Review of City of Ember (2008) by Tyler M — 05 Sep 2010

After a catastrophe(maybe of the radioactive kind) threatens humanity's existence,the worlds best minds- scientists,architects,and engineers come together, to build an underground city,in the hopes of saving the human race. Stocked full of supplies and powered by a vast generator,the city is meant to sustain them for 200 years,until it is believed to be safe to return to the surface.

But as they say in the movie:Fate ran another course,and all this fell out of memory.Long since past its due date,the city is running on empty,steadily loosing more and more of its functions.With the giant generator needing constant repairs,and food growing scarce.

It is at this time we're introduced to the two main characters in the movie: Doon Harrow(Harry Treadaway)and Lina Mayfleet(Saoirse Ronan).Two youngsters about to go through their confirmation ceremony,being assigned the jobs they will carry for the rest of their lives,by the mayor(Bill Murray). Doon is to become a runner(a message carrier),while Lina is set to work on the citys ageing pipeworks. They cannot stand what they've been given,and decides to exchange jobs.

Doon is keenly aware of the city's increasing shortcomings,and takes it upon himself to investigate just how bad it is. He soon realizes that the pipe-system is held together with not much more than chewing gum and strings,and that the generator is in a state of disrepair, steadily loosing more and more power. Meanwhile Lina on one of her message runs, comes across a man exiting from the forbidden zone,at the outer rim of the city.His panicked ranting about a giant creature attacking him,causes some alarm, before law enforcement officers arrives,quickly taking him away somewhere.But he's left behind a piece of a giant insect,a claw of some kind.

Lina's interest is piqued,and after yet another blackout,she finds a mystical box,that might hold the key to the city's secrets. Lina and Doon now join forces in order to fight for their very survival,and desperately seeking a way out of a city that's outlived itself. Their investigation soon crosses the path of the gluttonous mayor,who has his own reasons for keeping the people of the city in the dark...

This movie has a quality cast,in just about all the key roles.With the overbearing and greedy mayor played very well by Bill Murray. Martin Landau as the tired and sleepy worker drone assigned to teach Doon about his work.Tim Robbins excelling as Doons jovial,mellow and disillusioned father, and the two youngsters(Ronan and Treadaway) who brings fresh energy and a sense of urgency to the proceedings.

Sometimes the movie seems to take place more on a theatre stage than in a real city.But the gritty locales, with narrow streets that's sparsely lit,and endless darkness above, contribute to a claustrophobic atmosphere,that keeps it exciting throughout.The city feeling more and more like a prison.city of Ember's action scenes and special effects are good,but the movie is primarily paced to suit a slow build of tension.A brooding sense,which is how I like it.