So I went today to see Eclipse with my niece (teen girls like this thing). Since I was seeing it to spend some quality time with my niece I decided to give it a go and devote my full focus to the story. I have to say I did my best to go in with an open mind and as a Buffy the vampire fan actually try and like it. I did... like parts of it- actually I laugh a lot since some of it is so rediculious. Some parts of it just left me with questions. I have a feeling that the movie was produced for people who already read the books (like they are doing with the harry potter movies).
Bottomline: It took way too much effort for me watch this to go back and read the books- this sucked. If your girlfriend forces to go see it- read below and make fun of the movie in an intelligent way. Then you get to choose the next date movie.
The story so far:
So here is what I got of the story: There are good guy vampires that sparkly in sunlight (just accept it) and have brown eyes yellow eyes. The main character is a 18 year old girl who loves these two guys, Edward a skinny mopey pale vampire guy and Jacob, a jacked altethetic guy. These two guys couldn’t be more different and somehow this girl is something amazing because they both love her and put up with her silly games playing on their feelings. From what I understand Edward is a 100 year old vampire
Vampire Lore:
(I am a huge Buffy the vampire slayer fan (and Angel), enjoy True Blood, Anne Rice, I play Dungeons and Dragons, and basically love horror films and movies) So here is what I gather about how vampires are within The Twilight Saga. They can move around during the day and they move really fast (like Ann Rice’s wonderful work). For some reason they sparkle occasionally in sunlight (the single worst feature that most men detest- you are talking about undead- why would they sparkle). Somehow there are good Vampires, but they are in fact dead, have no sole and do have to “hunt”. A big deal was made vampires needing to hunt for the good vampires to stay strong, but they never let you know (in the movie) what this involves. When they are hurt, decapitated, or dismembered they turn to ice or stone. They have no problem moving through water (which has been a limitation removed from vampire lore by many stories- so I can forgive this one). Certain of the vampires have additional other powers: Edward can read others minds (except Bella- which is why he may love her) and another vampire that have premonitions or visions (right out of BTVS or Angel).
Werewolf lore:
The werewolves are spirit warriors of a small tribe. Actually, I loved this take on werewolf legend. Jacob is new to the pack and could have been chief.
Jacob versus Edward: The stand-up corn-fed good guy or the mysterious challenging dark and creepy guy. It should be obvious who I think is the better guy, but they represent a decision most girls are always fighting to make. This was a major part of the story that really bothered me- I would never (at this point in my life) put up with a girl that played all these games and forever set these two again each other. She was so disrespectful at so many points in the movie to both guys that I had to laugh, repeatedly. I actually feel bad for the people in the theater with me since I laugh a lot and did my best to not do it too loudly.
What I did like: I enjoy the climatic battle at the end. I enjoy the conversation between Jacob and Edward while Bella was asleep. I really enjoyed the confederate soldier back story. I did love the scene when Bella breaks her hand hitting Jacob and then Jacob telling the father. That fact the Jacob appeared on-screen with a shirt on for less than .03456 seconds and Edward actually asks at one point “Does that guy even wear a shirt”. When I am back in shape- I will probably walk around NASA shirt-less.
What I did not like or absolutely hated: The blond vampire girl’s back story- it made no sense what so ever. Sparkely vampires. That Edward had so much desire to marry Bella- yet Bella had no interest in marriage and wanted to become a vampire. And that whole Bella wants to bang but Edward doesn’t believe in it. That Jacob said something to the effect of you can love more than one person. This whole love triangle made very little sense (which is the main conflict in the movie that teenage girls love- shows what I understand about women).
I assume that the books are much better and explain a lot more of this detail, but overall most of this is aweful.
Posts
6 comments:
Those movies are ridiculous..they break almost every rule of vampires. Especially the sunlight thing, I mean come on!
You spoke a lot about the characters Edward and Jacob, as most people do with this series (team Jacob or team Edward etc.). But lets talk about who the worst character in the book is. Bella. She is a capsule of nothingness in human form. I don't think I have ever disliked any character in anything ever. Throughout the whole movie I didn't feel anything for her, I had no clue what made her so special and why these two guys were so into her. Please tell me what they saw in her.
She was completely helpless, dependent, whiny and did whatever she wanted, not caring how it affected people around her. As the protagonist in the novels, she has no strong characteristics. Except that maybe she was infatuated with Edward. And even that she was a bit wishy washy on.
The "love" triangle confounds me. I don't know why Bella would want to be with either of them. All they do is try to manipulate her. In return she treats both Jacob and Edward like garbage. I can't see any reason that any of them would be with each other.
The success of this series is now upsetting me more as I give it credit it doesn't deserve. I spent a lot of mental effort trying to find the depth to the story and I do not really think it is there. I have no problem with how much of the story is taken from other series, but it is done badly.
I agree that Bella does not deserve to be the protagonist.
First, you can't come into it in the middle and expect to "get" it. Like a few other series (but more so than many), you need to see what came before for it to make sense. Like a TV show that builds on itself. These movies is mostly for the fans already existing so they can't (or won't, but I think it would drag interminably if they did) spend much time going over what happened before.
The difference between the "good" vampires and the "bad" vampires isn't that they both hunt, but what's on the menus. The "good" vampires only drink animal blood, not humans. A small but, to me at least, important distinction.
I will admit that many of Bella's motivations (and some of Jacob's) elude me. She doesn't make much sense to me at all - unless I compare her to my own teenage daughter (who constantly frustrates me with her vacillations and logic), then I get it but still can't find her personally appealing. But she's the target audience. The fact that she irritates me much like my own daughter is likely why girls her age can get it when I just roll my eyes. Given the success, clearly they've struck a chord.
You might note that MANY of the teenage fans of the books/movies are "Team Jacob," those that favor the normal teen guy. While those of us adult fans (particularly women) are more likely to appreciate Edward (as do all the adult female fans I know, and that includes my sister and a close family friend).
There are aspects of Edward that are deeply and inherently selfless, including the message that one can control oneself for the good of another. Not necessarily an appetizing message.
My husband feels the sparkly is silly, too. (They're actually described as effectively stone before they're killed, that's why they crack - and, no, that makes no sense, but then science and horror are frequently at odds. I liked Ironman, too, but not from a science standpoint.)
I think the point is not WHAT they are, werewolf, teenage girl, vampire, but who they are. Another message that appeals to me personally.
In the end, though, unless you can identify with a character - because it is very much a character driven story - I suspect you just aren't going to like it. And that's OK, too. No sense being upset by it. There are many very popular things I've never understood either.
What a boring world it would be if we all liked the same things.
Of course- something I didn't consider- the perspective of the teenage girl. I am judging from my own experience and how I would react to a girl playing me off another guy the way she manipulates Jacob and Edward.
Is it that the movie is deeper than I can appreciate or that she (the author) is capturing the spirit of adolescence girls. As much as I would like it to- not everything is going to "make sense". Most comments (and other reviews) flow along with Bella-bashing and the fact of her actions.
I have to say I read another female author that dealt more with werewolves with a female main character that I actually enjoyed (I'll look up the book if anyone is interested). So the real question is do I put these on my book list?
My conclusion is that this story is written for teenage girls and more than likely I will not enjoy it.
Post a Comment