Movie Review- The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Disclaimer: I am not a fan of The Twilight Saga. I have read (and even own) the first three books and I intend to read the fourth when it is published in paperback. I read them because I value the ongoing Harry Potter vs. Twilight debate and I only take people seriously when they've read both series with an open mind. I do have some positive things to say about Twilight (although not many) but know this: I will THROW DOWN for Harry Potter. In my mind, these two series should not even be mentioned in the same category and therefore should not be compared, but fans on both sides insist on debate.

The first hour of Eclipse is about brooding. Bella is brooding because she's still human and the love of her life wants to marry her (how dare he). Jacob is brooding because the love of his life is devoted to a bloodsucker and evidently he still has to wear a shirt to school because that is pretty much the only place we see him fully clothed. Charlie is brooding because he still hates his daughter's boyfriend. And Edward is brooding because he is Edward Cullen and he will brood if he wants to. I think this part went on far too long. It was like that YouTube sensation "Potter Puppet Pals" when Harry is banging his head against the wall muttering, "Angst, angst, angst."

After the gang graduates, the brooding finally takes a backseat to actual events. I'll spare you the details but the vampires decide to form an alliance with Jacob's pack of werewolves to fight the über-dangerous enemy. This is when the movie becomes not so bad. I might watch the battle scene again if it was free on TV and all the other channels were out. There is some cool fighting and neat vampire-shattering. I didn't dislike that part at all, though I can't say I loved it either.

All in all, this movie was not totally bad. The scenery is fabulous, with big sweeping shots of snow covered pines all over the place. Dakota Fanning and her Volturi minions were fairly awesome and somewhat frightening. Edward and Jacob had some entertaining one-liners and I admit I chuckled a few times. I'm not really in a place to judge acting so I can't offer any opinion on that. I'm sorry Team Edward, but I just do not see what the big fuss over Robert Pattinson is all about. He's mostly just surly and...glittery. Jacob is beautiful of course but, as a character, he just gets in the way.

I'm glad I saw it but I probably wouldn't pay to see it again. If you don't like the books you should probably avoid it. Almost all of it will most likely just tick you off. If you do like the books, then you probably don't even care what I have to say so go ahead and see it!