City of Ember main backdrop
City of Ember main poster

City of Ember

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6.3/10 • 1.8K

2008-10-071h 30m

AdventureFamilyFantasy

Escape is the only option

For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. Now, two teenagers, in a race against time, must search Ember for clues that will unlock the ancient mystery of the city's existence, before the the lights go out forever.

Directors
Gil Kenan
Editors
Adam P. Scott

Top Billed Cast

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  1. Saoirse Ronan

    Saoirse Ronan

    Lina Mayfleet

  2. Harry Treadaway

    Harry Treadaway

    Doon Harrow

  3. Bill Murray

    Bill Murray

    Mayor Cole

  4. David Ryall

    David Ryall

    Chief Builder

  5. Tim Robbins

    Tim Robbins

    Loris Harrow

  6. Mackenzie Crook

    Mackenzie Crook

    Looper

  7. Marianne Jean-Baptiste

    Marianne Jean-Baptiste

    Clary

  8. Mary Kay Place

    Mary Kay Place

    Mrs. Murdo

  9. Toby Jones

    Toby Jones

    Barton Snode

Reviews1

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CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Feb 20, 2025

7/10

With the future of the planet in grave danger, some far-sighted builders decide that it’s best for humanity to build a subterranean city into which they can retreat. It’s got to be something self-sustaining as they are going to be down there for a couple of centuries. They do provide exit instructions, but over time they get lost and so nobody knows that maybe it’s time to resurface. Now, though, the engineering is starting to give up the ghost and that means power and food are becoming rationed. The mayor (Bill Murray) is hopelessly out of his depth/obsessed with his own position and the chief electrician “Sul” (Martin Landau) is running out of ideas so it falls to the unlikely pairing of youngsters “Lina” (Saoirse Ronan) and “Doon” (Harry Treadaway) to rekindle the population’s appetite to get some fresh air. Luckily, she has a box left to her by her grandmother and as their jobs involve them clambering around the city’s gubbins, they can begin to explore in earnest. This isn’t something they can advertise - the mayor and his thugs will not brook any disenchantment in their city, even if the lights are all about to go out. Now having to fight a rearguard action too, can they discover a way out - and even if they do, is there anything left? I liked the creative style of this film and the fantasy is well explored and unravelled by the engaging partnership of Treadaway and Ronan amidst a city of colourful visual effects. Murray hams up nicely and there’s just the hint of menace from the Dickensianly monikered “Barton Snode” (Toby Jones) to keep the adventure moving along quickly for a ninety minutes of passages, pipe works and grand scale machinery. If you’re looking for complex psychology here then don’t bother, it’s all simply presented family fayre with a cast that look like they are enjoying telling us a story that looks great and vibrates when it’s meant to.

Media

  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster
  • City of Ember poster

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Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$55,000,000.00
Revenue
$17,869,048.00
Keywords
underground worlddystopiamayorpost-apocalyptic futurepuzzlesteampunkboxpipeworks