The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (12A)

Film

Thrillers

Twilight Eclipse.jpg

Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>2/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>3/5
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Time Out says

Fri Jul 2 2010

Having cut his fangs on tween revenger ‘Hard Candy’ and inventive bloodsucker ‘30 Days of Night’, could director David Slade kick off a ‘Harry Potter’-like reinvigoration of the ‘Twilight’ series? Well, sort of: ‘Eclipse’ is a step up from the painfully anaemic ‘New Moon’, and it’s clearly the work of a filmmaker keen to put his own stamp on the series. But Slade is constrained at every turn by the sheer, crushing lifelessness of author Stephenie Meyer’s material.

‘Eclipse’ barely advances the story at all: we’re still stuck in the town of Forks, where moody heroine Bella  (Kristen Stewart) is forced to choose between undead love-of-her-life Edward (Robert Pattinson) and musclebound werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner). There are lots of other characters – silly names are dropped with dizzying regularity – but none of them actually seem to do very much.

Slade directs with  flair: his action sequences, though small in scale, have real drive, and a series of surprisingly grim Civil War flashbacks enable him to utilise a different visual palette from the usual drab greens and greys.

But he can’t disguise the massive flaws inherent in the screenplay: the slipshod plotting, whiny, self-serious tone and excruciating abstinence-first subplot. The biggest problem remains the characters: neither Slade nor Stewart are capable of turning manipulative whinger Bella  into anything more than a joyless black hole sucking the life from every scene, while the only performer capable of giving her part any spark, Anna Kendrick, is completely sidelined this time around. Strictly for Twihards.
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Release details

Rated:

12A

UK release:

Fri Jul 9 2010

Duration:

124 mins

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 3/5 (39 ratings)
  • Do any of the children posting comments here realise that Time Out is a magazine for adults, hence the reviews are the opinions of adults aimed at adult filmgoers. I'm sure CBeebies loved the film if that's any consolation.

    Donkeyfish Tue Jul 6 2010
    Rated as: 1/5
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  • I doubt that many of the Twihards who do manage to read Tom's review will be influenced by his opinion. They'll want to see it no matter what! And why not? I saw the first movie and thought the script was pretty dire. In one scene, Edward asks Bella why she moved towns. A civil, sensible response would have been, "Well, my mum and step dad moved towns and so I had to move here to stay with my dad". Instead, she responds (with much sighing and gnashing of teeth) "Errrm...it's complicated". I'm 29 now, so I guess I'm too old to remember teen angst, but clearly many people do identify with the stories.

    Joanna Tue Jul 6 2010
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  • omg edward is soo fit and i really cant wait to c this film it looks soo gd

    iloveedwardcullen Mon Jul 5 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • @Girls SHOULD put out - but what did you think of the film? Acting? Product placement? Fx? Topless guys? Or haven't you seen it yet? We know where you stand on abstinence at least.

    Paul Sun Jul 4 2010
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  • "excruciating abstinence-first subplot." And there, my friends, is the major problem most "progressives' have with this series. In their eyes, saying no is unnatural and politically incorrect. They're reacting to perceived politics here. The modern guy demands sex and the modern girl gives it. Generally by the third date. Don't believe me - Most girls feel that after the third date, guys are justified in expecting sex. THis is part of the allure of the story. It's different. In our current culture, sex is expected. Guys are expected, even more than in the past, to want sex from their girlfriends, who culturally have issues with saying "no". Don't want to be thought of as one of those religous nuts, now do you? What's wrong with you? It's extrodinarily difficult for girls to say no - and here's a really "hot" guy who does it for them. HE takes responsibility. Talk about being "different". And being different is to set yourself up for mocking. The establishment is now anti-abstinence. Why hold off? Why deny your sexuality? At any age? And then there's the Mormon thing. Anti-Mormon bigotry is rampant in Hollywood. Again, being mormon is to be culturally outside the establishment, and if there's anything that Hollywood hates more, it's someone who doesn't think like they do. They love all races, colors and creeds - as long as everyone thinks alike. Don't step outside the box. And just think, all you whinging Hollywood types - I'll bet Stephanie Meyers tithes. And what really pisses them off is that young people responded to this book and now the movies.

    Girls SHOULD put out Sat Jul 3 2010
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  • I should not have seen this film straight after the London Gay Pride March today as both were full of semi-nude muscle Maries. This is a film for hormonal girls, so best we adults butt out and let the girls vote on Team Pat or Team Taylor. Sometimes we adults just don't belong and this is one of those times. Pass.

    Paul Sat Jul 3 2010
    Rated as: 2/5
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  • who the hell is this 'Time Out' reviewer?!? did he have his glasses, or his hearing aid in ?????how did the story line nt advance? i think it did the book plenty of justice i was surprised at how well all emotions that were in the book were portrayed in the film. dont be put off by this 'time out' reviewer its obvious his girlfriend wants taylor lautner or rob patterson more than him.

    fran Sat Jul 3 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • no way i came out the cinema wanting to watch it again. it surpassed all of my expectaions.. theres action, pain and love and it isnt cheesy at all the actors and producers got it spot on! it captured everything gperfectly with all the intensity i was worried about some parts from reading the book tht they might not do it right but they got it spot on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    lily Sat Jul 3 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • I'm too old to respectably refer to myself as a "twihard" but willing to admit to liking the franchise, and I enjoyed this one too. I thought the battle and fight scenes were efficient and well executed and the cgi wolves looked great again. The bits that are intended to be funny are genuinely so. However Bryce Dallas Howard is a weak and unmenacing Victoria and the last scene feels like a flat afterthought compared to the surprise ending of New Moon. There's no denying that Robert Pattinson's startling prettiness on screen compensates for an awful lot of the drivel. A guilty pleasure.

    Evie Sat Jul 3 2010
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  • defo have to read the books to get some depth from the storys going to see advanced screening tonight with my mum we are defo twihards love it!

    kirby Sat Jul 3 2010
    Rated as: 5/5
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