If you are a die-hard Shadowhunter fan like me, there’s no doubt you were peeing your pants in excitement when Jace Wayland’s (Jaime Campbell Bower) face appeared on the movie screen-opening day on August 21.

However, if you’re still navigating through the waters of the Shadowhunter World that author Cassandra Clare created through her marvelous novels, The Mortal Instruments—look no further.

The Mortal Instruments settles around the perspective of the young redheaded Clary Fray, (Lily Collins) one of the main protagonists of the series, taking place in Brooklyn, New York. Clary and her nerdy lovable friend, Simon Lewis (Robert Sheehan) go to the Pandemonium Club, where she witnesses an event, in which she can only glimpse: a boy being murdered by a blonde Gothic boy and his leather- adorned posse. Moments later, she begins seeing a mysterious symbol everywhere. Clary Fray only finds out moments later from Blonde Goth Boy also known as Jace Wayland, that she is a Shadowhunter—a member of an ancient race that’s part human and part angel who are sworn to protect humanity from demons. She learns that her mother, Jocelyn Fray (Lena Headey) has been sheltering her from this dangerous magical world since day one. After receiving a scary phone call from her mother pleading that she doesn't go home; ignoring her mother’s advice Clary returns home to only discover a giant demon destroying her apartment verifying the existence of demons, and had Jace save her life at the last minute. They discover from her antisocial fortune telling neighbor, Madame Dorothea (CCH Pounder) that Jocelyn Fray isn't just a painter and a single mother who strings Luke Garroway (Aidan Turner), her friend along, but a fierce Shadowhunter as well who was in possession of the Mortal Cup- a mortal instrument that’s vital to Shadowhunter survival, and was indeed kidnapped. Yes, it turns out when Shadowhunters are constantly battling demons, not many of them survive very long. Madame Dorothea also pronounces that Clary has a magical block on her mind, preventing her from seeing such creatures, but somehow the block is slowly being breached, and has been taken to the Institute and had the pleasure of meeting Hodge Starkweather (Jared Harris) the agoraphobic librarian along who educates her on the history of the Shadowhunters, as well as the epic tattoos that cover almost every inch of their skin called Runes, that assist Shadowhunters in fighting demons. She also gets to meet the Lightwoods, Jace’s adoptive siblings; Isabelle (Jemima West) who has a kick-butt silver whip and her older aggressive brother Alec, (Kevin Zegers) who really does not appreciate Clary hanging around with her mundane buddy, Simon. Clary and Jace make the journey to the City of Bones, home or the Silent Brothers to find who originally put a block on Clary’s mind, was none other than the free-wheeling bisexual himself, Magnus Bane, (Godfrey Gao). Bane had worked continuously under Jocelyn’s Fray’s advice to block her daughter’s mind in order to protect her and keep her in ignorance of the Shadowhunter world, and her crazy psychotic dad, Valentine Morgenstern, (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) who has taken to chilling with demons and cooking up vicious plans on how to rule the world. Meanwhile, at Bane’s party Simon the mundane foolishly takes a vampire drink, and gets kidnapped. Behaving as any other bestie would, Clary hauls the Shadowhunter posse to save her best friend over to the Vampire Hangout appropriately named Hotel DuMort and fight hundreds of vampires and werewolves.

A few other things the film featured are: Johann Sebastian Bach being revealed as creating a sonata to irritate demons, a kiss between Jace and Clary in a magical glowing greenhouse at midnight, Simon confessing his love for Clary that hes been delaying 10 years and Clary’s been too oblivious to realize and that Alec Lightwood is a really aggressive gay guy who’s irritated he cannot get some alone time with his adoptive brother, Jace. Add in a thrilling conclusion—Valentine Morgenstern drops in for a lovely chat to spill the beans and attempt to kill his son—yeah that’s right turns out the Wayland ring Jace has been showing off was worn backward the whole movie and released some demons with double agent Hodge Starkweather. Clary comes at the nick of time rid her new brother of her insane dad with some epic rune creating powers and the amazing CGI Portal that wasn't a waste of time. The first installment ends with her Luke, and Simon visiting her Mom, who’s in a self-induced coma, and Clary cleaning the apartment Matilda style with her newly created runes and a cliche motorcycle ride with her newly discovered brother Jace, whom she just kissed a few hours before.

The next installment the City of Ashes continuing the Mortal Instruments saga will be released next year.

Directed by Harald Zwart
Rated PG-13, for lots of extensive violence, Magnus’s short pants, sexual tension and lots of Shadowhunter runes.
Playing in theaters now.