The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

In New York City, Clary Fray seems like an ordinary teenager, but she discovers she belongs to a hidden world of Shadowhunters, demi angels sworn to defend humanity from dark forces. When her mother vanishes under strange circumstances, Clary is pulled into a midnight realm that exists alongside the everyday city. She meets a tight knit group of young hunters who wield runes, knives, and clever magic, and she learns that she has powers of her own that she never imagined. The team shows her a dangerous hybrid world where demons stalk alleyways and clubs, and ancient rivalries flare between human lovers and supernatural factions. Together they race to protect a powerful relic and uncover clues about her mother's fate. The world teems with shadowy corners of the city where the lines between human and monster blur in crowded clubs and rain slick streets. Clary learns to make her way through this brutal new reality while keeping her mother in mind.

Directed by Harald Zwart, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones adapts Cassandra Clare's urban fantasy for the screen. The film foregrounds Clary and her friends with a polished, action driven look that suits its fast paced detective tone.

The film grossed about 95 million worldwide, reflecting a modest but solid return for a mid range fantasy adaptation. It performed strongest outside the United States and helped anchor a broader push for YA cinema.

Critics offered a mixed verdict highlighting strong visuals and the cast while noting familiar YA beats. The film probes themes of identity and belonging, responsibility and loyalty, and the costs of power as Clary learns to trust her new allies and choices.

The film fed into the early 2010s YA fantasy wave and drew a steady fan base around its screen cast, especially Lily Collins as Clary and Jamie Campbell Bower as Jace. It sparked fan art, online discussion and a continued interest in the Shadowhunters universe.