Charlie St. Cloud”, followed by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows”, as well as “Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader”. But I did get “Paranormal Activity 2” which is not a book, but a film that will probably give me the heebie jeebies all the same.

Things the film had going for it before it began the opening credits: First - The soundtrack. I loved the first one, liked about two songs from the second, but am completely digging the third soundtrack. A lot. Second Thing – David Slade. 30 Days of night wasn’t too bad. But Hard Candy…completely awesome. So yeah…that was about it.

So what did I think? It wasn’t horrible. I did far less mocking. I will say that David Slade seems to have improved on quite a few things. It looked pretty, the cast performed far better than they have previously (though sadly Jasper emoted more than Bella and Jasper is supposed to be the no emotions guy), Robert Pattinson looked kinda hot and he should smile far more often (Like the Twilight craze, I have not understood the Robert craze even when he was Cedric), Charlie is still the man (yeah Billy Burke for making him an interesting character), the vampires themselves weren’t all pasty in a chalky not good sort of way, and did I mention I like the soundtrack. Also there was actual humor and not the me making MSTK comments due to bad dialogue, bad shots and bad acting. There were funnies. I giggled (does he own a shirt, I’m hotter, Charlie in total for most of the film, etc). Improvements are always good.

But I do have my own gripes. I wont gripe on the story because as you know I don’t dig it. I will just say what I felt was a bit lacking in the film. As I said before Kristen Stewart needs to learn how to emote. The tortured girl thing is getting a bit tired. Bella is supposed to be in love, to be torn, to be angry, to be scared and that was all the same expression for Stewart. Which is a shame. From what I hear Bella was angry all the damn time in the book and we really didn’t get that. Sadly she seems to get typecast a lot which makes me wonder if the brooding tortured girl thing is just her personality in real life. It would be interesting to try and see her do something light and funny.

I love Bryce Dallas Howard, I do, but I kind of like the other actress a bit better. It would have been interesting to see her play a manipulative, cunning bitca and a half with Riley. And the Jacob thing. I don’t get it. Taylor may be all pretty for some but he comes off too boyish and not the Alpha he apparently is supposed to be. I blame this partly on just Taylor himself. He may have the muscles but his stage presence is still too much of a teen and not a man. Then again they are in high school. I think perhaps it doesn’t help that there is no real chemistry between Kristen and Taylor so you know she is always going to choose Edward. Both kisses were a bit awkward as if the actors were like oops kissing my friend, possibly like a brother or sister. It translates on the screen. There isn’t any real choice and I think this movie was trying to showcase this.

Rent/Cinema?: If you are a Twihard (Is that the correct terminology?) then go see it. Of the three films, this was by far the best though admittedly I wont be buying it any time in the near future. Though I think B will. However, the soundtrack, completely worth purchasing even if you don’t like the film or the books. Don’t let the fact that it is from the film turn you away.

2.5/4 popcorns