Review – SPOILERS!

Here is my Eclipse review.

Firstly it is definitely the best of the three so far. Just when I thought I couldn’t love a movie more, the new one comes out and I love it even more.

Let’s get the very few “cons” out of the way:

• I’m on the fence about if I love the scenes with the newborns in Seattle. Ok, to put it better….I love those scenes, but honestly Eclipse is from Bella’s point of view, which obviously couldn’t
  include those scenes (as they weren’t in the book either), but we all read
  the Bree book too, which these scenes are pulled from, and pulled from
  very well. I just don’t know if they should actually be in the movie. It
  makes sense to have them in the movie for all those out there who aren’t
  Twilight crazies like we are (he,he,he), so they know what’s going on, but
  I’m sure there are some who think those scenes don’t stay true to the ECLIPSE
  story, and I can see that point of view as well. So, I dunno. I did love
  love love the scenes though. Go Riley! Like we need another vampire to crush
  on. Ha,ha.
• There were times when Jacob was giving Bella a speech about how she should pick him where I wanted to scream “YOU ARE TOO HOT TO BE BEGGING THIS GIRL TO BE WITH YOU”. It got a little……pathetic….But
  that is exactly how it is in the books, and that is the way it should be,
  so that’s just me sitting in the audience being jealous of Bella. What a
  rough life she has right girls? Ha,ha,ha.

So neither of those are really even cons, cuz I gotta admit, I’m having a hard time coming up with cons. Oh, it would have been nice to see a nice moment between Esme and Carlisle,
and even Emmett and Rosalie. But I’m hoping for that in BD. And…..I agree with
a lot of other reviews about Victoria. I wasn’t expecting Bryce to be better or
worse than Rachelle, but Bryce just wasn’t that scary. Rachelle played Victoria
with such a evil snideness that was a little more convincing as Victoria.

So the “pros” or things that I really loved about it are:

• We definitely see Bella’s character grow, and within that I think we see Kristen as an actress grow. Bella is no longer the timid wallflower, even with Edward. Of course he still dazzles her, for
  sure! But she has a new strength within her, and because of this strength
  she seems more part of the Cullen team, than an outsider looking in.
• I saw a recent interview with RPatz in which he said that he liked the way Edward’s character seemed more relaxed, more like a “normal” guy with his feelings. I really saw that in Edward as well. The cute
  little jealousy he has of Jacob being around Bella, so adorable. I think
  since New Moon when he thought he lost Bella and showed all this vulnerability,
  it allowed him to accept that vulnerability and accept that others see it.
  Almost like he had to hit rock bottom to be able to build himself back up
  with a new confidence in himself and in his relationship with Bella.
• I loved the touching moments between Bella and Rosalie and Bella and Jasper discussing their pasts and how they became vampires. Going into the movie I thought the moments in the movie couldn’t compare to the
  intimacy of the moments in the book, but they truly do. That I think is a
  testament to Nikki and Jackson’s acting, and the writing of course. Those
  two moments were so sincere, especially Rosalie. Oh, and then in the scene
  with Jasper there’s the very touching ending with him and Alice. So nice
  to see.
• I loved the scene where the Cullens and the wolves are practicing for battle. The (practice) fight between Edward and Carlisle – yummy! What a moment. Even though it wasn’t a real fight, it brought a unique
  feeling to the story for a moment. Also, the scene with Jasper and Alice
  practicing was so adorable. They obviously could never hurt each other,
  but the way she kind of taunts him in a playful way is so cute.
• The tent scene was awesome. Of course any scene with Edward and Jacob together is just double the yum, but they did a really good job of staying true to the book. The banter between the two was great….funny….a
  little uncomfortable…honest.
• The fight with the newborns was great! Finally we get to see the Cullens in a different light. I know since the first movie I’ve been waiting to see that, as I’m sure everyone who’s read the books
  have. This is also true of the scene of them chasing Victoria with the
  wolves on the other side of the line. I loved seeing their physical
  strength. It was a great addition to their great inner strength we’ve fallen’
  in love with.
• We’ve all already grown to love the relationship between Bella and Charlie, and I was so glad to see more of that in this movie. Their witty banter, which is really their loving moments, is very sincere
  and real….and hilarious. I love the way Stephanie portrays their relationship,
  and Melissa really captures that in the script, and of course Kristen and
  Billy pull it off flawlessly.
• The end was great. No midsentence (practically) cut-off. Not that I really minded the way NM ended. I thought it was kinda….funny in a wicked way, the way all those who haven’t read the books groaned in
  the audience at the end of NM. Then read the books stupids! Oh I’m evil.
  But I did really like this end. Off to Charlie they go!

I’m sure I can go on and on and on and on (ya think) about this movie. Big thumbs up. The movies, like the books did, are maturing and getting more complex and more
intimate (mentally and physically), as they should be. Melissa did a FANTASTIC
job with the script, in my opinion. With all the chatter about what she’ll do
with BD, after seeing Eclipse I have a new found confidence that she’ll do just
great.

-Jennifer N.

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