Oct 10, 2008 7:21 am US/Pacific
'City Of Ember'
NEW YORK (AP) ―
Finally, a post-apocalyptic utopia movie for the entire family. "City of Ember" is a weird little hybrid of socialist manifesto and wholesome sci-fi adventure, which ought to make it a tough sell, despite its strong cast and the backing of Tom Hanks' production company.
The younguns who populate the underground city of Ember learn on Assignment Day what job they'll perform for the rest of their lives, based on a slip of paper they pull randomly from a sack: mundane stuff like potato peeler and warehouse clerk, "For the good of all mankind," as the city's motto goes.
Some people work in the generator that keeps the town running, keeps the bulbs in those golden, overhead lights shining bright. Others, like perky Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse Ronan) are messengers, scurrying from one side of the city to the other conveying inane tidbits of information. But since Ember's founders only created the city to last 200 years -- figuring the darkness that forced them underground would have subsided by then -- the generator is falling apart, and humanity as they know it is in peril.
Thankfully, Lina finds a magical metal box that the founders left behind, and she and her pipe worker pal, Doon (Harry Treadaway), set about unlocking its many mysteries in hopes of, you know, saving the world. Gil Kenan's film is overstuffed visually but has an intriguing tangibility about it -- not surprising, since Kenan also directed the clever "Monster House" from 2006, an Academy Award nominee for best animated film.
Ember resembles an art deco back lot that's fallen into disrepair, which gives it an odd beauty; unlike a lot of kid-oriented action movies, this one's not obviously smothered in computer-generated effects. At least, not until the end. You just wish as much care had gone into the character development. Tim Robbins, Bill Murray,
Mary Kay Place and Martin Landau are sadly underused.
PG for mild peril and some thematic elements. 96 min. Two stars out of four.
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