Momentum Lost - Cast Coasts By On This Dull Installment

Rating: 4/10 (13 December 2010)

I'm not one of those die-hard, Twilight-crazed fans, but I did really enjoy reading the novels and own the first movie on DVD. There was an excitement & buzz with the first Twilight movie and its young up- and-coming cast. This was a great story of sacrifice & forbidden love...
However, by Eclipse, all the momentum & excitement built in the previous movies was GONE. I mean, as cold & dead as Edward Cullen's heart! The movie tries to carry the complicated, lovey-dovey relationship between Edward & Bella right from the opening scene -- but something is amiss. The lighting is fake, the vampire makeup way too pale & dramatic, and too many of the main characters have completely FAKE & distracting hair pieces (including Kristen Stewart wearing a terrible, oddly colored brown wig!).
Bella's character & her dialogue had lost its pessimistic & sarcastic edge. All continuity from the previous movies was gone. I believe Stewart was also filming The Runaways, but ALL the actors were just going through the motions, I felt. They were more concerned with their hair, makeup, clothes & action shots than the edgy & dark story line. The dialogue too, particularly with Jacob, is laugh-out-loud cheesy. No wonder they just keep him on camera shirtless. Taylor Laudner will be lucky to ever land another real "acting" gig again! He's eye candy, and not even that good looking when you actually study his face.
I couldn't help but roll my eyes during much of this movie. I felt almost embarrassed for the cast! It was just cheesy around every turn. When there was supposed to be high drama & tension (Victoria is here! Or Jacob & the pack show up at Alice's graduation party! OMG!) -- nothing, nada, BORING! This movie just lacked the ups-and-downs & drama it had before. I can only hope that the final installments will get better, not worse.