2 stars
In an effort to find the next teen blockbuster, it seems like another film adaptation of a bestselling young adult novel hits theaters almost every week. These films try to capture the fandom of “Twilight’s” Edward and Bella while embodying the heroine qualities of Katniss Everdeen from “The Hunger Games.”
“The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” has the potential to be the new teen sensation but falls below the mark.
Clary Fray (Lily Collins) is just a normal girl living in New York City until she is swept up in its underworld of demon hunters. After her mother (Lena Headey) is kidnapped by an evil force from her past, Clary learns she is nowhere close to normal but actually a half-angel Shadowhunter that protects the world from demons.
She joins the ranks of fellow Shadowhunters who wield their swords like lightsabers and have such a vampiric beauty that makes it hard to believe they actually fight demons.
The major problem with this film is that its heroine fades into the background. As pivotal as her character is, Clary is the one you’ll remember the least. It’s the male cast that dominates. Jace Wayland (Jamie Campbell Bower), Clary’s hot love interest, looks like he stepped out of the pages of Vogue, yet anchors the film with Clary’s sidekick best friend Simon (Robert Sheehan).
The witty banter between Jace and Simon as they both vie for Clary’s affection is bitingly funny. Their characters completely steal the show from Clary. Even the film’s devilish villain Valentine (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who doesn’t have near the screen time as Clary, commands your attention as soon as he appears.
The details that make the book so rich in supernatural glory are lost in confusion as the film tries to cram all that’s necessary into two hours. You find yourself trying to put together the puzzle pieces. What exactly is a Shadowhunter? Do we like the vampires and werewolves? Wait, there are witches too?
The book’s sequel “The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes” is already set for a 2014 release and hopefully it can find its footing better than its predecessor. For those who have read the book, “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” is a worthy adaptation but for those who haven’t, the twist ending is honestly shocking enough to have you tune in for the next film.
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