The new trailer for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is incredibly encouraging. Not because it avoids the overused normal-person-discovers-they-have-extraordinary-powers-in-a-magical-world-beyond-our-own trope that’s been hollowed out for a decade. Not because it steers clear of what looks like a crush-triangle. But because it looks like it’s injected some horror sensibilities into the Young Adult world.
Which is kind of funny to think about. With the two most famous horror icons at its disposal, Twilight never went that route. It was all big CGI action and brooding. Meanwhile, TMI: CoB (which really needs the acronym) definitely has a dark side.
It even has werewolves. Check it out for yourself:
Maybe it’s the club scene and the general black and dark brown palette at work, but it feels tonally a little like The Matrix or Constantine. It’s industrial. Rust-covered. It feels like the cast of Blair Witch 2 is about to pop out and join the fight. Or maybe the guitarist from Creed.
Okay, those last two things sound terrible, but the trailer really does have something going for it. An epic feeling, sure, but also something different to add to the YA explosion, and that’s priceless because the story itself looks paint-by-numbers.
TMI: CoB is in theaters August 23rd.