The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

This movie is an absolute treat for fans of the TMI books series! There's no way you won't enjoy seeing this gorgeous cast portray our beloved characters really, darn accurately for a book-adapted movie. The leads are especially impressive--Lily Collins not only looks perfectly the part of the petite, pretty and spunky Clary, she really acts the part, making Clary both every-girl relatable (with keen curiosity, intelligence, playfulness and self-motivation) and also believably brave, resourceful and able to make decisions/take actions of her own volition, guided by her own morals and priorities (which *shock* don't all revolve around her love for the brooding, hot guy who's just rolled into her life as in certain other YA series...). She's a truly engaging actress and definitely has the sort of on-screen presence that can carry a movie centered on her.Speaking of brooding hot guys--Jamie Campbell Bower IS JACE. Whatever about the cheekbones or physical appearance that might not perfectly coincide with your mental image of Jace--Jamie has the character of Jace down PAT. (SO RELIEVED he was able to deliver Jace's many memorable, hilarious one-liners just perfectly! Simon too, actually~~) He brings to life Jace's effortless charm, wry wit, intelligent ruthlessness and even the unexpected little moments of gentleness/kindness that make Jace such an interesting, lovable character. Plus the physicality--dang, he DOES move with sleek, cat-like grace in the movie, and his fight scenes are INTENSE. My co-workers (non-book fans) who came with me to see the film were a bit "meh" about it overall (but they are soulless corporate types, so very little impresses them), and even they commented that they were surprised and pleased at how hard-hitting the action scenes were. The fact that Jamie did all his own stunts just makes it even more impressive. :)Wish I could go as in-depth on how awesome the rest of the cast was with portraying their respective characters, but in the interest of time/not boring you to death, suffice to say that every one of them owns their characters, GETS their characters, and looks ridiculously attractive while playing said characters (okay, Valentine being the exception--he's very different from the book version, but John Rhys-Meyer does a great job selling his own vision of the character (i.e. a completely Nucking Futs Valentine with a raw, animalistic ferocity to him)). Also, just have to say--Simon is HILARIOUS (and yet heartfelt/sympathetic), Isabelle is SO KICKASS IT KILLS ME WITH JOY, and Godfrey-Magnus is seriously A SIGHT TO BEHOLD. He may have a small language barrier (and I think they dubbed over him to smooth it out? It's pretty seamless in the movie), but his physicality/screen presence is so powerful! (also, the tenderness with which he reached out to Alec at the end~~ very believable!) I'm just so pleased with the cast~~~~As for the movie itself, I'll admit it did run a little long for a movie of this genre for non-book fans. Also, considering HOW MUCH INFORMATION and how many twists are revealed over the course of a book, I realize now it might have been a little over-ambitious to try to squeeze it all into one movie. Again, for book fans, it's no problem to follow along since we already know all the intricacies of the story/world, but for first-timers, I think it was difficult for them to grasp all the necessary info on a first viewing. I give props to the script adapter and director for making sure intellectually that everything was explained, even if only in a brief line of dialogue. But again, I'd imagine only the book fans would be attuned enough with the world/source material to catch everything on a first viewing. Also--there are just so MANY cool ideas in this world (i.e. Cassandra Clare wrote a book where lots of interesting things are done/discussed, unlike certain other YA series that can easily fit all their "content" into an under-2-hour-long movie). I understand why the writer and director wanted to squeeze it all in (and again, as a book fan, I'm really thankful for it), but I do wonder if the movie suffered as a movie because of all that.So overall, I feel like Harald and the crew made an AMAZING and loving/faithful adaptation of Cassie's fabulous book for film, and the cast did an equally loving/faithful job understanding and bringing each of her characters to life in a way that's very close to her vision. It is 100% a treat for the book fans. As for everyone else, it's a slightly tougher experience because the movie is so long and dense with info/plot that it's hard to take in on one sitting. I do encourage non-book fans to give it a try, however, and more than one viewing, if possible--you will undoubtedly get more the second time around and, I have a feeling, ultimately find this story very worthwhile/rewarding in the end. And anyway, the action, adventure and humor will make it fun even the first time around--give it a try! :D

We love this movie. I’m glad we found it. I just wish they had made more. A good movie for kids above about 11. It has some parts that might be scary for younger kids.

I will start of by saying that I never read any of the ‘Mortal’ books nor was aware of the movie production of it, actually of the series entirely. I only saw the Movie teaser /trailer on youtube early this year and thought “I must see this when it comes out in August cause it looks awesome…” Well after about month after the release date I still haven’t found time to go and see it on the big screen, however I was becoming aware of all the ‘negative press talk’ and really negative stuff from fans of the series, which faze me not at all. I will take people’s opinion and views into consideration but I will always make my own judgement, so I had to see this movie that looked awesome but had such a negative tone attached to it.Okay….take ‘Constantine, Interview with the Vampire, & The Craft’ and fused it all together and you have ‘The Mortal Instrument – City of Bones’. I love the 90’s gothic feel it had, it wasn’t gruesomely dark yet dark enough to make it mysterious and seductive. I loved it!!! Loved the cast, loved the directing, love the special effects and loved the chemistry between the leading actors! I must admit I am now a fan, not a fanatic one, which is absolutely fine if you are one, annnnnd…I’m sure I would be too if I was still in my teens, however I’m a fan enough to start reading the books now….and I have just finished reading the ‘City of Bone’. Annnd I have to say I can now see why the fan’s were so disappointed and what they meant by the movie is totally different from the book. Well it’s true it’s different but only different in the sequence of events taking place that didn’t happen in the order of the book, but everything else in the book that they could fit in was there in the Movie.The ‘back and forth’ between Jace and Clary in the books was hilarious to read. The chemistry between the two was strange, unpredictable, at times conflicting, but witty, strong yet underneath all that…sweet and loving. I guess I’m a romantic LOL and it would have been great to see more of Jace and Clary’s dialog seen in the movie because there is no denying the on screen chemistry there. There was also QUAILTY acting in this movie, which is why they all landed the part because although they may not all look like the characters or even resemble them (some), there was a defiant essence of the characters in all the actors that just showed on the screen.So now when I’m reading the books, and am glad I can put a clear face to all the characters, I might add a little height here and there or change the colours of their eyes but everything else is already paved for me (thanks to the movie adaptation).The reason why the Movie wasn’t a box office hit is… 1) the marketing was really wrong, because the movie has a dark undertone that works will with older audience, which they forgot to consider to market because I wouldn’t have known of the movie hadn’t I stumble on by the movie trailer. 2) to keep the fans of the books they should have somehow or at least kept it in sequence to the books, you can still cut things out but keep the sequence because that was what they did with the Potter series, they cut out a lot but kept the sequence. 3) I’m sure there is a third and maybe a fourth but that’s was all I thought that was out of alignment. The movie was great and so was the book and if the supernatural fantasy world is your interest, be your own verdict and check it out! I did and loved the movie. Hey…they movie got me reading the books. Cassandra Claire may have disappointed a lot of fan even lost some, she’s simultaneously gaining a whole lot of new fans --- a little older though hehehehe… look forward to the MOVIE sequeal!!!

I just went through rereading the series, so had to rewatch the movie as well. I like it, it’s not perfect to the books but what ever is? I think it’s a fun watch.

The book is better

Hace mucho que buscaba este película en bluray, me gustó la portada la edición de dos discos, todo magnífico gracias

Como fan de los libros vi la película en el cine con muy ilusión. Es cierto que no es exactamente muy fiel a los libros (aunque la serie es peor), pero como película independiente de los libros está genial. A mis padres les gustó bastante cuando la puse en casa.Y la edición es muy sencilla, no tiene nada de especial, pero para tener el DVD en físico es suficiente :)

Good movie, but Amazon US neglected to note on the advert that this is a Region A Bluray. Will only play on Multi-region players.

'City of Bones' is the 2013 movie adaptation of a 2007 Cassandra Clare novel, which has the very same title. The 130-minute film is a chopped, diluted, simplified & modified adaptation of the 500-page book. The 'Mortal Instruments' part of the full title refers to the fact that the CoB novel is the first of a series : its 6th book will be published at the end of May 2014.The movie -- which aimed at creating a new "young adult fantasy" series of blockbusters (in the "Twilight Saga" genre) -- was a commercial disaster : it cost about $120 million to produce + advertise, but it only brought in $76 million at the worldwide box-office gross. That signified a lot less in net profits for the movie's producers, after the theaters & distributors had taken their cuts, meaning that the movie's producers have lost a lot of money on what was supposed to be the vanguard of a very lucrative franchise. Consequently, the projected sequel ('City of Ashes') was put on hold.I did not go to the cinema to see the movie when it was released in August 2013. I then had no knowledge whatsoever concerning the Cassandra Clare novels. I saw the movie's promo clips on TV, but laziness was stronger than curiosity. A few weeks later, my curiosity counter-attacked, and I read the CoB novel. What a blast : I ordered & devoured all the other relevant Cassandra Clare novels.A few months later, I received the Amazon.ca-ordered DVD version. I admit that it is a chopped, diluted, simplified & modified adaptation of the 500-page book ... but anyway, I discovered that it was a very enjoyable movie -- as long as you did not apply a fan-atical critical comparison to the novel.The movie has a few top-notch actors, and it is visually fascinating -- with gorgeous special-effects. Just for those reasons, it is worthwhile to buy the DVD.I am very surprised that the movie was a box-office flop : it has excellent actors, excellent special-effects, and a crisp, fast pace.But ... it remains a chopped, diluted, simplified & modified adaptation of the 500-page book. Consequently, people who have never read the novel will be mystified by the bizarre events & creatures which pop-up on the screen, and people who have read the novel might be angry that many aspects of the novel have been chopped off -- for example, the fascinating faerie "downworld", which is reduced to an ephemeral two-second appearance (in the warlock's party).Personally, I enjoyed the novel and the movie very much : they are somewhat different, but both stand by themselves. I recommend this DVD ... unless you dislike movies where the Supernatural (demons, vampires, werewolves, warlocks) appear.I wish that they release an extended version of the movie, and especially, a sequel.

I always buy products from amazon and was never unhappy with either the product or the service. But it would be unfair if I don't write about this product as I was unhappy with the product. When I buy product from amazon I expect good quality product and was shocked when the dvd was not working properly. It was freezing after every five minutes in the middle of the movie and by the time it reached the ending of the movie it was freezing after every second. Highly disappointed with the product but was every happy with after service. So, the one star is for the after service