Before I saw this screening I had heard from others who had seen even earlier screenings in various cities. All the reviews raved how this film was the best yet. Dedicated fan that I am, even I was a bit skeptical. It’s rare when there’s a series that a fan ever says the new movie wasn’t the best. So, I sat down with a grain of salt in my heart and trying not to keep my hopes up high. However, the Twilight excitement cannot be denied and I suggest you don’t bother trying. The audience reaction ranged from rock concert to religiously reverential. Believe the hype: this movie is not only the best from a fan perspective, it’s also good from a summer film perspective.
David Slade (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Nights), despite his notorious comments on the first Twilight film has truly rocked the screen with the latest installment. The opening scene is dark and frantic episode of Riley (Xavier Samuel) being attacked in a dark alley by unseen Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard). Unlike the prior films, this actually scary and thrilling. Dark, yet not overdone, this scene truly sets the tone for what is to follow.
Eclipse picks up right were New Moon dropped us, with Edward asking for Bella’s hand in marriage. However, Bella, wary of her parent’s broken marriage and what people might think of her being married so young isn’t quite sold on the idea. Besides, she doesn’t want to just marry Edward, she wants to be with him eternally—in a vampire way. Edward agrees to change her, but only if she marries him first! This impasse isn’t the only thing holding these two love birds back. Jacob is still vying for Bella’s love and his eight-pack, washboard abs aren’t going down without a big, furry fight!
How will Bella come to terms with idea of being married? Will her new found vampiric bloodlust make it impossible to maintain her human relationships? How can she say goodbye to everyone she loves once Edward has changed her? Can she maintain a friendship with Jacob or is there truly something more bubbling underneath? On top of all that, Victoria is back and clearly out for Bella’s blood. Not to mention there’s a vampire army wrecking havoc on the Cullen’s territory of nearby Seattle, leaving a trail of dead bodies and disappearances behind them—and no way are the Volturi staying out of it.
The movie only slows for those romantic moments, just as it should. Sure, it’s still a love soaked melodrama about teens who are obsessed with each other, but who didn’t know that already? No scene or mood lingers long enough to become overbearing and the story never lulls. The performances have improved. Edward and Bella’s relationship feels much more real this time around and Jacob’s snarkiness is irrepressible. The action is top notch. In previous films you might have forgotten or disbelieved that the Cullens are vampires; blood drinkers and fierce fighters. This film will remind you with a “how-dare-you-ever-doubt-us” slap! Rosalie and Jasper’s back stories, the newborn vampire’s rampaging, and the actual battle scenes never lack for tension. The special effects are truly unique to vampire fantasy genre and are quite stunning.
For the fans, all your favorite and most important scenes from the book have made it to film. The awkward sex talk, graduation, the infamous leg hitch, werewolf punching, the tense tent scene—nothing was left out; from the essential to the niche. This does not mean a literal translation from page to screen, only that the best of the pages have made it to the screen. The film plays like “The Best of Eclipse” and there’s nothing wrong with that!
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