Eclipse is many people's favourite book in the Twilight saga (as it is mine), and so I had high hopes for a movie adaptation that pulled out all the stops, and it did just that.
The movie opens on a sinister note: a rainy night in Seattle, where a Forks boy, Riley, is attacked and changed by Victoria. Meanwhile, Bella and Edward are planning the future and he maintains that he will only change her if she agrees to marry him, after they are married. Jacob is still tormented by Edward's return, his feelings and the knowledge that Bella wants to become a vampire. At the same time, Charlie is alarmed by daily increasing reports of murders and disappearances in Seattle. This hasn't escaped the Cullens' notice and it soon becomes apparent that Victoria, still hell-bent on revenge, is creating an army of new-borns with which to destroy Bella and the Cullen clan.
Eclipse was a sensitive adaptation of the book- suspenseful and breathtakingly dramatic in the fight scenes, particularly where the wolves were involved (the graphics here are great). The movie wasn't too long nor did it feel rushed, there is more humour here than in full moon, which provides a counterbalance for the impending danger posed by Victoria and the Volturi. The dual romance between Bella and Edward and Bella and Jacob was also dealt with really beautifully. The scenes where Jacob keeps Bella warm in the tent the night before the fight, and when she finally admits her feelings for him, are both heart-meltingly magical. Kristen Stewart is more relaxed playing Bella now, there was less awkward restraint on her part in this movie and she's a lot more confident, despite her fragility. It goes without saying that Stewart is perfect as Bella, and she is absolutely beautiful in such a natural way whilst being seemingly oblivious to it. I loved too the way Jasper's and Rosalie's pasts were explored by the movie, and their previously sidelined characters become more understandable for us viewers. But for me, the film belonged to Jacob (Taylor Lautner). Lautner is that unusual actor who is devastatingly beautiful, likeable, incredibly talented and mature beyond his years, and I felt the beautifully written script was interpreted brilliantly by him, and the poignancy of Jacob's dual torment and passionate devotion to Bella is really tangible in his words without being tortured or angsty as you might expect in such a young actor.
All in all, a fantastic and thoughtful adaptation, guaranteed to satisfy even hardcore fans of the book.