The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

I look forward to films like  The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, but Director Harald Zwart’s work fell below my expectations, mainly through the poor script by Jessica Postigo Paquette.

This was a movie for which you needed to have read the book by Cassandra Clare to understand what was going on.

 

Though not at all a clone of The Twilight Saga as some “little old ladies of either sex” contend, the film does evokes comparison with the far better Beautiful Creatures that came out this past February.  I hadn’t read the book behind that film either, but had no problem in following the story because of the clear writing of Richard LaGravenese.

 

As an example, because the friend of the heroine played admirably by Lili Collins is a “mundane,” i.e., human, he cannot see the Shadow Hunters, when they appear to  Lili’s character Clary.  However, a few scenes later, he, for some unclear reason, can see them.  Did I miss something?  Was he not a mundane, but a Shadow Hunter?  This kept me out of the story for a while until I just let it go as bad writing.  However, I did, later, ask another viewer if he could explain the change and he could not.  It was bad scripting.

 Notwithstanding the muddled script, there are, however, great action sequences and some fabulous special effects.  And, I have to give a shout out  to the Casting Director for casting Lena Headey as Collins’ character’s mother.  Collins looks exactly like a younger Headey.

If only the sequel would have a better writer, perhaps this franchise could be saved.  But, unfortunately, I’ve read that is not to be the case.  Rewrite anyone?   Anyone!?

As it is, I can only give  The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones a 3+ out of 5.