‘City of Ember’ | 2 stars
‘City of Ember’ ★★Rated PG | Time: 1:32
As drama it’s no great shakes, but for looks alone “City of Ember” is a keeper.
Based on a novel popular with middle-schoolers set, the film features one of the most fully realized production designs in ages, dropping us into a subterranean civilization where for 200 years generations have been born and died while the machinery that keeps it all going slowly falls to ruin.
Expect a nod at awards time for designer Martin Liang and costumer Ruth Myers for their vision of a world that is literally and figuratively running out of steam. It’s like one of Charles Dickens’ Victorian slums with a few primitive electrical accessories, and it’s wonderful.
In a prologue we’re told that Ember was created by scientists to save humanity from some disaster. The first and subsequent mayors were entrusted with a metal box programmed to open after 200 years, revealing the route to Earth’s surface.
But the box was lost, and now the citizenry are faced with long blackouts, cave-ins and attacks by giant moles as their life support system wears out.
It falls to a couple of teens — Doon (Harry Treadaway) and Lina (“Atonement’s” Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan) — to defy their vaguely fascist leaders (Bill Murray portrays the smug, corpulent mayor) and follow the box’s instructions.
It has been reasonably well-acted (Tim Robbins, Toby Jones and Mary Kay Place have small roles), and the yarn’s mythic back story resonates. Unfortunately, director Gil Kenan (“Monster House”) lets his narrative turn flabby in the middle. Plus, Caroline Thompson’s screenplay is dour in the extreme … a bit of humor would have made this dystopian tale go down easier.
| Robert W. Butler, The Star
Join the discussion
Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open debate is the goal, but please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as violation" link to notify a KansasCity.com editor. Thanks for your feedback.