PRO REVIEW ‘City of Bones’ or City of Excellence?

As the sweet and elegant music started to slowly fade away, the teenagers leaned in for a kiss and a halo of misted water showered the lovestruck couple. 

How cute is that? Amazingly adorable, I say, which is probably why “City of Bones,” based on the worldwide best-selling series “The Mortal Instruments” by Cassandra Clare, got nominated for MTV’s movie award.

“City of Bones” is set in contemporary New York City where a seemingly ordinary girl, Clary (Lily Collins) discovers she is a descendant of a long line of Shadowhunters, a group of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. 

I absolutely loved the book, and the movie also met my expectations, with just the right amount of romance, fast-paced action and jaw-dropping graphics.

The movie is full of adventure, and it keeps the viewer engaged through its special effects. For example, when a dog turned into a carnivorous monster, I noticed that many audience members jumped in fear, a tribute to the movie's excellent graphics.

It could be argued that some of the animation is overdone, but only because the director wants to emphasize the point.  

For example, the director wants to show the audience how much Clary and Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower) love each other, so he uses bright vibrant colors and twinkling fireflies in a greenhouse during a love scene. A true romantic would be understanding of this exaggeration of the greenhouse scene. It’s the sugary cliches that make this movie’s romance plot the stuff of the classics.

Clary is dangerously spontaneous and impulsive in the book, and she is equally as crazy in the movie, which is perfect. She brings drama and excitement into the movie because she is nearly killed so many times. As a result, the audience is on the edge throughout the movie. 

Just like Clary, Jace was also played brilliantly. Though I still wish that Alex Pettyfer could have played Jace (he was first cast and then declined), Bower played Jace with the right amount of humor, arrogance and love. The balance between those mercurial traits is extremely hard to capture, but Bower did a commendable job.

I squealed with glee when I saw the first glimpse  of Simon (Robert Sheehan), who is Clary’s best friend. Smart and witty with his trademark glasses, Simon is a hot nerd with a ton of personality. Without Simon, the movie wouldn’t be half as funny. 

I want to rewatch the movie to further absorb the subtleties of the plot. I highly recommend “City of Bones” not only for the fans of the book but everyone else.