CheekyChicago

The world’s most famous teen threesome – Edward, Bella and Jacob – are back at each other’s throats in the third installment of the Twilight series, directed by David Slade. Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson as the dreamiest of the undead) is firmly reunited with his love Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart with improved acting chops). The film opens on the pale lovebirds sharing a romantic moment in a field of unnaturally vibrant wildflowers. The sheer amount of gazing that transpires in one scene sets the tone for a movie filled with longing looks, stilted dialogue and, in my case, frequent stretches of boredom. While there’s plenty of on-screen action (just not in the bedroom), it’s sandwiched between interludes that move at the pace of drying paint.

As Bella approaches her high school graduation, the issue of her “changing” – becoming an immortal vampire and abandoning her current life – becomes more pressing, causing greater tension with both Edward and Jacob. Neither of them wants Bella to sacrifice her soul, but she’s resolute in joining the Cullen clan – referred to as the “Cold Ones” by Jacob’s tribe. Upping the stakes in the love triangle, Jacob struggles to convince Bella that she could live a happier and more normal life with him, arguing that it would be as “easy as breathing” – a human function that vampires no longer need.

There are two dominant sources of drama in Eclipse – the battle between Edward and Jacob for Bella’s heart, and the actual battle between the werewolves, the Cullens and a new breed of “newborn” vampires for Bella’s life. Carrying over from the last movie, the vengeful Victoria has formed an army of newly created, blood-thirsty vampires with the goal of attacking Bella and her protectors. The threat of warfare actually unites Jacob and Edward’s clans, but the two spend most of the time shooting each other dirty looks and behaving like teenagers….with supernatural powers.

While the power struggle between Team Cold One and Team Abs (Jacob’s rippling midsection attracts more camera time than most characters) should be the most interesting part of the film, it lags in comparison to the energetic and passionate fight scenes. Even the camera work improves when Victoria is on the prowl, as opposed to overly drawn out close-ups of Jacob. While Taylor Lautner brings impressive physicality to his role, he doesn’t have the acting gravitas to carry a scene and this inability hampers the film.

While it would be easy to dismiss Eclipse as a fair, but not great movie, it’s almost impossible to judge a Twilight film outside of its rapidly expanding universe. The books, movies, real-life co-star relationships, box office receipts, MTV Movie Awards and general fan pandemonium create a strange but undeniable context for reviewing the movie’s merits. Inside Twilight world, where the story has grown to almost mythic proportions with a legion of teenage female fans, Eclipse hits all the marks. But if you view it outside this bubble, compared to other summer blockbusters or romantic dramas, it falls short.

The last book in the series, Breaking Dawn, will be made into two films with a new director, Bill Condon. Let’s hope he can bridge the gap between Twi-hards and movie fans for a happier ending.