The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Play trailer

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

PG-13

2013

2h 10m

Fantasy

Action

Adventure

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

13%

Tomatometer

126 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

In New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager named Clary Fray learns that she is descended from a line of Shadowhunters -- half-angel warriors who protect humanity from evil forces. After her mother disappears, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters and enters Downworld, an alternate realm filled with demons, vampires and a host of other creatures. Clary and her companions must find and protect an ancient cup that holds the key to her mother's future.

Critics Consensus

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones borrows ingredients from seemingly every fantasy franchise of the last 30 years -- but can't seem to figure out what to do with them.

Read Critics Reviews

Perri Nemiroff

Shockya.com

08/24/2013

2/5

'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' might reduce plans for the sequel to ashes.

Go to Full Review

Louis Black

Austin Chronicle

08/23/2013

1.5/5

Not only have we seen this all before, but we were probably hoping to not see it again.

Go to Full Review

Donald Clarke

Irish Times

08/23/2013

1/5

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is such a pathetic mess you end up feeling a little sorry for the poor mite.

Go to Full Review

Amanda the Jedi

Amanda the Jedi (Youtube)

07/04/2021

The one thing this movie managed to do was capture the visual style I felt the book conveyed but otherwise we were left with something that neither fans, critics or general audiences were particularly impressed by

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

12/03/2020

2/10

This is one incredibly mixed-up, poorly planned, annoyingly-plotted mess.

Go to Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

09/17/2020

1.5/4.0

Screenwriter Jessica Postigo serves up a script that feels like a working draft.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Algielyn E

@chielmace 2d

YEAH THIS IS MY LOVEABLE MOVIE

See more

Ashley M.

@RT91119779 Jun 2

I loved this movie when it came out. Just wish they continued the movies, I didn’t care for the show.

See more

Trenaway E

@Trenaway Jan 18

The story is all over the place, the acting is subpar, and it could had been done so much better, with better writing.

See more

Anja T

@armadillo114 Jan 5

this is the review i wrote after i watched it: the mortal instruments: city of bones 5.5/10 extra half a point because jamie campbell, otherwise the movie was so fucking stupid it made it funny, i kinda dont remember any of the plot besides Jace + Clary so effing hot btw. i was geeked when i watched it and wrote that, which is why i dont remember like anything butttt made it ten times better. i overall wasnt very interest in the plot it is very cliche and overdone i also didnt have a fucking clue what was happening but i loved the chemistry between jamie and lily and the love story. the only reason i watched it was from edits from tiktok and yea, its one of those movies i’ll obsess over for months because i want to be physically in it and experience what the characters did and yearn to be clary. so my personality will is changed from this movie, but would i recommend it, probably not, its mine.

See more

Alexandra L

@AlextheCat Dec 27

This movie a fantasy Dream come true. Like demon hunters and angels and bad guys with funny hair dos! Yes please. May I have seconds? Please lol Like I could do with a sequel or a remake. Or I'll just rewatch this hit over and over again. Cause I doubt I'll get sick of it haha 😂 okay that is all.

See more

Fox W.

@foxygrandpa910 Dec 19

Fun movie and gets way too much hate. The story gets predictable as the movie goes on. However, the characters and eventual ending are well done.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Harald Zwart

Director

Lily Collins

Clary Fray

Jamie Campbell Bower

Jace Wayland

Robert Sheehan

Simon Lewis

Kevin Zegers

Alec Lightwood

Lena Headey

Jocelyn Fray

View more videos

Thor: The Dark World

67%

74%

Thor: The Dark World

Watchlist

Seventh Son

12%

34%

Seventh Son

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Seventh Son

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

37%

58%

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Snow White and the Huntsman

48%

52%

Snow White and the Huntsman

Watchlist

The Huntsman: Winter's War

19%

45%

The Huntsman: Winter's War

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Huntsman: Winter's War

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

2014 GLAAD Media Awards Winners

Parental Guidance: On DVD The Wolverine, Smurfs 2 and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Parental Guidance: Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

View more photos

Synopsis

In New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager named Clary Fray learns that she is descended from a line of Shadowhunters -- half-angel warriors who protect humanity from evil forces. After her mother disappears, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters and enters Downworld, an alternate realm filled with demons, vampires and a host of other creatures. Clary and her companions must find and protect an ancient cup that holds the key to her mother's future.

Director: Harald Zwart
Producer: Robert Kulzer, Don Carmody
Screenwriter: Jessica Postigo
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Constantin Film International, Unique Features
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Fantasy Violence|Intense Action|Some Suggestive Content)
Genre: Fantasy, Action, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 21, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 18, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.2M
Runtime: 2h 10m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, Datasat