City of Ember is a cautionary tale for adolescents: Beware the status quo.
The subterranean City of Ember is man-made, created to save the human race when the earth's surface becomes uninhabitable. The city is designed to last for 200 years, and the movie begins at the end of that period.
The once-vibrant City of Ember is a dank and crumbling urban landscape, all exposed pipes and worn surfaces. The lights go out often, leaving the populace in the dark, and food supplies are low.
Most of the adults believe 'The Builders' will return to save them, and they neither question what comes next nor do they seek a way out of their environment.
In fact, it's against the law to venture away from the city into the unknown regions, so few even try. The people have cheery songs and slogans, vague spiritual belief in something-or-other, and a corrupt mayor (Bill Murray) to make meaningless speeches. Everything in the city rests on the old, creaky generator, and it's breaking down.
All hope rests with two teenagers, Lina (Saoirse Ronan) and her friend Doon (Harry Treadaway). Lina is a descendant of one of the mayors of City of Ember, and as such she has inherited an important metal box. The box contains everything Lina and Doon need to save the day, but they have to figure out the instructions and just how everything works. The teens are in a race with time to find a way out of the City of Ember before it's too late for everyone.
City of Ember is a large, clunky metaphor for contemporary life in America. It's all falling apart, but people cling to the familiar, terrified of anything new or different.
The inhabitants of the City of Ember live in a sort of dark ages, literally and figuratively, running out of the resources that fuel their lives even as they forget whatever knowledge they had in the past. Nobody questions anything or looks beyond the city's borders, except the kids -- and they are menaced by the baddies for their interest in leaving.
Younger viewers might stay interested in the travails of the two adolescent heroes, as they run around on their underground scavenger hunt looking for clues to escape. The mood of the movie is flat, however, without highs or lows, and the special effects are only mildly exciting. Even kids will notice that.
As City of Ember involves a lot of talent, both on-screen and off, it's tough not to conclude that something happened to the movie on its way to a theatre near you.
City of Ember is based on the novel by Jeanne DuPrau, and the cast includes Martin Landau, Toby Jones and Mary Kay Place.
None of them has enough to do.
The script is slim.
The thrills are limited.
As films go, it is rather on the dull side.
(This film is rated PG)
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