REVIEW: Actors Might Give Up on Eclipse, But Fans Won't
It's all too tempting to look down on the Twilight movie series -- based on Stephenie Meyer's explosively popular series of novels -- as quickie pictures designed to herd in large audiences of indiscriminate, ticket-buying, Robert Pattinson-and/or-Taylor Lautner-loving teen- and tweenage girls. And with the exception of the first movie in the series, directed by Catherine Hardwicke, that's exactly what they are. The real horror isn't simply that these movies are bad -- plenty of us were raised on, and loved, junk movies and crap TV. It's that the folks at the top don't think teen and tween audiences deserve better. The latest installment, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, directed by David Slade (30 Days of Night, Hard Candy), while admittedly an improvement over last year's barely coherent New Moon, only adds insult to injury. Nothing so grand as a real eclipse, it's more just a massive blind spot.
The plot of Eclipse is nearly impossible to follow until you realize that the story isn't told so much as it's announced. Watch for signpost dialogue along the lines of "Victoria is behind all this!" and "The Newborn Army is coming!" Essentially, a bunch of young people in Seattle are being turned into "newborn" vampires -- vampires, we're told, are hungriest and most ruthless when they're young. These snarling, golden-eyed ragamuffins may be puppets-in-training. And they just may make their way from Seattle to Forks, Washington, home of high school senior Bella (Kristen Stewart). Do they want to kill her, intimidate her, or just sniff her flannel shirt? The vampire Cullens and the werewolf Wolf Pack set aside their differences to protect Bella and their respective communities from the Newborns.
Meanwhile, eternal paleface Edward Cullen (Pattinson) and passionate, nature-loving Native American Jacob Black (Lautner) vie for Bella's affections. Edward, the old-fashioned type, has vowed that he'll love her beyond the end of time into infinity -- squared! -- and asks repeatedly for her hand in marriage. Jacob has assured her, practically in so many words, that he's hot in the sack. Bella must choose, but whom? She spends the movie living out the allegedly universal girl-fantasy of having two awesome guys, one hot and one cool, fight over you.
That's about it, story-wise. In between, Edward gazes at Bella with piercing directness, intoning some version of the line, "Your safety is everything to me." Jacob stares her down with a look that's supposed to be sensual and smoldering, though he really only looks as if he's just swallowed a chipmunk. Meanwhile, his Wolf Pack Buddies, in their human form, galavant barechested through the forest in their cutoff pants, pissed off because they can't find any new Don Ho records to listen to. In CGI-wolf form, they at least have some innate dignity.
To its credit, Eclipse looks better than its direct predecessor. (The DP is Javier Aguirresarobe, who shot The Road.) As in the earlier pictures, we get lots of sweeping, panoramic shots of the Pacific Northwest woods, but here they look particularly crisp and sparkling. In two scenes Edward and Bella loll in a sun-dappled flower-strewn field straight out of a Prince Matchabelli ad. (Edward is careful to stay in the shade, but when the sun hits the angular planes of his face, his telltale vampire diamond-skin shimmers like blingy peach fuzz.) These two sequences are ridiculously beautiful to look at, sublime in their silliness, and they rekindle some of the go-for-broke teen-heartthrob romanticism that Hardwicke's Twilight captured so well. That picture reveled unapologetically in teen girliness: Its intentions were honest and straightforward without seeming mechanized.
But now that we've hit the third picture in the franchise, it's clear the studio behind it, Summit, actually prefers that the movies be programmed and predictable. It also looks as if the strain of following the series template so strictly is beginning to wear on the young actors: It's part of Stewart's style to look a little bored and blasé, but in Eclipse she seems to have completely checked out. When she searches the faces of her two dueling guy pals, wondering which one she loves better, her eyes show little more than an eeny-meeny-miney-moe blankness. And Pattinson appears to have given up altogether, although I don't think he'll let down his adoring audience -- he tries, at least, to look at Stewart as if she were the sun and the moon combined, and his efforts are moderately convincing if you don't look too closely.
But mostly, these two performers seem caught in a pantomime designed to elicit cheers and cooing from its target demographic. Obviously, the Twilight movies attract an audience beyond tween girls, but there's little doubt these movies are tailored specifically to them. That's not a bad thing by itself. What stings is that the movies are made with so little regard for clear storytelling, or even for building a lush, romantic mood. (Filling a movie with brooding lines of dialogue isn't the same thing.) No one is really thinking of the audience here beyond how its members translate into dollar signs.
Many, many girls and young women will see Eclipse and will either love it or like it just fine. Maybe all that matters is that they had a good time -- as I said earlier, they won't be the first kids to have fun while watching junk. Still, they're worthy of something more. Eclipse fulfills its function adequately; if only the bar weren't set so low.
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These two lines: "Jacob stares her down with a look that’s supposed to be sensual and smoldering, though he really only looks as if he’s just swallowed a chipmunk. Meanwhile, his Wolf Pack Buddies, in their human form, galavant barechested through the forest in their cutoff pants, pissed off because they can’t find any new Don Ho records to listen to." absolutely made my freaking day!
I'm one of "those people" who have not read one word of the books, or seen one minute of either movie, and cannot for the life of me, understand the insanity behind it all. The angst ridden, moody, brooding commercials leave me shaking my head wondering "What's all the hubbub, bub?"
That's the problem. I believe most critics haven't read the books to give an informed opinion. The fans who read the books, get the movies. Of course no movie will ever be exactly like the book. As a result to me that's why a lot of people come across as haters.
You shouldn't have to have read the source material of a movie to give an informed opinion/critique of the movie. It should stand on its own.
To dislike Twilight movies doesn't make a critic look smart, just proving how juvenile prejudice you are. Box office junks? Do you know the budgets only 1/3 from other blockbusters?? Shame this article sounded petty, ignorance, and judgemental.
To dislike Twilight movies doesn't make a critic look smart, just proving how juvenile prejudice you are. Box office junks? Do you know the budgets only 1/3 from other blockbusters?? Shame this article sounded petty, ignorance, and judgemental.
Ah, Twi-hard hate posts. Will I see the movie? Yes. Will I enjoy it? Yes. Do I think the series is well done? No.
English, motherfucker! Do you speak it?
You see, I've read the books (several times, actually) and I've seen the movies and as far as I'm concerned, this review is dead-on. The actors in these films do have the ability to give great performances (with the exception of Kristin Stewart who can only give two looks-bored and constipated), but the directors and screenwriters give them nothing to work with. Peter Facinelli, for one, is a very talented actor, but in these films he just seems to give up, as does most of the cast. This critic is simply giving an opinion, this opinion is neither ignorant nor prejudiced, it's the truth.
The movies are for those of us who loved the books. If you have never picked up one of the books don't go see it. The movies were made for the fans of the series, trust me if your not a fan WE DON'T WANT YOU THERE taking up good space. Thank goodness this one much like the last seems to be by the book, and many of the "looks" the actors give would make more sense if you read the book. These are movies on a much smaller budget then most "blockbusters" and are made to appease the fans. Usually the best movies get bad reviews so headed out to get in line this review makes me feel good! After all many of the movies that are considered great by the critics really means you have to be 80 to appreciate.
Maybe if it was intended to be of a higher quality, more money would have been spent on it?
It's funny to see these teens who post anonymously getting outraged because they probably googled "Eclipse" and ended up at Movieline for the first time and being outraged that 99% os the critics (serious or not) are writing about how (bad, dumb, ridiculous,... - pick your poison) this whole series really is.
I read the first book and I can say it is even worse than the movies. But it's making a LOT of money, and that's what entertainment is all about: BOX OFFICE. So, let's just sit tight and wait for the shitstorm to pass... Too bad they divided the last movie in two parts. Twice as much money, twice suffering through this teenage-drama-sh*t.
Looking forward to Book Four: Breaking Dawn -- The One with the Vampire Fucking.
Please tell me you're going to do a video clip for this one. I really want to hear Stephanie's glorious articulated enunciation on "plenty of us were raised on, and loved, junk movies and crap TV." And she's right--I dare anyone to watch Dark Shadows or Lost in Space (which I thought was the *height* of narrative glory) now and not give a full-body cringe. In 30+ years, these tweens can do the same with this movie.
OMG I cant wait to go see this movie, I am almost more excited about this movie that I am Harry Potter Deathly hallows.
LOu
http://www.real-anonymity.se.tc
This line was written perfect "The plot of Eclipse is nearly impossible to follow until you realize that the story isn’t told so much as it’s announced" I seen the movie last night, i did like it but did not love it. I thought the same thing, for me it was to quick like they just went right through it, did not give some scenes a chance. Also i think they gave way to many sneak peak clips, after watching all the clips out there then seeing the movie, they gave the whole movie away, it was like i already seen it, i will not watch all the clips for Beaking Dawn.
"Obviously, the Twilight movies attract an audience beyond tween girls..."
Yeah, older girls, young women, older women, and a few gay men.
Because every other demographic is turned off by this tween dreck. I had the displeasure of being subjected to 30 seconds of one of the earlier films (I have no idea which one it was, and I don't WANT to know). 10 seconds in I was looking for a spoon to scoop out my eyeballs to save me from the pain.
Jesus H. Fucking Christ, Twilight is godawful.
If that's Jazz from Transformers, he's doing pretty good for a wise talkin' stereotype bot.
Actually, that's left out of the book.
Alexis Barreto
saw.
Travis Schildgen
Oh Andi!
Twilight: Eclipse was a great shorthand version of the book. It basically covered everything that it was supposed to. The actors did fairly well...Jacob (Taylor Lautner) was AWESOME. Jasper pulled forward a little more in this movie which was great. Victoria died to easily though! How did she survive all three movies only to be killed so easily? Well all in all I'd rate this movie a 5 out of 5 stars.
I have read all the Twilight series books a number of times as well as seen all the movies and own them on DVD. I am a 60 year old married lady, my 42 year old daughter and I have gone to see Eclipse twice and are heading back tomorrow to see it again. Will also purchase the DVD when it is available. The series appeals to all ages not just teeny boppers.
There was a wide range of people in the theater, older men (my age)that were with their wives, 20 year olds and upwards in age with their wives or girl friends, younger guys with their girl friends , girls and women of all ages. All seemed to enjoy the movie.
Read the books and the movies will make sense to you out there. Some scenes in the movies aren't in the books but they should have been, they have made good screen adaptions.
As a person that is a reader, as of all movies made from popular books some will enjoy the movies and some will not. Those of us that are reader will say those movies (any of them) were either better than the book or they didn't like the movies, I will use this as an example only, Clan of the Cave Bear,the book was a good read, but the movie sucked big time. As of many books I have read and have later been made into movies. I either liked the movie or I didn't.
I have enjoyed all the Twilight series on the big screen and can't wait until November of 2011 when Breaking Dawn hits the big screen.
You gave a movie 30 seconds (any movie) and made an oppinion on how good or bad a movie could be. And in 10 seconds you were turned off. Verse viewing the complete movie and then forming an oppinion. Are you so great that you have insights that normal people don't. Maybe the scientist should study you and see how your brain works or doesn't work.
There is no way you can have an oppinion one way or the other about any movie in 10 to 30 seconds. Do you know how completely stupid you come across.
It is apparent that you are one of those people who just like to post rude remarks and see your postings on the internet.
Get a life. Until you read a book (if you can) or actually view a movie you have no oppinion of value one way or the other.
Try keeping your dirty mouth to your self and off sites.
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