Can they find a way out and is there anywhere to go? An example of the value of books in preserving knowledge and how once lost is not necessarily rediscovered. Their food supplies are running out and as ever the rich and powerful start secretly hoarding the food for themselves while telling everyone else they are trying to help everyone. They are left underground with no light at regular intervals. In this film there is the complication that the city, which is underground, was only supposed to be used for a west period of time and they had a series of disasters which meant they have stayed too long and everything is breaking down. Many generations later no one really knows why or what happened but think the world outside means instant death. This was good film and reminded me of Logans run in a way of a film about a human community whose ancestors were forced to live in a city cut off from the outside world. It certainly deserves to be given a chance. It is a pity, because the story and the visual aspect of this film are not bad at all and as I already said, I watched it with pleasure. This "double trouble" limitation of age category created indeed a box office trap, which resulted in a financial counter-performance. On another hand, for most of adults this film will be probably not serious enough - therefore, the main adult public for "City of Ember" are, I believe, terminal science-fiction freaks like me. SPOILER and PARENTAL WARNING: there is also one (just one) monster, a quite grotesque and yet freakishly scary thing, which, without the slightest doubt, EATS PEOPLE! For this thing alone I would very strongly advise against watching it with young children - in fact this film should be rated PG 12.
It is definitely TOO DARK for children and when we watched it, my then 10 years old daughter became ultimately scared and uncomfortable with it. However, I can absolutely see why this film underperformed at box office - it suffers from a narrow ecological market niche. But this film was especially the confirmation of great talent of Saoirse Ronan, who got her big break a year earlier in "Atonement" - here, at the tender age of 14, she gives an excellent performance and her next film was going to be "Lovely Bones". Some really good actors play here, as other than Bill Murray we have Tim Robbins, Martin Landau and Toby Jones. This is not a bad film and I watched it with pleasure. Lina, being a descendant of one of early Mayors of City of Ember, comes from what is the higher strates in this underground society, when Doon on another hand is clearly working class - but they are nevertheless good friends and quickly become "partners in crime", when they start investigating some clues from the distant past, which the Mayor wants to remain hidden.
There are however two teenagers, Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway) and especially Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan), who want to do something for their dying city, even if they don't know yet what. The Mayor (Bill Murray), a guy both clueless AND ruthless (the worst possible combination) is unable to cope with this crisis - but is quite competent at preventing anyone of doing anything. As generator begins to fail blackouts are occurring - and the reserves of canned goods and light bulbs are becoming depleted. But the city is now 241 years old - and it is slowly decaying. The city is built into a vast underground cavern and is filled with conventionally sized buildings and houses - the lights of this place are powered by a massive generator.
With an unspecified catastrophe destroying human civilisation, a huge underground shelter was build to harbor a group of survivors - the "City of Ember". Below, more of my impressions, with some limited SPOILERS. It is a honest, solid science fiction/adventure film, targeting mostly young public, but also watchable for adults.
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