Kim Masters wrote something yesterday about how Taylor Lautner may soon usurp the role of Twilight franchise mascot from Robert Pattinson -- if he hasn't done so already. It seemed a little unlikely to me, if only because Pattinson's the one among them who can actually act when provided any halfway-decent material. But between all the broody portent and LOLZ-y line readings, there's something kind of touching about Lautner in the first trailer for The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.
This movie might as well be called Bella's Choice -- that is how Summit is selling it, anyway, clobbering you over the head with Kristen Stewart's character's apparently mortal decision between the vampire Edward (Pattinson) and the wolfcake Jacob (Lautner). It's all kind of hilarious and easy enough to enjoy once you accept you're not the market for it, yet it will still probably make $700 million (at least) worldwide.
But there's something for the straight dudes, sort of, right around the :50 mark: Jacob confronts Edward Cullen with total equanimity and directness, spacing out his words, almost whispering, "You have to consider the idea that I might be better for her than you are." Like, what guy hasn't wanted to say that to a creep messing up the life and heart of a nice girl who could clearly do better? Moreover, it's just one of those rare moments where it feels like Lautner means it. It's kind of jarring.
Nevertheless the rest looks wonky and desperately self-serious as usual. Well, except for Bryce Dallas Howard long-jumping across a ravine. That's just hilarious by any standard.
VERDICT: Oddly moved!
<param name="flashvars"
value="autostart=0&playlist=none&config=http://www-movieline-com.vimg.net/playlists/config.xml&provider=rtmp&streamer=rtmp://streaming.movieline.com/ondemand/video/bc-archive/&file=1379067645_71390011001_Eclipse-trailer.flv"/>
<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="player-52" name="player-52" src="http://www-movieline-com.vimg.net/_/jw/player-licensed-viral.swf"
width="500" height="400" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="autostart=0&config=http://www-movieline-com.vimg.net/playlists/config.xml&playlist=none&provider=rtmp&streamer=rtmp://streaming.movieline.com/ondemand/video/bc-archive/&file=1379067645_71390011001_Eclipse-trailer.flv" plugins="acudeojw,gapro,viral-2&viral.callout=none&viral.onpause=false&gapro.accountid=UA-1915907-26&gapro.trackstarts=true&gapro.trackpercentage=true&gapro.tracktime=true&acudeojw.progId=4af229940e9cc"
/>