 Eclipse (2010)
Our rating: 4 out of 5
Rated: PG13
Reviewer: Charity Bishop
Whether you are thirteen or ninety-five, there's no doubt you have heard of
Twilight. And if you have bothered to read the books or see the films, you have already decided whether or not you love or loathe the franchise. Eclipse is the latest in the film series...
If it is the last thing she ever does, Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) is going to make Bella (Kristen Stewart) pay for the death of her mate. The spirited, fiery-haired vampire is no match for the local band of werewolves and vampires who protect Bella, so she takes matters into her own hands and recruits Riley (Xavier Samuel) to assist her in raising an army. In the meantime, unaware of the danger, Bella is caught between her immortal potential lovers -- the physically cold but romantic vampire, Edward (Robert Pattinson) and the warm-blooded, spirited shape-shifting werewolf, Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). While she is devoted to Edward, the rift that it has caused with Jacob leaves a hole in her life, an emotional gulf at the fact that the two young men cannot come to terms. Torn between her intention to leave everything she knows behind and become an immortal, but knowing that will separate her from Jacob forever, Bella faces a new series of choices and situations when it becomes apparent that her life is in peril.
Considered one of the most popular franchises of our time, Eclipse is the best film in the
Twilight series. With a new director comes a much larger scale outlook on the production, with picturesque settings and breathtaking views. There are a few more battle scenes this time around and subtle attempts at humor. The acting still suffers from occasional stiffness, but many of the sequences have an additional charm and it's nice to see some of the back stories and histories of individual characters. Here, we visit Rosalie, Jasper, and the first shape-shifter's past, as well as encounter more of the Italian vampires that made such an impression in the second film. Bryce is a worthy replacement for the previous Victoria and lends a bit of sass to the film, which still relies heavily on the romantic triangle but does branch out into some good arguments for why Bella should be cautious in her decision. No doubt these will not sway devoted fans from one opinion to the other, but for a undecided like me it tended to send me in a shall we say, wolfier direction.
The flashbacks are done well, and the musical score is great. The only real complaint in terms of filmmaking that I have is early action scenes are so rapidly shot and cut that it is difficult to tell what is happening. There's also an extraordinary amount of close-ups. Most of my readers are already aware of potential content that relies on the supernatural aspect of the film -- mention is made of Indian spiritualism when describing the first shape-shifters. There are also underlining themes that border on stalking (Edward constantly "hovering" over Bella, and appearing in her room, vehicle, and elsewhere without warning), but at least Bella displays none of her previous almost suicidal tendencies. Where content is concerned, a couple of mild profanities barely make a mark on the dialogue, but the violence and sensuality has been kicked up a notch this time around. Bella and Edward share several passionate kisses -- one of them is in a bedroom, after she asks him to make an effort to make love to her; some heavy breathing and her starting to unbutton her shirt ends with Edward pulling away and saying he wants to get married first. The resulting conversation implies that Bella doesn't believe in this "ancient," prudish tradition, but it is something Edward sticks to with determination. He is frequently there in her room, often on the bed, while she is sleeping (thus spending the night with her, most nights). Bella engages in an awkward conversation about safe sex with her dad, who is relieved to learn she's still a virgin. Later, she exchanges a passionate kiss with Jacob, and he climbs in a sleeping bag with her to keep her warm, while a glowering Edward looks on. Another time, Jacob tries to kiss her against her will and she punches him in the face for it -- breaking her hand in the process.
Violence consists of vampire attacks and werewolves mauling the vampires. Most of it comes in the last twenty or so minutes of the film, but we do see vampires biting victims prior to that. The Cullens teach the werewolves how to defeat newborn vampires -- by twisting off their arms and heads. Rather than blood, the vampires turn into ice -- but that doesn't mean the effect isn't at times startling, particularly when one character is decapitated and the camera lingers momentarily on her icy head laying several inches from the rest of her. Other acts of violence are implied rather than shown -- including a suicide in an attempt to distract a vampire; Bella later cuts her arm to provide a similar distraction. One of the more intense, frightening scenes is when Rosalie describes how she became a vampire, implying through the roughness of a gang of young men and their leering looks that she was gang-raped and left for dead in the street.
People who do not like the franchise are not going to enjoy this installment, but for long time fans it is solid improvement on the success of the previous two films. I was sorry not to have seen more of the Cullens as individuals, but their limited screen time did provide some further insight into their characters, and the audience is introduced to some of the names and faces that become important in later incidents. While I might take issue with some of the underlining messages (more prominent in literature than on film), I do have to applaud this series for its stance on abstinence and its decision to respect the "outdated" notion of marriage. At one point, Edward says the divorce rate between vampires is far less than humans. It's a life-long commitment (or in this case, eternity) that is taken with the utmost seriousness.
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