The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Name: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy
Released: August 21, 2013
Duration: 130 min
Rating: 33
Cast: Jamie Campbell Bower, Jemima West, Kevin Zegers, Lily Collins, Robert Sheehan

2013

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 326 Ratings

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6.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 326 Ratings

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The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones

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Movie Details & Credits

Screen Gems | Release Date: August 21, 2013 | PG-13

Starring: Jamie Campbell Bower, Jemima West, Kevin Zegers, Lily Collins, Robert Sheehan

Summary: Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager, discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters who introduce her to a dangerous alternateClary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager, discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of young half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York City called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures. [Sony Pictures]… Expand

Director: Harald Zwart

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Drama, Mystery, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 130 min

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Critic Reviews

Chris Nashawaty

Aug 21, 2013

Make no mistake, there will be a sequel. Clary may not wind up having the same pop-culture impact as Bella and Katniss, but like it or not, this won't be the last time you hear from her. Read full review

Stephanie Merry

Aug 20, 2013

There are elements worth celebrating. The movie is thankfully less self-serious than the mopey “Twilight” films. The Mortal Instruments revels in its own camp. But there is plenty of room for improvement. The action flick is overly long, complicated and, even by teen romance standards, cringe-worthy in its cheesiness. Read full review

R. Kurt Osenlund

Aug 21, 2013

The movie blasts by for a while as an odd and busy slice of highly watchable garbage. Read full review

Bill Goodykoontz

Aug 20, 2013

There’s so much bouncing around in tone and story that this film never really finds its footing. It flounders around trying to figure out what it should be, and never really settles on anything. Read full review

Louis Black

Aug 28, 2013

Not only have we seen this all before, but we were probably hoping to not see it again. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Simon Abrams

Aug 23, 2013

These kids have to contrive magical pretexts just to lay hands on each other, and boy, are their excuses rotten. Read full review

Matt Patches

Aug 20, 2013

If only the fantasy surrounding her made a lick of sense. Here, the Muggle types are known as the “Mundane.” An apt label for a wanna-be franchise with plenty of sheen and nothing to say. Read full review

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User Reviews

HerdelicateSoul

Jan 3, 2014

Don't always believe the critics. Only seeing The Mortal Instruments last night, I was intrigued with the story line and although it seemed a little familiar it was very fun to watch. I haven't read the books and I am not the one to watch many movies, but I have to say that TMI kept me onDon't always believe the critics. Only seeing The Mortal Instruments last night, I was intrigued with the story line and although it seemed a little familiar it was very fun to watch. I haven't read the books and I am not the one to watch many movies, but I have to say that TMI kept me on the edge of my seat, especially at the end. What I don't agree with is the Twilight comparison. I would rather watch TMI over Twilight any day. I'm excited to see what the producers will be doing with the squeal. Hopefully, it will be just as great or even better than the first film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

crystalgenovese

Sep 19, 2013

I absolutely loved this movie. The books have a great story line and I think the director did a wonderful job at displaying that in the film. I don't think that there were too many twists in the movie. I found that the entire time I was watching it I wanted to know what happened next. WhereI absolutely loved this movie. The books have a great story line and I think the director did a wonderful job at displaying that in the film. I don't think that there were too many twists in the movie. I found that the entire time I was watching it I wanted to know what happened next. Where as usually I don't get that interested. I don't know exactly what about the movie,critics didn't like but the only things that I have heard bad about it is that it had too much crammed into it. I feel just the opposite. I have read the books and if anything they could have added more to the movie. I like to watch movies that keep me entertained not bore me to sleep. The whole point of having a young adult book or film is to have a really great story line so you keep your readers into it. And I don't care what anybody else thinks this movie had a great story line!… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

Pattz25

Aug 21, 2013

A great book-to-movie adaptation of an already much-loved book series. The cast is amazing and so is the plot which has no more than a few changes to it compared to the book.

14 of 23 users found this helpful149

oblique15

Sep 19, 2014

One of those fun and underrated movies that never got much hype. This was actually a good movie. Takes you into an underground would adventure full of odd characters nobody else can see. I never read the book, but that did not stop me from enjoying it. This is much more interesting than theOne of those fun and underrated movies that never got much hype. This was actually a good movie. Takes you into an underground would adventure full of odd characters nobody else can see. I never read the book, but that did not stop me from enjoying it. This is much more interesting than the first Hunger Games.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

l1lj4

Jun 8, 2022

tbh watched just because of jamie campbell bower and lily collins. everything in this movie happens way too quick and they don't make sense.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Steamcausedthis

Aug 21, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So I'm going to try and write a review that doesn't contain a plethora of grammar mistakes that make me look like I'm from a third world country and actually discuss why this movie garnered a whopping 2 out of 10.

Having never read the books nor having a desire to watch this film, I have never witnessed such a piece of cinematic debauchery within this current decade. Knowing that this film is geared towards younger audiences and knowing that the film contains more drama than there would be action I prepared myself for something that would put me to sleep, and boy was I wrong. This film did its absolute best in filling me with nothing but plot devices and special snowflake syndrome to make me hurl my bunches of crunch at the screen. The only moment in this film that I thought any character on screen had any sense of rationalism was when Simon declared the relationship between Clary and Jace ludicrous on the immediate attachment by Rico Suave not 72 hours after meeting one another.

I didn't care that there were vampires or werewolves or anything of the like, what disappointed me was for the underline title of City of Bones, I saw next to nothing relevant to this title other than the brotherhood of eyeless mutes who had a screen time of 3 minutes. If screen time for the celibate skeletons weren't enough than the short-bus of werewolves coming to save the day was even worse as they serve as nothing more than cannon fodder to be quickly picked off and leave only a main side character as the only survivor. Lets not forget the Heroic Sacrifice? of Hodge going toe to toe with thing #1 and then needlessly sacrificing himself to the birds as a way to make up for having aligned himself with evil and causing all this to happen in the first place.

Now the fighting aside from the endless vampire horde was actually pretty interesting all things considering, I even found myself cheering on Simon as he hit Ms Cleo upside the head with a shovel, but it wasn't enough to save this film from the obvious heartache of having to condense a novel of this size into a bite size 2 hour film.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

imthenoob

Oct 15, 2013

This is what happens when you have a terrible script. It explained nothing, You seriously did not learn the characters' names until a good 20 minutes into it. It was so difficult to follow because you had no idea what was going on. Completely ruined the film. Even then, The acting is so-soThis is what happens when you have a terrible script. It explained nothing, You seriously did not learn the characters' names until a good 20 minutes into it. It was so difficult to follow because you had no idea what was going on. Completely ruined the film. Even then, The acting is so-so and it was supported by poor actions scenes. How do people like this trash?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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