"She looks like her phone number should be on a bathroom wall."
This is a lively, daft but competent franchise-starter that is easily one of the strongest post-Twilight Young Adult book adaptations, if that is not damning it with faint praise, and considerably more interesting than recent efforts such as Beautiful Creatures and The Host. There is a real attempt to create mood and atmosphere, there is some very pleasing design work, and there is a reasonable amount of story development which is often lacking in this genre of film. The movie pretty much hits its intended female-young-teen audience squarely, with its fashionable Goth-lite stylings, all cheekbones and eyeliner (and that is just the male characters!), and a pleasingly tough and sensible heroine. As well as Lily Collins making for a strong central character, casting is good - Robert Sheehan stands up well on the big screen, the amazing CCH Pounder is fun as the downstairs neighbour, Jonathan Rhys Meyers chews the scenery villainously, Lena Headey gives the movie an emotional grounding at the start, Aidan Turner's character is a nice twist for Being Human fans - but Jamie Campbell Bower only convinces occasionally as eye-candy love-interest Shadowhunter Jace. The first half would benefit from more action and less info-dumping, but in general the film just about has enough wit and energy to sustain interest for the spirited everything-but-the-kitchen-sink finale.
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