City of Ember
Review - Bobby Belt for The Mungles on Movies
Gil Kenan (Monster House) tries his hand at directing a live action film with City of Ember.
City of Ember opens the film with a narration about how sometime 200+ years ago, mankind was forced to live underground until enough time had passed. We're never really sure why they had to live underground, but they're residing there now, living off the power of a generator.
The city is dying. The generator is losing it's power, and when the lights go out for good, the people of Ember will be in dire trouble.
Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway) are less than content to sit back and let the people of Ember die, and when they discover a possible way up to the surface of the Earth again, they're determined to explore the final hope for survival.
City of Ember is really a lot of fun. Gil Kenan has really done a good job of creating a sci-fi action film that everyone can enjoy. Something not easy to do. Most of the time, these type movies end out going over the younger crowd's head, or boring the adults to death with recycled slap stick and laser guns. No, instead Kenan gives us some nice visuals (For some reason I kept feeling like I was looking at Terry Gilliam's "Brazil")and an inspiring story never short on suspense.
Saoirse Ronan is a terrific young actress. She was magnificent in the masterpiece of 2007, Atonement, and she does very well here. She has a lot of promise and I hope she continues getting work.
There were other things I enjoyed as well. The score was very easy on the ears (Once more, something Sci-Fi movies have struggled with before) and there are some surprisingly well done scenes. In particular, one where Lina and Doon, on there journey to the surface to see what's left, find signs urging those to keep their spirits up, as they walk up the path created by the leaders of the world 200 years earlier.
City of Ember is rated PG for mild peril and some thematic elements. There is a scary looking creature in the film, but it's a pretty tame movie for the most part.
Overall, I'd give City of Ember a solid 3.5/5.
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