It's best I reveal up front that I'm a devoted fan of the Twilight book series. Needless to say, when I watch the film versions, I have a strong bias to like what I see.

So you can imagine my disappointment when I walked out of "Eclipse" thinking, "Meh."

This newest installment of the sexy vampires series is flawed in much the same way as the first film. It's a mediocre adaptation of the book that has cut out much of the charm and levity that made the literary characters relatable and fun to follow.

I imagine disappointment will be felt stronger among those who have read the Stephenie Meyer books and know what is missing - and what's added.

However, I'll admit this movie still has at least something to offer, both for fans and those new to the saga.

Still mostly a heavy romance with long stretches of angst, this chapter offers more action scenes than the previous films and develops characters who haven't played strong roles before.

The story is set once again in Forks, Wash. Much to the disappointment of her father, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) is back strong with her beloved blood-sucking boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).

Bella's on the verge of graduating high school and is pressing Edward to relieve her of her mortality (and her virginity) before she gets too old to be a pretty vampire. The century-old vampire is understandably old-fashioned, however, and insists on marrying her first.

Bella's old werewolf pal Jacob (Taylor Lautner), meanwhile, is still head over heals for the somber brunette and is vying to take Edward's place as her leading man. Jacob's rather compelling argument stems from the fact that Bella wouldn't have to die and avoid her parents for the rest of their lives if she chooses him.

But there are bigger problems a-brewin': Someone is building a legion of rowdy new vampires in Seattle, and it looks like Edward and his vampire family might have to team up with their werewolf enemies to put a stop to it.

Parts of the film sure to elicit some chuckles are the clashes between Edward and Jacob, who have pulled off the gloves (and in Jacob's case, his shirt, too) in competing for Bella's affections.

There are also some fun flashbacks painting the backstories of the other vampires in the Cullen clan. Jackson Rathbone, playing southern gentleman vampire Jasper Hale, in particular gets a chance to shine as his past with vampire armies is revealed.

We don't get the same character development with members of the werewolf pack, unfortunately, who I would venture to say are more interesting than their undead counterparts.

The eventual battle between the evil vampires and the werewolf-Cullen team is pretty thrilling, so keep that in mind when things drag. The fight is also child-friendly: In this universe, vampires' bodies shatter and break like china, blood free. The worst is carefully edited to keep the movie in step with its clean Mormon roots.

My boyfriend pointed out a detail problem in the film. This is the first Twilight films where we see a female werewolf. Although all the other shapeshifters are eternally shirtless and blazoning eye-popping abs - allegedly because it's easier to transform without worrying about wardrobe - the female is miraculously fully clothed in every scene, even after immediately morphing out of wolf form.

It begs the question, if she can manage to keep a top on, why can't the fellas?

Oh well. Even with all the disappointments of the film, I'll still be in line for the next installment, if only because I feel committed after getting this far.

Fellow Twilight groupies, I understand you pouring money into tickets for "Eclipse." The rest of the public might want to wait for rental.

Grade: C