Eclipse - Biss zum Abendrot

It's been billed as the biggest film of the year and perhaps it will be, but it has some stiff competition from the likes of Harry Potter coming this winter, so let's see if Eclipse really deserves that prestigious title.

The vampire and werewolf love saga has been bitterly disappointing so far with a dull first instalment and a hideously depressing second. Add to this some excruciatingly painful running times of over two hours and you have death by celluloid.

But perhaps I'm being a little unfair; this third instalment has been based on perhaps the most exciting book of the four in the series so it already has a good starting point and some convincing performances from the actors really do make this film a huge leap ahead of what preceded it.

The storyline to this film is pretty much non-existent but director David Slade does a good job of turning zilch into another depressing, but well made two hour love fest. Robert Pattinson (Edward Cullen), Kristen Stewart (Bella Swan) and Taylor Lautner (Jacob) return as the three main leads and their love triangle becomes even more confusing this time around, with frowning faces and awkward kisses galore. Add to this an army of newborn vampires ready to rip the very flesh of Bella Swan's bones and it's getting pretty tense down in Forks.

Sadly, even with a whole army of vampires and werewolves fighting in the finale, this small increase in action doesn't take away from the fact that the film drags in more than one place with blocks of dialogue that feel as if they're going to last a lifetime. It's unfortunate as the action pieces look excellent and the CGI, especially in the werewolves has improved leaps and bounds between New Moon and Eclipse. This shamefully vain dialogue with unnecessary close-ups of Robert Pattinson's face, Kristen Stewart's eyelashes and Taylor Lautner's chest are surely there just to appeal to the female fans and do nothing to progress the story.

It is these main three characters that hinder the film; their stilted dialogue and mediocre acting overshadow the rest of the cast who are all superb. Newcomer Bryce Dallas Howard playing red head vampire Victoria is seriously underused along with the whole Cullen flock who are not given enough room to breathe between the heavy central dialogue. Their acting is fantastic, why not use them more? Thankfully, it isn't all tears before bedtime with some well-timed comic humour from Bella's dad, Charlie. Played by Billy Burke, he is the only character of the used variety that leaps off the screen and he does so well, playing to his strengths as an actor.

Overall, Eclipse moves the game on but only very slowly. David Slade has crafted a beautifully shot movie with some excellent action pieces; but it still remains dull as ditch water because of bland performances from the lead cast and chunky dialogue. It's bound to please fans but biggest film of the year? I think we'll be seeing a certain boy wizard holding that honour for 2010.

I read up to the first 4 chapters in the original Twilight book before I sat it down and decided it was trash. My sisters said otherwise and I have taken them to Twilight and New Moon at the midnight premiers, so I held to the tradition and brought them to Eclipse.

Not having much faith in the movie as I had seen the first two and was not impressed at ALL, I got ready to take a nap. Instead after the first few boring scenes it kicked up (unlike in the other two) and we actually got more than 2 minutes of action.

The acting was better, but Bella and Edward both returned to their comatose state on screen while Jacob and the wolf tribe keep the life in the movie. I have to hand it to Rathbone for another good performance and wondered why he couldn't have played Edward, instead of listening to the wooden voice of Pattinson.

It had its good moments, ridiculous moments, points where the script sounded as if it were written for a nickelodeon kid's show, and scenes where you just want to scream at the characters. I would have liked to see Alice do more than just stand and have a premonition, and what happened with Esme? She was on screen for 10 seconds.

It was enjoyable, to say the least and probably the best of the series (so far). But then again, that's not saying very much. 5/10

the movie isn't bad--follows along the storyline. if you haven't read/enjoyed the books, you will not enjoy the movies! duh! That said...why can they not place a wig on the head of any one of these actors that moves like hair? why the pale, pasty, poorly blended makeup? why does rosalie have black eyebrows and a crappy blonde wig that appears to be constructed out of straw? these are questions i hope the next idiot director will consider. please, summit, please pay whatever hardwicke wants to be paid in order to wrap this series up without everyone looking like plastic-headed, powder-puff faced, ruby-lipped high school players.

Oh god, Edward Cullen, you're so damn hot. Take my virginity, take it, take it now! But wait, no, I'm so conflicted. Jacob Black is also hot. In fact, he might be hotter than you. What should I do, Edward? Should I give in to you, with your milky white skin, your smouldering eyes and chiselled chin, or should I....should I give in to Black, with his ripped six-pack and Hawaiian glow?

Oh Edward, you know I don't want to hurt you, it's just that a girl's virginity is a big deal. I want to lose it with someone special, with someone I love. It's not like I can lose my virginity twice, Edward. It's not like my virginity can grow back. Unless....no. No, you can't be serious Edward. Regrow my virginity? Is that possible, Eddie? Surely it's not. What? I can remain in a state of perpetual virginity by reading Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series? Oh Edward, sweet, precious Edward, what a genius you are! Call Jacob, call Riley, and come hither yourself Edward, for tonight all beasts dine on the blood of Bella Swann, the most chaste harlot a mortal did ever spawn.

10/10 – Masterpiece.

I don't hate the Twilight movies as much as others do, but I don't care for them either. The first was average, the second was pretty poor and the worst so far and while Eclipse is the best yet that isn't saying much. I haven't read the books the movies are based on, apart from a couple of pages of one which didn't spark my interest in reading the rest, but my sister has and likes the books and movies, though she says she likes the books more.

Eclipse does look good. I think the scenery in general is splendid and the cinematography and editing is much better too. The special effects are also an improvement, they don't feel as rushed here. The score is also very nice, courtesy of Howard Shore it is probably the best score in any of the Twilight movies. David Slade also does an above serviceable job directing, Eclipse is by far the best directed movie of the Twilight saga as of now.

However, Eclipse still has the same major problems as the first two did, but not quite as bad. The dialogue is still very clunky, Pattinson and his family have some pretty good lines but Stewart and Lautner's dialogue are quite awkward and in general the delivery is too. The story is more involving than in New Moon, which was not only sluggish but almost a non-event in terms of story, but there is the odd disjointed part particularly in the middle act and in the more "romantic" bits. Stewart and Pattinson have a decent chemistry, but Stewart still looks awkward with Lautner, while the action scenes felt rushed and the pace is still incredibly sluggish especially in the middle.

The acting is very mixed. Pattinson and his family I was fine with this time around, and Bryce Dallas Howard is a welcome addition to the cast as Victoria. Billy Burke while somewhat underused is decent as Charlie as well. Conversely, there are some weak links too. Taylor Lautner does little more than take his shirt off and say some clunky lines, while Kristen Stewart while better than she was in New Moon with a marginally more expressive face gives a rather lacklustre performance as Bella as she does have a whiny delivery here and there are still the awkward pauses between each line.

So overall, it has its strengths but also its weaknesses, but it is watchable and while it could have been a lot better with better scripting and pacing Eclipse is the best so far of the saga. 5/10 Bethany Cox