Review: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (12A)***

Thus Kristen Stewart is the focus of this third tale in the self-styled Twilight saga – a sulky teen in love with a vampire and the object of desire of a young werewolf.

Sometimes it's hard being young... Eclipse is the weakest of the Twilight series so far in that it emerges as a pared down and anaemic version of Stephanie Meyer's novel.

The book offers an epic battle which, in David (Hard Candy) Slade's movie, becomes a minor skirmish. And the stand-off between Bella, Edward Cullen and Jacob Black (the boys played by Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner) never really catches fire.

Partly this is due to the watering down of Meyer's vision but also to the utter lack of chemistry between the principals. The concept of the eternal love triangle only adds to the confusion of plot elements.

"Marry me," says Edward to his mortal love. "Make me a vampire," replies his belle. Their romance is played out against the spectre of the ever-present Jacob. Who should she choose: tall, ethereal Edward, an aristocratic, ages-old vampire? Or solid, hunky Jacob, who tends to wander around half-naked, always at risk of transforming into a giant, dog-like lycanthrope?

This is a chunky book turned into a lacklustre film. It lacks power, passion and energy. It sags in the middle when the story should be building to its twin peaks – Bella's declaration of love and the vampire army's assault on the town of Forks – and ends with a whimper, not a blood-curdling scream.

Throw in poor CGI effects and cringe-worthy scripting and this will succeed in failing to please die-hard fans and casual punters alike.

"We feel the threat in our blood. Something terrible is coming," says an old Indian.

He got that right.