So, YA franchises: lucrative new trend or risky fad? Those on the side of “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games” will tout the devoted following both have developed, while one only has to look at the wreckage left behind “Beautiful Creatures” and last weekend’s “The Host” to see that nothing is a guarantee. So hoping to come out a little bit better is “The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones,” which of course is based on a best-selling series of books. But will the fans show up? More importantly, will everyone else?
Well, that depends. Frankly, resembling a hybrid of “Twilight” and “Beautiful Creatures,” this looks nearly like a parody movie with another attractive girl caught between two dudes, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance as she comes to accept her destiny etc. It’s beginning to look like the same costume and set designers work on all these movies with lots of wacky clothing and makeup going on, though we will say that this one seems to be spending a bit of money in the soundtrack department, paying for Radiohead‘s “All I Need” plus the opening score cut that is featured in every trailer.
Oh, and it should be noted that the press announcement email for this trailer came with a suggestion to buy “Beastly,” “The Covenant,” “Underworld: Awakening” and uh, “The Vow” on Blu-ray. So if you’re curious about the demographic Sony is aiming for here, there’s your answer. Starring Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Lena Headey, Jared Harris, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Robert Sheehan, Jemima West, Kevin Zegers, Aidan Turner, CCH Pounder and Kevin Durand (holy cow) this thing will cap off the summer on August 23rd. Watch below.