" THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE" 2.5 STARS

I've seen the two previous "Twilight" films and was expecting more from the"Twilight Saga:Eclipse".  It is a beautifully shot film with beautiful actors and a romantic setting but I can honestly say I am a little let down.  After seeing the 2nd film "Twilight:New Moon" I thought the romantic relationship between Edward Cullin (Robert Pattinson) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) would grow into a more solid and defined relationship.

Instead the drama unfolds in several different storylines. Bella(Stewart) is torn between her developing feelings for werewolf Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) and her intense love for vampire Edward (Pattinson). Edward's (Pattinson) main concern is protecting Bella (Stewart) from evil forces but he steps up his game and asks for her hand in marriage. The conflict occurs after Jacob (Lautner) finds the courage to declare his love for Bella(Stewart). 

Impressive acting chops from Jacob (Taylor Laudner) who's grown from a boyhood friend to young man who's so in love.  I believed him! You see the passion in his character where in the first two movies he was uncertain and more like a child. I know Edward (Pattinson) appears to love Bella (Stewart) but he comes off more like her protector. I believe he's enamored with her adoration for him. The love stories are safe and sweet so parents don't have to be concerned about revealing love scenes or over the top vampire blood scenes but the fight scenes are intense.  Bella (Stewart) is her usual moody, brooding self there's no arc in her character. I don't see the kind of passion coming from Bella (Stewart) that you normally see from a young woman desparately in love. Her performance has no heart, she's fierce and committed to her love for Edward but you don't see those intense feelings reflected in her acting. Bella (Stewart) is a liability to Edward (Pattinson) and the entire Cullin family as long as she's human.

The Cullins are civilized vampires living like humans and they're willing to go the distance to protect Bella (Stewart) because Edward (Pattinson) loves her. They'll have their work cut out for them due to a murderous group of  new vampires who are making their way to Forks. This threat is so severe that the Cullins clan of vampires and Jacob's family of werewolves call a truce and join forces to protect Bella (Stewart).  It's hard to see this film in the same light after having seen such exceptional stories from" The Vampire Diaries" (FOX) and "True Blood" (HBO). There is no holding back you see the passion, the thirst, the chemistry and the hold the vampire community has on it's subjects in the TV series. True die hard Vampire fans will understand what I'm talking about. Those elements are missing from the Twilight series which is safe and pales in comparison. 






This is a very "sweet" story, the PG-13 version of a vampire romancing a human girl. Twilight fans who've read the books and seen all the movies will love this film. But these same die-hard Twi-hards tell me the real juice arrives in the 4th installment of this series when Bella and Edward become an official couple!




Romantic/Drama/Thriller
PG-13
2.5 Stars