b-duchaine Reviews

Vampire Academy (2014)

Excellent Story / Missed Chance at being a fantastic movie

[7/10 · 9 June 2014]

As a huge fan of the Vampire Academy book series I have a bit of a mixed review to write here...

I feel this movie could have been both made and marketed a little better. This movie, along with the series is classified as Young Adult, but if there is one thing we have all learned from big titles like Harry Potter and the Hunger Games it's that, people reading and/or watching these titles are not only young adult and I think that was the first failure that the ones who brought the movie to life made.

I think VA should get a sequel and if done correctly could bring in the same amount of money that Twilight did, first off, hopefully this company drops the sequel and another company picks it up, one that has a marketing team that knows what it's doing and knows how to reach out to more of an audience than the first one did. One crummy trailer, with crappy music and even though I've read the books and LOVE the books, I thought the movie looked pretty terrible and ONLY geared toward teens/preteens.

So people, don't blame the books, the storyline, the actors, the script (which was pretty dead on for the book)...this is the fault of those who produced this movie. I've seen a lot of trolls on this site just bashing everything left and right, especially the fans...to them I say, get a life.

Anyhow, to go on about what I liked about it.

I thought most of the acting was good and the characters were well played and well picked. The storyline followed the book wonderfully, which is always important and the settings were pretty spot on too. And lastly, the Author liked it, loved it even and you can't argue with that, this is her vision and her dreams brought to life, there has to be respect for that.

I hope to see this movie get a "better" made sequel and hope that it doesn't end up being tossed on the back burner because it DESERVES another chance, similar to The Mortal Instruments, which are also fantastic books.

Bottom line is, the production and marketing companies needs to get their crap together and give these stories what they deserve.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)

Critics are too harsh

[8/10 · 22 August 2013]

Don't get me wrong, no movie adaptation of a novel is going to be perfect and make everyone happy, but I feel as though the critics have been way too harsh on this movie and it's actors/actresses. Though, this seems like a trend with YA movies, beside Harry Potter I tend to see critics rip and tear apart teen movies like birds feasting on a dead carcass...I swear they all get together and decide to do it as a group. (just saying) Anyhow, I wouldn't say TMI was perfect, but it was the first in the series and I hope they get a chance to fix their minor mistakes and release City of Ashes. I enjoyed that book and would love to see it brought to life.

The actors: I did not see anything wrong with any of them save the actor who played Magnus Bane, he wasn't terrible, but definitely lacked the personality that he had in the books. His character always made me laugh and I guess Godfrey Gao kind of fell a little flat and almost mechanic on screen. I thought everyone else fit well and acted well, I don't see the issues that many others seem to see. I'm no film critic, but I am a fan and a lover of movies.

The Plot: Although most of the movie seemed to stick with the book they surprisingly changed a lot at the end. For example, Hodge telling Valentine to lie to Clary and Jace about being sister and brother versus Hodge actually believing that they were brother and sister after Valentine tells him this. I guess I can understand why they did it, but it, to me, did not have that gut wrenching "oh crap!" moment I felt when reading the books, even though as a reader I hoped and kind of figured it wasn't true, especially when the character of Sebastian shows up, it all starts to piece together from there. Though, I cannot understand why they did it...the incest reason? In case they never made another movie? Fear of confusing people? I don't know, I wasn't a fan, but the changes like this one definitely did not ruin the movie for me.

I enjoyed the action sequences and even thought the "cheesey" romance scene in the garden was kind of cute, I thought the kiss between Jace and Clary was pretty passionate and personally felt as though Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower had good chemistry. (I have to admit I liked Jamie already from his role on Camelot) Well, this is just my opinion and two cents I just really hope that the movie itself does well with the fans and that a second film is made because I, for one will be devastated to see such an amazing series from such an incredible author be shut down after only one movie. :(