City Of Ember takes
place in Ember, a dystopian city of the future constructed deep underground as
a safe haven after an apocalyptic disaster renders the surface of the Earth
uninhabitable. To remain sane in the absence of sun and fresh air, the
non-cannibalistic human underground dwellers immerse themselves in silly
rituals and hope against hope that the faltering generator which drives their
world won't break down completely and throw their ever-suffering society into
chaos. In other words, Ember is eight
million miles away from the pandering, shiny likes of Shrek. If it wasn't
based on a bestselling children's book, it's doubtful a story this
unrelentingly bleak would ever have made it to the big screen.
Atonement's Saoirse
Ronan stars as a plucky orphan whose job as a messenger leads her to question
the underlying power structure of her community and the rule of genially
corrupt mayor Bill Murray, especially after she comes upon a mysterious
suitcase that reveals the secret history of Ember. Harry Treadaway co-stars as
an ambitious young man who joins Ronan in her pursuit of truth and in finding a
way out of their underground hellhole. Rounding out the cast are several
gargoyle-faced character actors who bear unfortunate resemblances to the
outsized moles terrorizing the populace: Martin Landau, Toby Jones, and The
Office's Mackenzie Crook.
Ronan lends a smart, sober authority to the role of a girl
wise beyond her years, but the screenplay doesn't give her much help; she and
especially Treadaway are too often stuck playing "The Girl" and "The Boy"
instead of more nuanced characters. Murray, on the other hand, delivers a
master class in creating an unforgettable character with minimal dialogue and
screen time, playing a mayor who's simultaneously creepy, funny, and sad. Director
Gil Kenan (Monster House) displays an
abundance of craft but not much personality. As a result, City Of Ember often plays like Terry Gilliam lite or second-rate Tim
Burton, a filmmaker whom Ember screenwriter
Caroline Thompson has worked with extensively. Still, the film's unwillingness
to sugarcoat the book's dark world or talk down to its juvenile audience is as
admirable as it is rare. Ember is seldom
riveting, but it's consistently compelling, and its uncompromising literal and
metaphorical darkness renders its climax enormously satisfying.