I would say that it is safe to say nearly everyone has seen this trailer or this movie cover, or both!
Even though the movie came out about a year ago, I read the book around the same time, and I decided to hold my book review until after I saw the movie and let me just go ahead and say that at first I absolutely hated the movie!
They changed a lot mainly just the order of the plot or how certain events unfolded. But after a couple of days to mull over these changes before writing the review, I’ve decided that I actually kind of like these changes!
Let me explain a little more clearly.
Book review:
What I LOVED!!!:
Romance! Whoa, do I love romance! And I just gotta say that action is not such a bad thing either. Cassandra Clare seems to have a knack for describing action, blood, and making the whole situation not so… well… forced or lame. We’ve all read those action stories where everyone threw everyone through the air, and the ever present “somehow landed perfectly on their feet,” pummeled people into the dirt, and screamed each others names so much you wonder if they just say it so many times to make sure they haven’t forgotten. But along with the action was beautiful romance and beautifully scripted scenes of adorableness and romance.
The plot. The book flowed like a dream! I haven’t read a book that flowed so nicely since Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. Every detail given had a purpose, had a thought, had a revelation tied to it whether it be in the next two pages or the next several chapters.
The angst!!! Despite how much action there is in this book, those beautiful bits of romance I described added so much of the teen angsty mess that I love and hate so much. Let’s face it ladies, we’re complex creatures and you just can’t have nice things sometimes because we just have to have situations be total pains in the arse. (See my vent on romance novels for more of a rant on this topic). The angst that I hate (love to hate is more like it) added a lot and defined this novel as what it is. This is a paranormal romance novel. There can not be a romance novel without angst (once again, see the reasons we can’t have nice things in my other topic). Bottom line, it’s a romance novel with some kick ass action!
Emotion. Cassandra Clare has a talent for describing emotions that Clary and other characters are feeling. She has a knack for finding all perspectives and interjecting them to make the reader just that more insightful on the full weight of each situation these teens find themselves in.
What I HATED!!!!
The angst! Like I said, love to hate!
WTFFFFF????!
Okay, I’ve gotta say it [MAJOR SPOILER ALERT HEEEREE!]
The whole incest thing. Really? Just really? THIS IS WHY WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGSSSS!!! As soon as a girl, a perfectly relatable character that is headstrong without being a bitch, finds a guy who is (I’ll admit a pain in the ass, but that pain in the ass guy in a good kind of pain in the ass way) not totally irritating, they end up being RELATED?!!!!? I mean… REALLY?! Clare… WTF?!!!?
And on top of themes of incest, they just go ALONG with it! They just believe the villain.
Yeah. Because that’s my first instinct is to BELIEVE the guy who is hollering and preaching about cleaning races. To paraphrase Clary from the movie, “you know… when people start talking about superior races and keeping blood pure things do not go well….”
That doesn’t make sense to me at all!!!!
I rate the first installment of the Mortal Instruments series 5/5 stars!!! <3
Okay, now on to the movie review!
The movie was a bit complicated for me. On one hand, it is different from the book, but on the other hand, after a little bit of thinking, I realized that is not such a bad thing for this series. Let me explain.
Needless to say there are going to be a LOT of SPOILERS because of the fact I will be comparing the movie and the book. So if you have not read the book and want to or have not seen the movie and want to (I highly recommend either!!!!) please skip to where I review the actors.
Changes:
1. They show a lot of the scenes that Clary wasn’t there for. This change was great for the film adaption. It made it more like a… well, movie. I always hate those movies where they are made for the book fans (ie, Cloud Atlas, Beautiful Creatures). As a movie goer, despite the fact that I knew what was happening behind the scens, I was pleased that they gave those explanations as they were happening, to spare me from questions from the friends I went with.
2. How Clary and Jace meet. The movie version was just… a lot more awkward than I felt it needed to be. It seemed to go a lot smoother in the book and for that reason I rate that scene pretty low.
3. Isabelle and Alec being there for the big Vampire invasion. I honestly did not like this change. Out of this change, there were a million others. IE, Simon did not become a rat. I felt there was some significant symbolism to this but oh well, it was thrown away. What did they replace it with? Puncture wounds on his neck. I just don’t think it was supposed to be that obvious, but I guess leading the horse to water...
Overall, I was just disappointed that they went to the battle because this was Jace and Clary’s fight and I felt like it should have stayed that way. Don’t get me wrong, the scene was AMAZING!!! I loved watching the fight, especially those few moments when Jace was concerned about Clary.
4. The kiss. There wasn’t a lot of change with that one and I liked how they did it overall. :3 The kiss was not absolutely horrid to watch, something new for teen phenomenons nowaddays *Cough cough* Twilight. And that awkward aftermath!!! Wow they did a great job! Writing and playing out.
5. Valentine’s deceit. When he tells Jace about the relation, I liked how it happened in the movie the same as in the book. Either way pleases me. However, what I don’t care for as far as plot goes, is the fact that Valentine fights Jace. Like, knocking the shit out of him type of fighting. What kind of father would do that? So for the plot reasons I hate this change because it doesn’t really help him argue his “you’re my son” lie. Valentine is smart, that’s his character because who has ever heard of a stupid villain? It can’t be done! But this fight was STUPID!!! Valentine would not risk Jace seeing through his lie like that! As far as the action goes though, the fight was VERY well choreographed and I loved watching it!
6. The mortal cup. Okay. That is the one MAJOR change that I am actually very upset with. First of all, at the end of the book
*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!!!!*
they don’t even have the cup in their possession. But in the movie, Clary kept the card to keep the cup hidden. Call me crazy, but changing a MAJOR event… oh let’s say the ENDING!!!! I would say is not very smart. >:(
C’mon people! Think with those noodles called brains!
So now I’m just curious how they are going to recover from that…
9. The portal. I could deal with the portal being revealed and played with early in the movie. That was cute and whatever… but… they blew it up!
I sure hope that they didn’t need that in the future because that fucker is gone!
8. The very end. I do have to say though, that I liked Jace telling Clary he didn’t believe their “father”. It was super romantic and sweet and it really redeemed the cliffhanger we received from the book.
Things they COULD have thrown out:
1. Alec’s sexual orientation. Though it will come into play a lot more in the future, and the fans probably wouldn’t have liked it being tossed out… but if anything out of the fight he and Clary have, I felt that his sexual preferences were on the bottom of the priority list as far as what is most important to the plot. Movies aren’t always that great at character development whereas books have as much time as the author pleases to have it. If anything I think Alec’s less than impressive Demon killing rate would have been something to throw at his face than his love for Jace.
THE ACTORS:
Lily [Clary]: Well… She was good. In my opinion not a 10/10. She’s… okay. I found her acting pretty over the top at times and incredibly unbelievable through… well… most of it. I understand that she is playing a tough role because Clary herself is going through some tough times and doesn’t really know how to react herself… But honestly, Lily tried just a BIT too hard. I hate comparing actors… but she was ALMOST as bad as Kirsten Stewert in the first two Twilight movies. The same way Kirsten breathed WAAAAAAAY too much in an attempt to seem flustered or nervous, < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vlQd9w0w_4 > Lily was a little too excited to rush through her lines to figure out what was going on. Though I will definitely say that she redeemed herself as the romance picked up and as Clary gained her confidence. I love her looks though. She is a gorgeous girl and I thought she looked JUST like the Clary I imagined in my head so plus to the casting directors on that one! I predict she will get better as the series continues and I definitely look forward to seeing the growth! I give her a 7/10 on her performance.
Jaime [Jace]: Okay, I have to admit a bias here… I have loved Jaime’s work since I saw him play Antony in Sweeney Todd. I think he is an excellent actor and this movie is no different! He plays cool very well and fights very, very well! I will spare everyone my fangirl review of Jaime and just leave it at I really don’t have any complaints. The one liner jokes were delivered very well and he was able to pull off a very complex character. My overall review is 10/10!
Robert [Simon]: I didn’t have high expectations with Simon, mainly because he wasn’t my highest priority while reading the books, but Robert really did blow me away! He turned a pretty small (but VERY significant character) not only significant but memorable! He was believable, and at times pitiful! I loved his portrayal of a guy being friend-zoned (we have all been there I’m sure). He plays freaked-out well (something I think Lily can learn from him as I feel he didn’t over-act it and gave us the accurate amount of freak out without well… Kristen Stewert-ing. 9/10
Jonathan [Valentine]: Whoa! He has come a long way from August Rush and Tudors. I watched August Rush soooo many times as a kid and so it is very surprising to me that I didn’t see August’s dad every time I saw him. I saw Valentine. He was able to recreate himself into a new character (I truly appreciate that because I sometimes have those actors that I love for one role, and that one role—period.) He honestly became Valentine for me. Though I feel bad for him because he had to deal with some pretty lame writing. IE, he had to fight his own son even though I think we all agree that was probably a stupid move on Valentine’s part (or should I say the writers?) So for the script he was given, I think Jonathan absolutely NAILED it! Also, they changed his look. Not his fault, but still frustrating. 10/10
Overall for he entire series I give it a 9/10 and agree with the PG-13 rating.
<3
The Reviewer
<3
The Reviewer
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