Clary Fray has been drawing one symbol over and over again, but her life changes when she sees a guy being killed by a guy and a woman (and she is the only one who saw it in the crowded club).  She is soon thrown into a world she didn’t believe could exist with Shadow Hunters, demons, vampires, and werewolves.  She, her friend Simon, and attractive Shadow Hunter Jace are on a quest to find one of the three Mortal Instruments (the Mortal Cup) and rescue Clary’s mother (Lena Heady) .

 

The first MORTAL INSTRUMENTS film isn’t a bad adaptations of a novel (with the adaptation of the second one to start next month) and a step above TWILIGHT and not quite as a thrilling as a HARRY POTTER film.  The climax does drag on for a little too long.  The film is well cast with good production design and effects, but it does come off as a Cliff Notes version of the novel.  I probably will watch the second movie and yet I hope they make the sequel more solid than CITY OF BONES which is just an average and solid action fantasy that feels like it is trying to cram too much into one movie.

 

This movie review is (c)8-25-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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