The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Ramps Teenage Emotion Up To 11 (2025)

Peter Simek: OMG! So The Angelika had a marathon last night: Twilight at 7 p.m., New Moon at 9 .m. and then Eclipse at midnight. The only reason I totally wasn’t there was because I don’t think I could have handled looking at Jacob for all that time. Too emotionally intense.

Will Arbery: Yeah, you kept saying that you wanted him to put on a shirt. Are you jealous, Pete?

PS: Jealous, embarrassed, emasculated. You know, just like high school. And for the record, I was just impressed at how often they came up with the excuse to have Jacob shirtless. It felt like a Fruit of the Loom ad.

But let’s give this a little context. We both went to the Eclipse the other night. I’ve never seen or read any of the Twilight series, and only had the vague notion that it was about vampires. You have developed a somewhat unhealthy obsession with the first two films.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Ramps Teenage Emotion Up To 11 (1)

For a newbie, it was difficult to piece out just what was going on. So here’s my version of the plot; tell me if I got it right: There’s a young girl, Belle, who doesn’t feel like the rest of the kids at school, and she is in love with Edward, a creepy/dreamy vampire kid who is a perfect cross between Luke Perry and Robert Smith, circa 1981. She has decided she is going to become a vampire too. The trouble is there’s the other guy, Jacob, a beefy American Christiano Ronaldo who is a werewolf (the vampires and werewolves are mortal enemies). Jacob loves Belle too, and Belle doesn’t think she loves him, but we totally see that she does – and so does Edward. So there’s a kind of Jules and Jim thing going on where she loves both guys because they are personality yings and yangs and satisfy her emotional needs in different ways. This all comes to head when there is this big battle between an army of “new” vampires that are trying to kill Belle for some completely incomprehensible reason.

That sound like the movie you saw?

WA: Okay, WHOA. Were we at the same movie? First of all, her name is BELLA. The parallel to Belle from Beauty and the Beast isn’t supposed to be that obvious, because this Bella’s conundrum is that she has to choose between two pubescent monsters, one of them hairy and rough, the other one pale and delicate like the prince the Beast turns into. And Jacob is a NATIVE American Christiano Ronaldo. And the “newborns” aren’t trying to kill Bella for no reason: they’re being manipulated by Victoria, who wants to get back at Edward for killing her vampire lover in the first movie. By the way, I’ve seen both Twilight and New Moon, and I can definitely say that this is the most enjoyable out of the three. They got the guy who directed Hard Candy, David Slade, to direct this one, and I thought this movie had a lot of totally melodramatic, operatic scenes involving the three lovers, in a style that had a hint of self-mockery.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Ramps Teenage Emotion Up To 11 (2)

PS: I’m with you. I was actually surprised at how much I enjoyed it myself. The super emotional, soap opera bits didn’t make me cringe, they made me laugh. I’m hard pressed to think of a movie that turns adolescent feeling up to this level without making it totally unbearable. Part of that had to do with the winks at the camera. But also, and I can’t believe I’m about to say this, it also kind of made me feel what it feels like to be 14 again, which is to say it’s sincerity worked too. At that age, everything does feel so intense and overblown. Life is so unbearably serious. So the basic allegory of the film worked for me. Placing Beverly Hills 90210 storylines in a world of vampires and werewolves made the heightened teenage drama ring true.

WA: Definitely. I also can’t believe I’m saying this, but every time I watch a Twilight movie, it’s an immensely enjoyable experience. The movie manages to balance the camp and the sincerity. In this film in particular, there were two scenes that kind of blew me away: the scene in the bedroom and the scene in the tent. I won’t spoil the details, but do you agree that these were almost radical in their bare-faced emotion? These films deal with the most basic human problems and amp them up to the highest possible stakes. I also think they’re nice to look at, and the specificity of Forks, Washington is refreshing.

PS: Visually, I can’t get over the way Edward twinkled in the sun. So dreamy! But the tent scene was nice: raw, corny, and embarrassingly uncorked. I will give away the best line from that scene, though. Jacob to Edward: “I’m still hotter than you.” Because let’s face it, there is a ton of pandering to the fans in these films, which is fine for the fans, but as a non-fan, I’m not sure if I’d go out of my way to see it. The movie is curious, almost anthropologically, but this is still an insider-drama for obsessed insiders. The one problem I have with it is that there is work out there that appeals to the adolescent heart that still transcends in a meaningful way. I’m thinking here of Morrissey and The Smiths, or early Rainer Maria, or even Heathers. I still listen to / watch that stuff because it speaks to the heart awakening into maturity. Eclipse still struck me as the heart in an emotional bubble.

WA: No argument here. I was afraid we weren’t going to remind ourselves that it is, in the end, remarkably silly stuff. I originally watched Twilight one night last winter because I wanted to see it in that “almost anthropological” way you just referred to. I enjoyed the film because I recognized its immense capacity for catering skillfully to its fan base, while still entertaining doubters. This is never what I would have latched onto as a teen, and I too yearn for a phenomenon that is more meaningful for today’s youngsters, something actually grounded in our world– enough with wizards, fairies, and sparkling vampires. But I think as far as pure fun goes, it’s all here, and the message is surprisingly sound.

PS: Now we sound defensive. So, okay Ebert, what do you say? I give it a Worth A Shot, because fans will go see it and non-fans won’t bother.

WA: Did you just demote yourself to Roeper? Worth a shot. And by the way, I’m team Jacob.

PS: Well, his counterpart will always be Siskel to me. And I’m not going there with the teams.

Main Image: Vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) and his Bella (Kristen Stewart) (Courtesy Photo)

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse Ramps Teenage Emotion Up To 11 (2025)

FAQs

What are the inappropriate scenes in Twilight Eclipse? ›

It contains intense sequences of action violence that include violence against children, an inferred rape scene, vampires engaged in blood frenzies, and an extended brutal battle between two groups of supernatural beings.

What is Twilight Saga Eclipse rated? ›

Is Eclipse the last Twilight movie? ›

The third installment, Eclipse, was released on June 30, 2010. The fourth installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 1, was released on November 18, 2011, while the fifth and final installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, was released on November 16, 2012.

What is Twilight 3 called? ›

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.

Why is Eclipse Twilight banned? ›

The “Twilight” series was removed from “schools because they believe the content is too sexual and goes against religious beliefs,” according to Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom in November 2009. The “Twilight” series has achieved popular, financial and critical success.

Is Twilight appropriate for a 14 year old? ›

Laura I've implemented a kind of standard rule with my kids: you need to be no more than 3 years younger than the narrator/main character. (This would put her about 14 for Twilight.)

Why did Bella kiss Jacob? ›

When he learns that Bella and Edward are engaged, he is enraged and pretends to sacrifice himself to make Bella willingly offer a kiss, which is the only thing keeping him from killing himself. As Bella is kissing Jacob, she visualizes a future with him and realizes that she is in love with him after all.

Why is Eclipse PG-13? ›

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse received a PG-13 rating for "intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality." Both Twilight and New Moon were PG-13 as well, but for slightly different, and somewhat telling, reasons: Twilight garnered its rating due to "some violence and a scene of sensuality," while New Moon ...

What age is an Eclipse appropriate for? ›

How old is Bella in Eclipse? ›

Eclipse. Eclipse continues the paranormality of 18-year-old human Bella and the vampire Edward's relationship. Edward is reluctant to change Bella into a vampire, believing that becoming a vampire will destroy her soul.

Who was the little girl in Twilight Eclipse? ›

Jodelle Ferland(I)

Jodelle Micah Ferland has built up an impressive resume filled with roles in film, television and, at the beginning of her career, commercials. Born on October 9, 1994, she got her start in an episode of CTV's.

Is Renesmee a girl? ›

After Bella and Edward marry, Renesmee is conceived during the couple's honeymoon. Discovering that she is miraculously pregnant with a half-vampire child, Bella decides to name the baby "Renesmee" if a girl, after her two grandmothers Renée Dwyer and Esme Cullen.

Is Twilight for 9 year olds? ›

great 4 teens

I loved the twilight saga, but I wouldnt let kids under 13 read it mostly because the sexual content in the last book, and the disscusion about having sex in Eclipse. Also its pretty violent and can be scary for younger kids.

Is the New Moon ok for kids? ›

Parents Need to Know

Like Stephenie Meyer's books, the New Moon movie is virtually free of salty language, drinking, and smoking -- but there are some intense action sequences involving vampires and/or werewolves, and one supporting character dies.

Are there any inappropriate parts in Twilight? ›

There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie.

Is there any inappropriate scenes in Twilight New Moon? ›

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Although there's nothing explicit, all of Bella and Edward's scenes are filled with passionate looks, hugs (including one in which he's shirtless), and brief-but-intense kisses.

Are there spicy scenes in Twilight? ›

In the Twilight series there is minimal sex in the four Young Adult fiction books, which follow the relationship between teenage girl Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen. When sex is written about, it is only after the couple have consummated their marriage.

Is Twilight Eclipse book appropriate? ›

Eclipse is written for kids ages 9 and up.

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