Just got home from watching
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones at Trinoma.
Based on
Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.
I Had Been Deciding Between: NONE. My eyes were dead set on City of Bones. If it's not City of Bones, then I'd rather not watch at all.
What Made Me Watch This: The official trailer. It was (near-)perfectly done, and seeing all the Downworlders and special effects were enough to draw me to the cinemas.
My Thoughts:I read The Mortal Instruments series years ago, and I'm not exactly a huge fan of Cassandra Clare but I did collect all her works and bought them in hardcover (because I initially bought City of Bones in hardcover and I want the rest to be the same). When I first read the books, I wasn't so impressed with the series, especially City of Bones (I did enjoy The Infernal Devices a whole lot more though), because Clary (or was it Jace?) started to get on my nerves during one fighting scene, and I thought an author naming a primary antagonist "Valentine" (which sounds pathetic, by the way) shouldn't be taken seriously. I even read the reviews in Amazon and couldn't believe others thought it was brilliant, so I wasn't exactly thrilled upon hearing they're trying to make a movie out of that but well, seeing the trailer changed all that.
Jace Wayland's legion of fan girls might not be very pleased with the casting of Jamie Campbell-Bower as the gorgeous blonde as most of them (or us) were initially vying for pretty boy Alex Pettyfer instead, but JCB did a perfect job as Jace. I admit, the casting of JCB disappointed me at first because I have always envisioned Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) as Jace but since I wasn't such a huge fan of TMI, I wasn't so affected by it (unlike my completely over-the-top reaction to Robert Pattinson's casting as Edward Cullen). JCB might not be the Jace we envisioned while reading the books but acting-wise, he was absolutely brilliant and did the character complete justice. Let's admit it - he doesn't posses the classic good looks as mentioned multiple times in the books, but JCB oozes of charisma and sex appeal, and somehow his rather sharp pointed looks added up to it (and not to mention, I nearly fainted hearing him speak in that incredibly sexy and gorgeous English accent). After seeing him in this, I'm completely sold. I cannot possibly imagine another actor who can portray Jace as well as he did, and it made me feel relieved that it was him acting Jace, and not Alex Pettyfer, whose face value is, most unfortunately, inversely proportional to his acting skills.
As for the female lead Lily Collins as Clary Fray, even though I didn't have an actress in mind, I was still a bit disappointed in her casting since I think her weak face isn't enough for the character. But she did pretty well (and it doesn't help that she's still attractive despite the thick eyebrows that bugged me). I can't really recall much from the book, but Clary Fray in the movie is much more likable, tolerable (and less annoying) than in the book. It was also nice that they gave her a bit more of a backbone in the film, and she wasn't always the damsel-in-distress. I was also thrilled that the script writer decided not to include Clary-is-actually-beautiful-but-she-doesn't-realize-it thingy cause honestly, that made me dislike the book (and the character) a great deal.
The actor playing Simon (forgot his surname) wasn't attractive in the least but it helped since there wasn't really much of a competition (for Clary's love) even in the books themselves. Also, he fitted the role as a complete know-it-all sidekick, which is a good thing, as no one in their right minds would actually consider him as Jace's rival like in the books.
Though the actress portraying Isabelle Lightwood isn't stunning as stated in the books (You'd really need to get a close look at her before you could decide if she's attractive or not), I think her casting was a whole lot better than Rosalie Hale in Twilight. As for Alec Lightwood, I was glad they got a slightly better-looking actor though I couldn't say much about his acting since it was limited. The Asian guy playing Magnus Bane was the biggest (and most pleasant) surprise though, and I, for one, never expected the warlock to look so devastatingly handsome even in the most outlandish fashion on-screen. Another thing I haven't expected was their take of Valentine Morgenstern. He was depicted as having light-blond hair (or was it platinum-like?) in the books (which reminded me so much of Lucius Malfoy while reading) but they turned him into a brunette in the film. I'm not complaining though, the actor looked really good and believable as a formidable antagonist.
As I could only vaguely recall the book and the precise happenings in it, I think the plot (in the film) was wonderfully-done. I especially love the slow and growing attraction between Clary and Jace, and theirs was definitely believable. The leads have chemistry, and the development didn't feel rushed nor forced. I definitely felt my skin tingle (and my heart flutter) during their intimate moments. Their on-screen kiss was rather a blend of sweet, romantic, and playful, which I really, really, really liked. The only cheesy dialogue (by Jace to Clary RE: Angel), while under normal conditions would have caused me a bad case of stomachache, came out incredibly endearing instead.
The visual effects were jaw-dropping to say the least. The script was well-done, and the hilarious lines exchanged between the characters were enough to give the rest of the movie-goers a chuckle every now and then. The fighting scenes were hands-down the most incredible part of the film, especially seeing Clary kick some downworlder ass.
Final Thoughts:Cassandra Clare fans (and those who read the books prior to watching the film) might not be too forgiving as to how the plot progressed (and derived from the books). It's no secret how harshly we book fans tend to criticize the movie adaptations of our favorite series. I was initially skeptic of the film as I didn't enjoy the books very much, but this adaptation was wonderfully done that it made me want to read the books once more and give them another shot.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is a fantasy film pitched with the right amount of action, romance, and comedy that is sure to entertain movie-goers.
Rating: 10/10
Recommend? Highly recommend!
Would I watch it again? Definitely! I don't think I'll ever get enough of it... unless my opinion would drastically change and flip 180 degrees upon re-reading the book.
