The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

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The Twilight Saga finally hits its stride, subverting the long thought notion that every franchise loses something with each sequel. Instead we're given easily the best film of the equally loved/loathed series so far. Massive credit must go to new director Slade, who really seems to 'get' the material, delivering surprisingly visceral action, a wry sense of humour and foreboding atmosphere aplenty. The pangs of teen angst may still be prominent, but with a lot less needlessly ponderous moments, as proceedings move at a solid pace.

The film opens with a young man from Bella's town being attacked and bitten by a mysterious figure. Changed to a vampire, he is being used by a hidden power to build an army to take on The Cullens, once again putting Bella's life in danger. Bella, meanwhile, is still certain of her decision to become a vampire - despite Edward's insistence that for her to change would be a decision she'd regret. When an army of hungry 'newborns' begin tearing through nearby Seattle, Edward must enlist the help of Jacob and the rest of the wolfpack to protect the missus and ensure their love never ends.

There are certainly silted moments. Some conversations go on for one longing look too many, but it just feels less forced than in previous instalments; Stewart in particular comes off much more comfortable. Given the context of her character, the former child star really seems to have grown, and could even be described as feisty. Lautner's scenes with her are still a little awkward, with the young actor probably taking the alpha nature of his character a little too far. Injections of humour and a bit more self-awareness feel more like cohesive growth, as opposed to a change of tone, as the franchise becomes a little more self-aware.

Pattinson was always going to be the actor under the most scrutiny, and there is obviously only so much he can do with what he's given. Edward has a lot of emotions he's supposed to be hiding under the pale surface, and the young British actor conveys every one of them with aplomb. Despite showing promise in the otherwise messy Remember Me, this will more than likely be his signature role, and that probable realisation translates into a stronger, more confident performance.

Despite all of the positives, this is still almost certainly not enough to bring in the uninitiated. Twilight is still very much a soap opera; but for the first time it feels like a cinematic one - even a blockbuster. Naysayers may not be swayed, but fans and casual watchers of the franchise will still be delighted at this epically staged instalment.