I haven't been to the movies in quite a while. There was a time when I went weekly, but, then I found the selection of movies lacking and I didn't want to just go to the movies for the sake of going to the movies. So, I watched my e-mail in-box for my Marcus Movie Spotlight coupon every week and allowed that to drive my movie-going habits.
This week, one of the offered movies offered for $5 tickets was The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. This was on my to-see list anyway, because I have read the books and have been interested to see how the book was adapted to the big screen. I wasn't blown away, but neither was I disappointed.
If you aren't familiar with the plot, here's a brief run-down:
Teenager Clary Fray heads to a New York City club with her best friend Simon. While there, Clary witnesses a murder; or, rather, what she thinks is a murder. What she actually sees is the opening to a world that has always existed around her, but that she could never see before.
Clary is quickly and roughly plunged into the world of Shadowhunters - warriors trained to find and kill demons in the world. Jace Wayland and Alec and Isabelle Lightwood are a team of Shadowhunters and the three who Clary witnessed at the club. In quick succession, Clary encounters the disappearance of her mother, an attach (or seven) of demons, and the Institute - the haven for Shadowhunters. Sworn to protect her with his life, Jace keeps Clary close, much to Simon's dismay and Clary's pleasure.
Clary enlists Jace, Alec, and Isabelle's help in finding her mother and becomes more and more entangled in their world - which, as it turns out, might be her world, too.
In the novels, Jace is actually one of my favorite characters. He's written with a lot of great wit, banter, and humor and those traits came through to the film. I thought the casting for all of the characters was very well done and the adaptation from book to film was good. The story and plot stayed really quite faithful to the book. Obviously, changes were made, but there was nothing overt or that rang so false as to ruin the experience. (I'm looking at you, film adaptation of Beautiful Creatures.)
Anyone else see the movie? What are your favorite film adaptations from books?