The Eldest Curses: Red Scrolls of Magic

The Eldest Curses: Red Scrolls of Magic is an Urban Fantasy film released in 2020 based on the 2019 novel by Cassandra Clare. It was the tenth installment of The Shadowhunters Chronicles film series. It was released on November 24, 2020. It received mainly positive reviews from critics that praised its Cinematography, Screenplay, Chemistry and Pacing. Manny Jacinto was hired to replace Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane after his death. It was released during the pandemic and was the lowest grossing film of the series but was a financial success due to home media and streaming.
==Plot==
Following the Mortal War, Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood are on a vacation to Paris. Magnus reveals to his lover, Alec that he had been to Paris many times over his Immortal life. Magnus and Alec discover a friend of Magnus named Johnny Rook who questions him about the Crimson Hand a cult that Magnus Bane remembers. Johnny explains that Crimson Hand is responsible for disappearances of several Downworlders. Tessa Gray Interrupts them and drops in on them in their hotel room and says the the world believes Magnus Bane is the Crimson Hand's leader and founder. Magnus and Alec decide to seek out the Crimson Hand to clear Magnus's name.
While exploring the Shadow Market, Magnus discovers a password to get into the Crimson Hand's headquarters and Venice. He realizes that his father, Asmodeus, is involved. While on a train to Venice, Alec and Magnus come into contact with demons and meet a warlock named Shinyun Jung who claims to be a rogue follower of the Crimson Hand hunting them for revenge. In Venice, the team finds the Crimson Hand's abandoned headquarters that's used for parties by Downworlders. Magnus finds a sacred book called the Red Scrolls of Magic which he recognizes although his memories are foggy. Magnus, Alec and Shinyun escape while the Downwolder's clash over politics.
Reading the Red Scrolls of Magic, Magnus Bane discovers clues leading them to the City of Rome. While investigating, Shinyun and Magnus investigate a bathhouse run by vampires where Shinyun seduces Magnus and slips his drink which leaves him vulnerable. She leads him into a trap by the Crimson Hand and they take Magnus Bane hostage. Shinyun reveals that she is the Crimson Hand's true leader. The cult prepares to sacrifice Magnus Bane to summon his father Asmodeus who orchestrated the cult's actions. Asmodeus taunts Magnus Bane by triggering his foggy memories of founding the cult. Magnus had originally started it as a Robin Hood-minded parody religion and Asmodeus had manipulated it's first generation of followers to keep it going.
Shinyun begins a dark ritual to summon Asmodeus. Asmodeus begins to take physical form on Earth but reveals he plans to use Shinyun as a sacrifice instead of his son. Alec Lightwood teams up with Aline and Helen two Shadowhunters from the Los Angeles Institute and they break into the cult's headquarters and battle demons. Alec finds Magnus Bane prepared to be sacrificed and saves him by sabotaging the ritual, defeating the non-corporal form of Asmodeus and defeats Shinyun. The Shadowhunters join in the battle and apprehend the demon worshipping cultists. Magnus Bane choses the spare Shinyun and she takes advantage of the situation to escape.
In a post-credits scene, Shinyun is seen torturing Ragnor Fell and claims she has a plan that involves The Eldest Curses.
==Cast==
*Manny Jacinto as Magnus Bane
*Kevin Zegers as Alec Lightwood
*Emilia Jones as Tessa Gray
*Élodie Yung as Shinyun Jung
*Britt Robertson as Helen Blackthorn
*Paris Berelc as Aline Penhallow
*Hal Sparks as Bernard
*Luke Bracey as Ragnor Fell
*Adrian Pasdar as Asmodeus
*Bradley Cooper as Johnny Rook
*Kyle Lowder as Malcolm Fade
*James McAvoy as Barnabas Hale
==Critical Reception==
The Infernal Devices: The Clockwork Prince received Positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 70% based on 100 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Bold and thoughtfully made, The Eldest Curses: Red Scrolls of Magic is more than just another installment of Shadowhunters." Metacritic gives the film a score of 70 out of 100, based on 80 critics, indicating "generally favorable views". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore were more receptive to the film, giving it a CinemaScore grade of "A".
==Sequels==
A sequel entitled The Eldest Curses: The Lost Book of the White was released on April 5, 2022. A third film entitled The Eldest Curses: The Black Volume of the Dead is in production and will be produced after the novel is published intended to be released during a gap between future installments of the franchise. The film will be connected to a trilogy called The Wicked Powers.
Category:Films
Category:Films based on books
Category:Fantasy films
Category:Sony
Category:Sony Pictures Releasing
Category:Dark fantasy films
Category:Films with positive reviews
Category:Live-action films
Category:Screen Gems
Category:Urban Fantasy Films
Category:LGBT-related films
Category:R Rated Films
Category:R Rated Movies
Category:Shadowhunters