Eclipse

These stories are probably criticized more for gender portrayal than almost any other book or film I can think of. Because I was prepared to be annoyed I actually found myself finding GOOD gender decisions in this movie. Here are some thoughts.

- I don't have a problem with Edward and Bella's young engagement. They're both young. In fact, she's older. They're just stupid teenagers - it's not sexist.

- Edward's "I would get your father's permission" speech and general chivalrous behavior are for sure annoying. But there's actually a REASON for this. He's from 100 years ago. Also, one could argue that this is a huge improvement on how modern movie boys treat women. (Superbad, for example. Come to think of it, any movie with Jonah Hill in it.)

- Edward and Jacob constantly get in each others' faces over Bella. This is annoying, no denying it. I got tired of watching Bella try to break up their fights.

- Bella is weak, no doubt about it. However, this is more excusable than it is when women are portrayed as frail in other movies, because the boys are immortal/supernatural in some way, and she is a human. The female vampires are in no way physical inferiors to the males.

- It is very cool and very rare to see a physical fight in a film between men and women or, particularly, between one man and one woman. We had both in Eclipse.

- The gender ratios in this movie are actually pretty good. There are equal numbers of female and male vampires. The werewolves are a different story, but it's very interesting that, for the first time in history, a female joins the pack. Also, the film goes out of its way to show the bravery of a woman who is not a "spirit warrior" but finds a way to use her humanness to save her husband and tribe.

- Bella's rhetoric is solid. She decides to be with Edward instead of Jacob because, in her words, she feels "strong" as part of his world. She also says that when they get married she "at least" wants to hyphenate her last name. Very interesting and very different from the book Bella who swoons over the idea of being "Mrs. Cullen."

- The movie goes out of its way to show Bella's hard-headedness.

- Bell is not eye candy for guys. She wears a flannel shirt and jeans in just about every scene. At the same time, she is the sexual initiator. Can you think of another film for teens that meets both of these criteria? I can't.

- I love creep-tastic villain leader Jane.

- This movie definitely passes the Bechdel test.

I wonder if the filmmakers were hyper conscious about these choices because of the criticism of the books.