The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

05.07.2010

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The third film in the immensely popular saga offers drama, suspense and, not least, romance as the story of Bella and her relationship with vampire Edward and werewolf Jake continues. This is a well-made film that will please the fans.

Plot
In the small town of Forks, graduation is close at hand for Bella and her friends. High school will soon be over, and after the summer, college awaits. Bella is not very concerned about this. She has decided to be transformed into a vampire, thus enabling her to spend eternity with her beloved Edward. Edward, in turn, wants to marry Bella, but he tries to persuade her into remaining human. Edward loves Bella, and he doesn’t want her to suffer the same fate as him.

Bella also resumes her friendship with Jacob, or Jake. He is deeply in love with Bella, and it is obvious that she has feelings for him too; even if they are not as strong as those she has for Edward. Jake is very disappointed that Bella wants to become a vampire, and he is struggling to convince Bella that he is a better man for her than a cold-blooded vampire.

At the same time mysterious things are going on in Seattle. A number of people turn into vampires, and it seems that someone is building an army of so-called "newborns". Soon, the army heads for Forks, and suddenly Bella, the vampires and the werewolves are in grave danger.

An inevitable war is coming, but who is really the brain behind the army? Could it be the powerful Volturi family, who has been told that Bella already is a vampire? Or is it the vengeful Victoria, who more than anything wants to see Bella dead?

Quality and Theme
"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" is a successful adaptation of the third book in the Twilight series. The filmmakers have transformed the 600-page book to a carefully structured and well-told film. The complicated relationship between the main characters is allowed time to develop, while the exciting plot gradually builds towards a climax. This is the best film in the series so far. Special effects, dialogue and acting are better in this film than in last year's "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

The Twilight saga is more than anything a love story. Symbolically, Edward is portrayed as the ideal of good and selfless love. He is willing to spend his days in eternal loneliness as long as Bella gets to experience the joy of continuing a good, but short-lived human life. Edward does everything in his power to ensure that Bella is safe, and although he does not always like it, it is obvious that Bella's happiness is more important to him than his own. In addition, Edward has a strong belief in traditional values, and will, amongst other things, not have sex with Bella before they are married. This film, which will be seen by millions of teenagers, has, therefore, a positive underlying message. It is not right to be in a relationship with someone for selfish reasons; on the contrary, in a real relationship the one you love is should be someone you really care about. Such a message is in stark contrast to what has become common in teenage films, and therefore must be seen as valuable.

Suitability
The film contains some brutal fight scenes where vampires and werewolves fight. In the more graphic of these scenes, some vampires are decapitated. Although this takes place in a fictional universe and no blood is shown, some children may have a negative reaction to this scene in particular. "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" has a 12A rating, and we strongly recommend that children under this age are not allowed to see this film.

Conclusion
"The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" is a solid and well-made film. A neutral audience will be entertained in a good way – and fans will be ecstatic.

Facts

Director: David Slade Genre: Thriller/Drama/Adventure Actors: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Nikki Reed, Ashley Green, Dakota Fanning and more Language: English Nationality: USA Production Company: Summit Entertainment, Temple Hill Entertainment, Maverick Films, Imprint Entertainment, Sunswept Entertainment Length: 2h 4mins Production Year: 2010 Age limit: 12A Suitability: Young people BBFC’s Consumer Advice: Contains moderate fantasy violence.

Our Assessment: Recommended