--- title: "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-twilight-saga-eclipse/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-twilight-saga-eclipse" critics_score: 56 critics_reviews: 15 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010): what the critics said Critics' score 56 from 15 reviews: 6 positive, 4 mixed, 5 negative. Most critics agree that Eclipse is the best of the Twilight films so far, and several add that this is faint praise. Approval clusters on David Slade’s direction, the climactic battle, which several reviews single out as the first action in the series worth the name, and dialogue that is sharper and wrier than before. Taylor Lautner is the performer most often mentioned; more than one reviewer says he comes close to taking the film from its leads. Kristen Stewart is credited with giving Bella more of a personality. The spread is wide. Reservations cluster on length, repetition and the drawn-out abstinence plot, with the historical flashbacks, some poor wigs and one laughable effects shot also noted. A third of the reviews are negative: The Guardian finds the saga turgid, Slant finds it inert and no better than its predecessors, and Den of Geek calls it bloated and poorly acted, though even that review exempts Lautner. ## Empire — Will Lawrence Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 13 March 2009. Lawrence considers it the best Twilight film so far, with enough energy and humour to appeal beyond the fan base. He particularly praises Slade’s handling of the climactic battle and the film’s wry dialogue. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/twilight-saga-eclipse-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. Honeycutt finds that Eclipse finally gets the series’ tone right, balancing teenage passions with supernatural action. He especially praises David Slade’s direction and Taylor Lautner’s performance, which nearly steals the film. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/twilight-saga-eclipse-film-review-29767/) ## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2010. Sharkey finds the film a lively improvement on its predecessors, praising its blend of romantic tension, action and humor. She singles out Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner for bringing greater emotional depth to their characters, while faulting the historical flashbacks for dragging. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jun-30-la-et-twilight-eclipse-20100630-story.html) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 June 2010. Festival review. Debruge finds that this installment finally delivers the blockbuster scale the franchise deserves. He praises its action and visual effects, especially the climactic battle, while noting that weak makeup and wigs undercut the fantasy. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2010/film/reviews/the-twilight-saga-eclipse-1117943068/) ## Evening Standard — Mark Williams Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic finds the film more stirring than its predecessor, despite its limited action and a laughable CGI moment. They praise the romantic triangle’s screwball banter and its evocative tent scene. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/twilight-eclipse-is-lacking-bite-but-great-for-action-fans-7420586.html) ## Screen Daily — John Hazelton Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 27 June 2010. The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is inaccessible. The available text does not reveal what the critic praises or criticizes. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-twilight-saga-eclipse/5015465.article) ## Total Film — Jane Crowther Rating 3/5. 2 July 2010. Crowther finds this a lively improvement on the previous film, though it remains too long and unlikely to win new fans. She praises the sharper dialogue, expanded action and more convincing vampire-battle effects. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/eclipse-review/) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 2/5. 2 July 2010. Huddleston’s two-star rating indicates an underwhelming film. The page metadata focuses on whether David Slade can give the franchise a Harry Potter-like reinvention, but the review text is unavailable. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-twilight-saga-eclipse-1) ## Slant Magazine — Simon Abrams Rating 0.5/4. 29 June 2010. Abrams delivers a sharply negative verdict, finding the film illogical, inert, and no better than its predecessors. He singles out Slade’s darker look as the main distinction, but says it amounts mostly to visible film grain. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-twilight-saga-eclipse/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 8 July 2010. Bradshaw gives the film a scathing verdict, arguing the saga has become increasingly turgid. He particularly mocks its prolonged abstinence plot and the strained tension between Edward and Jacob. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/jul/08/the-twilight-saga-eclipse-review) ## Digital Spy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 July 2010. The critic calls it a definite improvement over New Moon, though the angst and pacing can still wear thin. They praise Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of Bella and the added character detail for Riley, Jasper, and Rosalie. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a236375/the-twilight-saga-eclipse/) ## Paste — Ani Vrabel Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 June 2010. Vrabel considers Eclipse the strongest entry in the series, while noting that this is faint praise. She praises Bella’s more developed personality and the screenplay’s self-aware humor, but faults the film for plot holes and predictability. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-twilight-saga-eclipse) ## Eye for Film — Susanna Krawczyk Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 4 July 2010. Krawczyk finds the film pretty good overall, despite sappy moments and problematic relationships. She praises its clear, well-managed action scenes and the sensitive handling of Bella’s sexual feelings. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-twilight-saga-eclipse-film-review-by-susanna-krawczyk) ## HeyUGuys — David Sztypuljak Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 1 July 2010. The critic finds the film overly long and repetitive, and says its darker tone does not overcome its weaknesses. He praises the vampire attack scenes and the climactic battle, while wishing the revenge plot received more attention. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/twilight-eclipse-review/) ## Den of Geek — Ron Hogan Rating 1/5. 4 July 2010. Hogan delivers a strongly negative verdict, calling the film bloated, poorly acted, and weighed down by stilted dialogue. He singles out Taylor Lautner as the one principal actor still making an effort to convey believable emotions. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/twilight-eclipse-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-twilight-saga-eclipse.md