Bad Moon Rising

Rating: 3/10 (30 August 2010)

New Moon is the unnecessary follow up to Twilight that Stephanie Meyer never intended to write. It's a writer's block novel that even its fans do not enjoy. The film version is likewise too long and languid. Still, the screenplay is peppered with such bad-movie dialog I was able chuckle my way through it. I was unfortunately not as lucky with the third film.
Eclipse unravels as the unnecessary cinematic rendition of Meyer's fantasy series. The film feels like a bunch of scattered events that are drawn out for the purpose of milking the franchise until the presumably much better conclusion simply must happen. Take note that the second film ends with Bella having agreed to become a vampire if Edward will not expose himself to the world. The vampire council Volturi agrees and permits them to return to Forks. This plot point remains to be resolved for the fourth and fifth films. It is referenced in Eclipse, but only in passing. Meyer either wrote the novel this way for reasons I wouldn't know as a movie reviewer or she's as poor a writer as her detractors claim she is.
After returning from Italy, Bella and Edward go home and fawn over each other while Jacob watches in dismay and occasional disgust. Bella won't admit that she is in love with him too and he agonizes over her refusal to be honest with herself. This dullness is only occasionally spliced with self-aware dialog that is actually funny. Edward admits that Jacob "never wears a shirt". The screenplay is more sophisticated as most of the corny jokes have been removed, but this works against the film. It makes obvious the melodramatic nothingness that we must endure. The camp hid it in the last movie.
A subplot from the first film becomes the primary plot of the third one. Victoria, the lover of the first film baddie, James, has decided to create a vampire army to attack the Cullens. Edward and Jacob's families form a temporary truce to defeat the army of newborns, while the two love interests protect Bella. Edward rebukes his ongoing criticism as a girly guy and kills Victoria with his own hands. The Volturi arrive to investigate and inquire why Bella is still human. They will kill her and destroy the Cullens unless she becomes a vampire. The latter half of the film also provides a description of the supporting characters in the series that have little significance to the story. David Slade has added a good amount of violence to the picture that will make it less insufferable for non-target audiences.
If Eclipse had to exist as a separate film, then it should have been produced before New Moon. The Victoria subplot should have been resolved directly after the Twilight. The Volturi should have been introduced in this film and then summoned Edward to question his relationship with Bella in the appropriate third film. And if that wasn't enough, non-fans have had to wait three films to find out more about the other characters. Why did we have to wait so long? After watching Stewart in two previous (and better) films, I feel sorry for her being forced into a conservative role that doesn't allow her to act to her strengths. Near the end of this film there is a bedroom scene where Bella asks Edward for sex. He refuses until they are wed. Now I cannot see Joan Jett, Georgia, or any of the roles she has played with aplomb attracted to a guy as unworldly as Edward.
Not Recommended