The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)

Directed by: David Slade | 121 minutes | horror, thriller, romance, fantasy | Actors: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Elizabeth Reaser, Peter Facinelli, Gil Birmingham, Christian Serratos, Anna Kendrick, Dakota Fanning, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jodelle Ferland BooBoo Stewart, Sarah Clarke, Julia Jones, Michael Welch, Cameron Bright, Kirsten Prout, Leah Gibson, Jack Huston, Alex Meraz, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Justin Chon, Daniel Cudmore, Monique Ganderton, Chaske Spencer, Kiowa Gordon, Tinsel Korey, Charlie Bewley, Xavier Samuel, Bronson Pelletier, Tyson Houseman, Ben Geldreich, Justin Rain

With ‘New Moon’ still fresh in their minds, most movie buffs know more or less what to do with ‘The Twilight Saga’. If you get sour stomachs from indecisive teenage girls playing men against each other, amber eyes that have watched a century go by, and abs getting more screen time than the actor they belong to, you can safely pass ‘Eclipse’ by. If you’re willing to drift off into the epic love affair between Bella and her two supernatural aspiring lovers, you’ll be presented with a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously and outperforms its predecessors in many ways.

The plot of ‘Eclipse’ offers more interesting leads to begin with. Bella (Kristen Stewart) is now over her pouting phase and reunited with Edward (Robert Pattinson). Now the question is whether she should also become a vampire and if so, when. There’s more to this than Edward’s ethical concerns and Bella’s desire to quickly bond with her lover for eternity. Both the red-haired Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard) and the Volturi from ‘New Moon’ are still after Bella and as a vampire it is easier to fight back. Jacob (Taylor Lautner) sees Bella’s approaching undead with sorrow and does everything he can to win her over. Against the background of an impending attack by a vampire army, the love triangle between leech, werewolf and doubting teenager is brought into focus and emotions splash off the screen.

It is thanks to director David Slade that ‘Eclipse’ does not drown in sentiment. The choice to start the film with bloodshed is already a good move. Furthermore, the film has more momentum than the first two parts, the action comes out better and sweet intermezzos are mixed with self-mockery. “Doesn’t he own a shirt?” Edward wonders when Jacob appears half-naked again. Even potentially cringe-inducing scenes (Jacob keeping Bella warm under Edward’s watchful eye during a snowstorm) have more charm than you’d expect. This is thanks to dialogues that contain humor and touching observations in addition to frosting expressions of love. “Let’s face it, I’m hotter than you”, says the walking washboard to the gel crest before he crawls into the sleeping bag with his intended lover. And when Jacob argues why he would be a better partner to Bella than Edward and can unexpectedly count on his rival’s understanding, you feel for the pair.

Admittedly, ‘Eclipse’ is and remains teenage fish food. Whether you’re talking about the novels or the movies, ‘The Twilight Saga’ is a series you have to experience with your heart, not your mind. In fact, if you think too much, the series’ shortcomings become painfully obvious. Twilight creator Stephenie Meyer may write from her feelings and touch many hearts, but she has not eaten much of plot development. That’s why her far-fetched, bold storylines irritate people who aren’t swooning. Unfortunately, they apparently don’t dare to film the books a bit more loosely. If they did, the result would probably appeal to a wider audience. Fortunately, ‘The Twilight Saga’ does not have to fear a lack of fans. And with ‘Eclipse’ they can look forward to a nice looking mix of action, drama and romance, which is served with a wink.