I’m going to be honest. Because this is the internet. And people can be honest without fear of actual retribution. Jamie Campbell Bower is not my Jace Wayland. This sort of thing happens all the time. however, for reasons of chemistry or acting skill. And honestly, while I greatly enjoyed the Mortal Instruments series, I never fell in love with Jace Myself. So despite my still rather strong feelings about JCB and my belief that he would … suck… as Jace, I decided to see the film anyway.
Perhaps, because of these rather low expectations, I didn’t think the film was all that horrible. Campbell-Bower was better than I expected, though the chemistry between the two leads lacked that particular spark that makes the audience believe (SPOILERS HERE) that Clary and Jace are meant to be together and there is no way they could be brother and sister. It’s just not there, but it’s not painful to watch the two, so that’s a plus.
And honestly Lily Collins is just so damn beautiful and talented, she could probably play opposite a goat and make me believe they loved each other. She has the Ginger Rogers effect–Since we’re being honest, no one really though Fred Astaire was physically attractive. Incredibly talented, but not your typical dream-boat. But when Ginger Rogers danced in his arms, she made the audience fall in love with him, because she looked at him and danced with him like he was the best and most-beautiful man on earth. Lily Collins definitely possess that skill, and she’s going to be around for a while doing wonderfully great things, providing she keeps her head away from the Lindsay Lohan track.
The real standout, aside from Collins, is Robert Sheehan as Simon. I always liked Simon. I’m not so deluded to think Clary and Simon belong together romantically, but I just like Simon. And while the way Sheehan (you might recognize him from The Borrowers) plays Simon is slightly different from how I read him, it’s brilliant. He’s so much fun to watch, and he brings that edgy humour that JCB can’t always deliver as Jace.
Isabel and her whip are pretty characture-ish, but they look awesome. And the rest is forgettable except for Magnus bane, perhaps because I love his character. Oh! and Lena Headey plays Clary’s mom brilliantly. It doesn’t hurt that she and Collins look so much the part of mother and daughter. And then there is Jonathan Rhys Meyers. I have loved him since his Henry VIII days, but the way they styled his hair is so not Valentine, in my opinion, that I couldn’t focus on anything else during those scenes.
I suppose none of this really matters, as the production of the sequel has been postponed… indefinitely. In a market that is all about YA fantasy, this movie should have done well, but a series of poor decisions in casting and probably direction and marketing, left the film to flop.
But why? After the first few Twilight films, are audiences no longer as forgiving of faults when their favorite books turn into films? Do we expect more now? The fanbase for Mortal Instruments seems to be solid. Not as large as something like Vampire Academy (slightly terrified for that movie, by the way), but I’ve met a lot of people who have read and love Cassandra Clare’s books. I own them all.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but seems to me that the fantasy films that are flopping are those where the author has less involvement. Film and literature are very different mediums, and it’s not every author who can–or who wants to–involve themselves in a film while recognizing it as a different way to tell their story. But Harry Potter, Twilight, and Hunger Games (so far) are all largely successful. All of those authors had more than the usual input into the films. Then there is Percy Jackson, Beautiful Creatures, and now Mortal Instruments. Don’t quote me on this, but I’m fairly certain the author involvement in these films is much less. So pay attention, film studios.
Life's a Book 