movie-review ... "City Of Ember"

CITY OF EMBER

City of Ember is a 2008 science fiction fantasy film based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Jeanne DuPrau. It was directed by Gil Kenan from a screenplay by Caroline Thompson, and stars Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, Bill Murray, Mackenzie Crook, Martin Landau and Tim Robbins. It was released in October 2008, just two months after the release of the final "Book of Ember", The Diamond of Darkhold.

Plot

In the midst of a nuclear war, the Builders of the underground "City of Ember" place secret instructions to future generations in a small box, timed to open in 200 years. The box is thrust into the hands of the mayor of the underground complex. Each mayor, in turn, passes the box onto his or her successor. When the box has 47 more years left on the time-lock, the mayor holding the box dies suddenly. The significance of the box had not been explained to anyone else, and the mayor's family places it in junk-filled closet. When it finally reaches year 200, the time-lock clicks open, but the event goes unnoticed.

For generations, the people of Ember have lived in a huge underground complex built as a refuge for humanity. It is built into a vast cavern so high that it is filled with regular-sized buildings. Far above the tops of the buildings are banks of floodlights that light the city during the day and provide light for the greenhouses. The lights are powered by a massive generator. Now it is year 247 and Ember threatens to fall into darkness as the generator begins to fail. Blackouts are occurring with increasing frequency and last longer each time. There's also a major shortage of canned goods and light bulbs.

At a rite of passage for all graduating students called Assignment Day, the mayor (Bill Murray) stands before the graduating students as they choose, by lottery, what their occupations will be. Lina (Saoirse Ronan), a young girl dreaming to be a messenger, is assigned "Pipeworks Laborer" and Doon (Harry Treadaway) is assigned "Messenger". The two swap occupations. Lina goes home to find her grandmother searching for something in the closet, which turns out to be the lost metal box. Unable to piece the torn papers inside the box together, Lina nevertheless resolves to decipher their meaning and enlists Doon's help. As blackouts become more frequent, Lina and Doon realize that the information inside the box could lead to the salvation of Ember. Racing against time, the two follow the clues, cleverly maneuvering around corrupt politicians.

During their flight, it turns out that their parents had once joined in an attempt to make their way beyond Ember - an attempt which ended when Lina's father drowned after their tunneler hit an underground river. The pair realizes the document is a set of instructions on how to escape the city, and they search for the hidden exit. They also discover that the mayor has been hoarding canned food in a secret room. When they report the theft, they are declared traitors. Now on the run from the mayor's police, the pair puts their escape plan into action. They fetch Poppy, Lina's younger sister, and follow the instructions, which leads them to the surface where they see and feel the natural air and sky for the first time. At first, they despair, because it is dark and they assume that they haven't escaped, but they do not realize it is nighttime. In the morning, as the sun rises, they gaze in amazement at the glowing sun and blue sky. They then tie a message of their discovery to a rock and drop it back down to the city, where it is found by Doon's father (Tim Robbins).

Cast

• Saoirse Ronan as Lina Mayfleet, descendant of the 7th Mayor of Ember
• Harry Treadaway as Doon Harrow
• Bill Murray as Mayor Cole, the current mayor and the main antagonist.
• Toby Jones as Barton Snode, assistant to Mayor Cole
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Clary
• Martin Landau as Sul, technician in the Pipeworks and mentor to Doon
• Tim Robbins as Loris 'Barrow' Harrow, Doon's father
• Liz Smith as Granny Mayfleet
• Amy Quinn and Catherine Quinn as Poppy Mayfleet, younger sister of Lina
• Mary Kay Place as Mrs. Murdo
• Mackenzie Crook as Looper, keeper of the store rooms
• Lucinda Dryzek as Lizzie Bisco, a classmate of Lina and Doon
• Matt Jessup as Joss, a classmate of Lina and Doon
• Ian McElhinney as a Builder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Ember