Eclapsed: A Movie Review

Eclipse.

Third in the celebrated Twilight book series.

 Grossed over $300 million at the worldwide box office.

Watched last night.

My sister got it for Christmas.

Though not a fan of the series, I have been intrigued by the overnight success of the books and witnessed, as a youth pastor, the instant impact it was having on young minds. I read New Moon two years ago and couldn't wait to put it down. I found the books absolutely repulsive, simply because of the first person, Bella Swan, writing style. Not to mention the whiny nature of her reason and thoughts. But I have already gotten off track.

The movies have proved to be slightly more bearable. I can watch them without wanting to shove a cough depressor up my mouth, most of the time. My youngest sister, Toria, discovered the books a couple years ago and, as I understand it, devoured the four books. As the movies have been making their way to the theaters and unto DVD (for every living room in the America to enjoy) we have been supporting her interest in them. She has received the newest addition on DVD each year. This Christmas, being no different, meant the arrival of Eclipse into our home. I, having not seen it, asked last night if the girls would want to stay up late and watch it with me.

Stage set. Comfy chair settled into. Room dark, save for light from TV. Insert movie. Press play. Enjoy.

I hadn't heard very much about this newest movie. I knew it came out this past summer and from trailers appeared to have some fairly intense scenes (I mean, come on... vampires walking out of a lake, with music about to crescendo... you know that peaked your interest a little). A few people told me the movie was a let down. Still not enough fighting, especially between the vamps and the wolves, they said. I don't think we will ever tire of fight scenes between two mythical creatures. Anyway, if for no other reason than its cultural importance, I was excited to see what might unfold.

Mostly predictable; it is Bella Swan after all. We can expect nothing less than a lot of awkward staring, heavily dramatic (almost laughable) lines, that I'm-a-chihuahua-and-can't-help-but-shake-a-little-while-I'm-wishing-you-would-kiss-me intensity which has made Kristen Stewart famous, and more recently the back and forth game between Edward and Jacob. There were still a lot of glowing red eyes. Big dogs. Annoying high school friends. A father/sheriff who can't seem to do anything right. And that classic disliking of Bella by Rosalie (sadly now we know where it comes from). There remained the pack/gang of Indian boys walking around (everywhere) shirtless. That great old pick-up of Bella's still runs. And Edward still sneaks into Bella's bedroom every night to lie beside her.

There were some new aspects which I had not seen or noticed in the two previous films:

• We finally managed to see Victoria up close, to find her no longer sprinting through the woods like George of the Jungle. Though here I must add my disappointment that they changed actors for this Victoria (thanks Ron Howard for giving Hollywood your pale-white daughter with eyes far too large for her face). Bryce just wasn't believable. She lacks the intensity and anger of the previous Victoria (a real tragedy of the film). 
• My other qualm was more expected yet also more shocking. Some of the inadvertently advert messages. The worldview clearly flowed in such things as the Valedictorian speech by Jessica, Bella in Edward's bedroom (I will get to Edward's part in that soon), etc. Jessica rants for probably 2 minutes about how as high schoolers they need to be making as many mistakes as possible; to fall in love as many times as they want. It was as if the voice of the culture of our teenagers had just spoken, finally opening her big mouth, admitting what we already knew but still shocking us with the actual reasoning of their choices. Be as stupid as you want right now, because all will be forgiven you when you're 70 and you somehow arrived at wisdom. Don't think about what you're doing. Just do. Keep doing. Don't attempt to learn from what you're doing until you're much older. We knew this stuff was happening, yet to hear it expressed so flippantly, to hear it actually expressed at all, paints a rather dismal picture. Millions of youth around the world heard the same speech I did. Only most of them with less filters in their thinking, soaking up the words and going home to live it out. It was a bold move on the part of the producers. Like revealing your hand of cards in a poker game, they just gave something big away. If I had been a teen in a theater watching, I would have stood up and started yelling, "NO NO! MUTE IT... TURN IT OFF... THEY'LL BE ONTO US. LA LA LA LA LA!" Parents might just hear Jessica's words and say something to their kids. Then again, probably not, right?
• I don't have to say much about Bella's worldview regarding sex and relationships. She's made hints to it in the first two films. I had just never heard her be so direct, calling Edward's intent not to sleep with her "ancient." Her looks of confusion, hurt, and near-disgust with his refusal to budge on the issue were crystal clear and sending mighty words to young girls, wishing with every ounce of their being to be more like her, to dress like her, talk like her, think like her, themselves hoping a vampire and werewolf might fight over them. 

 A book written to be an intriguing story for teens, to be entertaining, just got duped into becoming secular humanist propaganda. With both the speech and Bella's rant, a message much deeper than choosing between a werewolf and vampire was conveyed.

Right here, I do want to add my thoughts about Edward's words back to Bella in that bedroom scene. I like the guy. More and more. Apart from his own awkward staring and absolute obsession, he's a great guy. And I truly appreciate his stance on sex. Despite how clearly he wants to be with her, he wants more to respect her, to treat her as he knows best. Coming from an earlier period, when relationships were "less complicated" and couples courted (with rules and boundaries defined), he shared with her how a respectful guy would navigate a relationship. Apart from perhaps "stealing a kiss or two," he would take walks with her, they would get to know each other, and when the time was right would go first to the father and ask his permission to marry her. Despite the many years he had seen pass, little of this was lost on him. Sure, he and Bella have stolen a few more than two kisses, they share a bed many nights (fully clothed), and he proposes before asking Bella's father for permission, yet his desire to respect her physically is the most redeeming aspect to the entire series. This is the way it is supposed to be. This is how God designed relationships to function. Hearts and bodies are best protected through patience. The passions of sex are meant to be fed and felt only within the difficult work of commitment to one person. Here, they can grow and remain properly placed in regards to the relationship as a whole.
Edward... YOU THE MAN... THE DEAD, COLD, BLOOD-DRINKING MAN... BUT THE MAN NONETHELESS!

To conclude, the movie offered us much of the classic whiny and wide-eyed Bella, the obsessed Edward, the immature and bare-chested Jacob, the red-headed Victoria, the father trying to do his best, and the frequent fields of flowers which have made young girls yell and squeal uncontrollably, guys to wonder what they might look like without a shirt on in a movie, women to wish their husbands would still look at them the way Edward does Bella, and men to find new inspiration to clean the garage. The movie gave us a couple descent fight scenes. A great old pick-up. People walking out of a lake. And a worldview which should both cause concern and could lead to some great conversations between parents and their teens. If only the parents would show a little courage and interest.