The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is a young adult urban fantasy film based on Cassandra Clare's novel of the same name. It follows Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager, who discovers she is a Shadowhunter, a half-angel, half-human warrior destined to protect the world from demons. The movie delves into a hidden world populated by supernatural beings such as vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and faeries as Clary searches for her missing mother and uncovers secrets about her own lineage. The film is targeted at a teenage and young adult audience, featuring action, romance, and a complex fantasy mythology. Due to its intense fantasy violence, dark themes, and mature content, it is generally recommended for viewers aged 14 and older.
Concerns
Violence
HighThe movie contains frequent and intense sequences of fantasy action violence, often brutal, involving swords, knives, and spears. It includes scenes depicting deaths, torture, and some instances of visible blood and gore. Creature transformations are also presented in a disturbing manner.
In a nightclub scene, a young man is brutally slashed across the throat with a sword by a gothic figure, resulting in a visible 'thin red bloody line' and his death. A woman (Jocelyn) is violently attacked in her apartment, thrown through the air and against a wall, then fights back with a knife and frying pan. A snarling Rottweiler transforms into a demonic creature, with its head splitting open to reveal a 'large deep bloody wound,' fangs, and tentacles.
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft and occult themes are central and pervasive to the movie's fantasy world. The narrative revolves around Shadowhunters (half-angel beings), demons, warlocks, vampires, and werewolves. Magical runes are used extensively for powers and protection, and the plot involves powerful magical artifacts and demonic forces.
The entire world is built upon the existence of Shadowhunters, who are Nephilim (half-human, half-angel) tasked with fighting demons and other 'Downworlders,' including warlocks like Magnus Bane, who wield powerful magic. Clary Fray discovers her ability to draw powerful runes, which are magical symbols that grant various abilities, and the plot centers on retrieving the Mortal Cup, a magical artifact with immense power over Shadowhunters.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe movie contains highly frightening and intense scenes, including graphic creature transformations, disturbing demonic appearances, and suspenseful situations involving torture and life-threatening combat. The overall dark and supernatural setting contributes to a consistently intense atmosphere.
A Rottweiler dog transforms into a gruesome demonic creature with a 'large deep bloody wound' on its head, growing fangs and tentacles, which is explicitly noted as potentially disturbing for younger children. The film includes torture scenes and a variety of grotesque, oozy monsters, as well as menacing vampires and werewolves.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe film includes a prominent gay character, Alec Lightwood, who harbors unrequited feelings for his parabatai, Jace Wayland. Magnus Bane, a powerful warlock, is explicitly identified as gay in reviews and in the broader context of the series, though his relationship with Alec is only implied in the movie. The film presents these characters and their orientations as acceptable, with a character (Clary) voicing support for such feelings. The portrayal was considered inclusive for its time.
Alec Lightwood displays jealousy and unspoken affection for Jace Wayland, which is acknowledged by other characters, notably Clary Fray. Magnus Bane, a flamboyant and powerful warlock, is described as a 'vocally gay warlock' in parental reviews, and his attraction to Alec is subtly present through interactions and Alec's internal struggle.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe film features mild suggestive language, innuendo, and passionate kissing between lead characters. There is visual content of characters in revealing attire, particularly in club scenes and among Shadowhunters, as well as a scene implying a woman changing clothes.
A demon makes a suggestive remark to a werewolf, asking if he wants to 'hump' his legs and 'smell my derriere.' Clary Fray is told by a man that she is 'dressed like a hooker and looks like someone whose phone number should be on a bathroom wall' after being given revealing attire. Clary and Jace share a passionate kiss in a greenhouse scene.
Profanity
MediumThe movie includes occasional use of mild to moderate coarse language, including religious exclamations and common swear words.
The word 'hell' is used on several occasions within dialogue. The expletive 'Jesus' is used.
Substance Use
MediumThe film depicts several instances of characters consuming or being exposed to substances with intoxicating or harmful effects, including poisoning and implied hallucinogenic exposure.
A woman drinks a substance that causes her to fall unconscious. A character's drink is spiked with blue drops, leading to gagging, gasping, and eventual poisoning. A character states that 'hallucinogenic gas' is pumped into nightclubs. A man injects himself with blood, causing convulsions.
Disrespect & Rebellion
MediumThe narrative features a teenage protagonist defying parental warnings for her own perceived needs. The film also subtly critiques traditional authority figures within the supernatural community who are depicted as less accepting or enlightened compared to younger characters, particularly regarding romantic orientations.
Clary Fray disregards her mother's urgent warning not to come home, rushing back to find her house ransacked and her mother missing, which propels the main plot. The 'stuffy elders' of the Shadowhunter community are implicitly portrayed as less understanding of Alec Lightwood's feelings, contrasting with Clary's accepting perspective on his unrequited love for Jace.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile not directly anti-Christian in a mocking sense, the film's fantasy cosmology reinterprets biblical concepts (angels, demons, Nephilim) into a secular supernatural framework. It centers on a world where magic, various mythical creatures, and demonic forces are inherent realities, which may conflict with traditional Christian theological views on spiritual warfare and the nature of good and evil.
The core protagonists, Shadowhunters, are presented as 'half-human, half-angel' beings known as Nephilim, which is a reinterpretation of a biblical term within a fantasy context. The movie features a pervasive presence of demons as common adversaries, warlocks using magic, and other 'Downworlder' creatures like vampires and faeries, establishing a fantasy spiritual reality that operates outside of conventional Christian doctrine.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
14+ with Parental Guidance. The movie features intense fantasy violence, scary demonic creatures, occult themes central to the plot, and some suggestive content and profanity. While it has elements of romance and themes of acceptance, the overall tone and visual intensity may be disturbing for younger viewers.
Additional Notes
The movie is the first adaptation of a book series that further develops complex themes and relationships, including the Alec/Magnus (Malec) storyline. Later installments and the TV series 'Shadowhunters' depict more explicit LGBTQ+ romantic relationships than what is merely implied in 'City of Bones.' This film is part of a larger universe that continues to explore these elements in greater depth.
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