So I finally went to watch City of Bones last night! I was so excited about it... I expected a lot from that movie, because The Mortal Instruments is one of my favourite sagas and I wanted it to be perfect. And maybe that's the reason why I'm so disappointed and mad, because I expected a lot from it.
Let's keep this straight. It's not a bad movie, it's quite good, with all those special effects and the storyline and everything, but it's not the right movie for the book. It's a movie made for those who haven't read the book.
But not completely, since the movie didn't really talk about the Clave, the Downworlders, the Accords, the Circle, the Silent Brothers..., which makes it difficult for people who haven't read the books to understand everything. It didn't really explain anything about the Shadowhunter world. It didn't say that Jocelyn had been married to Valentine. So I'm complaining because it didn't explain enough, but also because it showed things that weren't from the first book. Like, why has Simon been bitten by a vampire and doesn't need glasses anymore? How is that happening so early? Without mentioning that he didn't even become a rat...
I could complain about it all day, but I don't think you want to read my post if I keep complaining all the time. So I'm just going to say the key problems in the movie (or good things).
Before watching the movie, only with the trailer and some pictures, I didn't like most of the cast. I absolutely loved Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane, but I wasn't sure about the rest of them. But after watching the movie, I love Robert Sheehan as Simon, he's perfect. And I even started to adore Lily Collins as Clary. I wasn't sure about it mainly because I have never particularly liked her, but after seeing her as Clary, I saw what a great job she did. I imagined Clary as a perfectly normal girl who ends up in a complicated situation, and that's exactly what Lily portraits in the movie. In my mind, Isabelle is a tall, slim, extremely beautiful girl, and Jemima West looked... well, more normal. But in the movie, with all the Marks and the Shadowhunter look, that was Isabelle Lightwood. Kevin Zegers as Alec wasn't that bad, but it could be better. Seeing Lena Headey as Jocelyn was weird; I couldn't stop thinking of Cersei Lannister... And the main character I have left: Jace. I don't really like Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace. That's it, I said it. The main problem with all these movies based in books is that the main male character is always imagined as completely flawless and perfect, and there's no one, no one in real life who could be that person. So about Jace... all those witty comments Jace says in the book were said by Jamie in the movie, but they weren't funny or anything, just simple words. So when Clary starts to fall for Jace, it doesn't feel like it was in the book, it doesn't feel real. And why does this Jace were an earring? Book Jace's personality was enough for a bad boy. But this is all my opinion, so maybe someone loves him. I mean, I don't hate him as Jace; I know it could be worse (it can always be worse), so with his blond hair, his Shadowhunter looks and all, he's not that bad. If I hadn't read the book and had a very concrete image of how Jace looks in my mind, I may like him. Maybe.
Another main problem in the movie was the fact that things weren't in their right order. Why do Clary and Simon go to Eric's poetry reading before going to Pandemonium? Why does Clary meet Valentine before finding out that Luke's a werewolf? Why does Hugo, Hodge's bird, catch Jace and Clary in the greenhouse before they even kiss? Mystery. And there have been two scenes which were like the ones in the book. Only two; the one where Alec tells Clary to leave the Institute, which is quite like the book one, and the one where Jace is kissing Clary and Simon opens the door. Every sentence Jace says after that, the ones about having someone else in her bed and about their love, were the exact same ones as in the book. I loved that scene.
And you want to know the worst of it? The ending was completely different. Since the moment when they get the Mortal Cup, everything is wrong. Everything is different! That ruined the movie. And the worst part? Why does Clary keep the Mortal Cup at the end of the movie? This is all wrong! And how are they going to make Valentine have it in City of Ashes if he doesn't? Even if he believes he has it... And all those special effects at the ending, with the demons and all those birds..., who needed that? They spent money in effects that weren't necessary! Why is Hodge good at the end? Hodge isn't meant to be good! He gave the Cup to Valentine? And why doesn't he earn his freedom? And why does Jace kill everything? The Ravener, Abbadon... He's taking Clary and Simon's opportunity of killing demons! And that obsession with the Nephilim rune that Clary had? That's all made up! And can someone tell me why is there a Portal in the Institute? And where's Raphael? And how is it possible that Jocelyn's been in the Institute the whole time and no one's found her?!
I could keep asking more and more questions forever, but there's no answer that I can accept. If making it the right way would mean spending lots of money or being too difficult to make it, I would undertand. But that's not it. Making it the book way is easier in most cases. So why does this happen?
I'm pretty sure that this is the longest post I've written until now, but I can't help it. If anyone wants to talk about the movie or anything, tweet me or email me or whatever (About Me page). I love analyzing movies and books :)
So I'm really mad and disappointed at the movie, and it's only been the first one of the series... They better fix it. Please. I do not hate the movie, it just let me down. A lot. But if you liked it, that's great. I'm honestly happy for you. Because I hate having great expectations about something that will end up disappointing me. And, even though, I still expect a lot from the Vampire Academy, Divergent and Catching Fire movie. I expected a lot from The Host and loved it. And I know it could have always been worse.
