City of Ember [Theatrical Release] |  | Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
Category: Theatrical Release
This item is no longer available
Rating:  40 reviews
Language: English (Unknown)
Region: 1
Number Of Discs: 1
ASIN: B001E95ZQ0
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Amazon.com
Light bulbs speckle the sky instead of stars in City of Ember, a fantasy in which a secret city has been built to preserve mankind from worldwide disaster. But over time, the purpose of the city is lost--and the city gradually decays. As power failures threaten to bring on the collapse of everything, young messenger Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan, Atonement) discovers damaged instructions for leaving the city. Her friend, pipeworker Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway, Brothers of the Head), helps her find the hidden mechanisms that will let everyone escape...but the city's corrupt Mayor (Bill Murray) is more interested in personal gain and tries to stop Lina. City of Ember begins marvelously; the story unfolds smoothly, the production design is rich and engaging, the young leads are charming (Ronan is particularly good), and Murray is as superb as ever. Unfortunately, the movie starts to stumble; some plot turns are baffling (there seems to be some connective tissue left on the cutting room floor) and what should be an action climax flounders with subpar special effects. But even when the movie loses its sure-footedness, there are delightful moments and visual wonders. The strong supporting cast includes Tim Robbins, Mary Kay Place (Sweet Home Alabama), Mackenzie Crook (The Office), Toby Jones (Infamous), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Secrets & Lies). --Bret Fetzer
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| Customer Reviews: Read 35 more reviews...
Non-Conformists Unite! July 2, 2009
MadMacs (Honolulu, HI United States)
A clear knock against all forms of conformity. The Christian religion (choral hymns are not associated with the other major religions - Islam, Buddhist, etc) and other standardized models of the norm are held in mild-to-outright contempt: business, government, even family takes a beating. 'Ember' revels in non-conformity, absolute reliance on personal vision and the inherent belief of the self.
The filmmakers achieve what so many on the left fail to do: Create a remarkably enjoyable film that seamlessly crafts the 'message' into the story, such that the story takes precedence. Check out 'Rendition' if you want to see fail, with a capital F example, of what not to do.
You really feel the strength of the characters, Lina and Doon, as the films heroes who are desperately trying to overcome the dogma and relentless acceptance of fate by seeing the world of Ember as inherently unnatural and wrong. Their adventurous spirit is what wins this film high praise.
Kudos to the director for crafting a very believable Dystopian landscape - the preformed plastic world that reeks of fear and the slow creep of decay is tangible and very real.
A genuinely good film. So much so that I've purchased the DVD for the collection.
I understand that this is part of a long series of novels which begins with 'Ember' - I hope the filmmakers get the opportunity to follow-up, perhaps even do a trilogy.
 Very enjoyable June 9, 2009
Trevor Henderson
A city built far underground to survive the end of the world. After 200 plus years, the city is falling apart. Two teenagers seek to revive the city and uncover its secrets. A forgotten box holds the key to survival.
Bill Murray is great as the selfish, corrupt mayor.
Tim Robbins gives a small cameo performance.
Martin Landau is riveting as the Doon's boss and mentor.
Thoroughly enjoyable.
Glad I watched it May 28, 2009
M. A. Bechaz (Australia)
This is a movie well worth watching. Whilst not as amazingly awesome as the book it was based on, it is nonetheless engaging, and at times thriling. I have to say, though, the acting in it was the best part. Bill Murray had so much charisma, I found myself thinking that if he ever went into politics for real, I'd vote for him! And Martin Landau -- wow! His character acting was so superb, he transformed himself to the extent that I didn't even know it was him until I saw his name appear in the credits. He's a total chameleon. And the actress who played Granny -- she's amazing! I've loved her since the days of 'Metal Mickey'.
My only real criticism is that certain elements of the movie's plot were a tad rushed or confusing (it helped that I had read the book first!) and the one big change from the book -- the, er, fauna of Ember -- was a little odd. A hint of a stolen plotline from Godzilla movies and 50s sci-fi, perhaps? I guessed that it was probably done to make the plotline more exciting, but personally, I don't think it was needed, and it would make any possibility of a sequel based on the 'Sparks' book difficult, since humans surviving on the surface would have been living in the same conditions as those fauna, and it, er, would have changed them quite ridiculously in size.
All in all, this was a much better movie than most teen films that have been released lately, which begs the question -- why wasn't it better promoted? Where was the hype? I wouldn't have even known this movie had been released if my Mum hadn't seen it reviewed on an obscure late-night TV show, and mentioned it to me in passing. Given the huge success of the book it was based on, as well as the INCREDIBLE A-list cast AND the fact that the storyline had appeal for adults as well as kids, it should have had more fanfare and publicity.
 A tale of a 200 year old city May 4, 2009
R. Kyle (USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The City of Ember was not exactly intended to be a city by its builders at all. Ember was a refuge for humankind to escape a world gone bad with pollution and waste. Its inventors entrusted the original Mayor with a box to pass down to each succeeding mayor. In 200 years, the box would open and show the residents the way out of the city to the renewed world outside.
Unfortunately, the box and instructions don't get passed down and the city is failing. Two young friends, Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan) and Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway) find incomplete instructions for escape and set about to find the rest to save the inhabitants of Ember from destruction as their 'refuge' decays around them. Unfortunately, the current Mayor (Bill Murray) is out for his own gains and he's going to try and foil the kids if he can.
The film's based on the YA series of books by Jeanne DuPrau. As usual, few films can equal the books they're based on. This one starts very well, but feels like the producers ran out of money at the end as the climax lacks the effects of the beginning.
Rebecca Kyle, May 2009
The City of Ember (Books of Ember)
The People of Sparks (Books of Ember)
The Prophet of Yonwood (Books of Ember)
The Diamond of Darkhold: The Fourth Book of Ember (Books of Ember)
Good Children's Fare April 30, 2009
Ana Mardoll (United States)
City of Ember / B001LPWGBO
*Spoilers*
I haven't read The City of Ember (Books of Ember) yet, so I can't speak to how true the movie is to the source material. I will say that "City of Ember" is a decent evening's entertainment, although probably more likely to be enjoyed by children than by adults. (Funny enough, the plot here reminds me strongly of the plot of Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter, with the similarities of the "return to the surface" plot.)
For children, there is a lot here to admire. The child protagonists are smart and clever, but never smart-alecky or disrespectful. There's plenty of pluck to go around, and the adventure stays bright and active without ever being especially frightening or disturbing.
For adults, the pickings are a little more sparse. There's an awful lot here that simply doesn't make sense and although I grant that it is entirely possible that the book explains some things more in depth, a movie needs to stand on its own explanations. It doesn't make sense that the kind of society that would have the power, technology, and foresight to create the city of ember would then rely on such a convoluted method for bringing the people back up to the surface - individual boats that flow through a system of rapids? The attrition rate would be very high. Certain elements of the movie are left as dead-ends, which is very disappointing - for instance, the tantalizing finding of the large beetle leg is abandoned as a plot point. Why don't the large beetles and mutated moles invade the city at large and eat the people - or at least their food? The ending, too, is problematic, as are most "return to the surface" endings - namely, what are the people supposed to eat? Even assuming the makers left seeds in hermetically sealed jars, it's going to take awhile to grow them. But this is a common issue with this type of science fiction.
If you've got children or just want a decent evening at home, "City of Ember" is a decent investment.
This movie has closed captions for the hearing impaired.
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