Rama’s SCREEN

CITY OF EMBER is one of those movies that you just know your gut is telling your this movie’s lacking something but you can’t seem… to pinpoint what that exactly is. As a family/adventure/fantasy film, CITY OF EMBER may have somewhat exciting, thrilling scenes that would entertain young ones but for the most part, it doesn’t have enough depth, and too many inconsistencies and unexplained loopholes.

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, and help the citizens escape before the lights go out forever.

I have to give props to the underground world, the structure and the visual effects this movie provides. I’ve never seen so many lightbulbs in one place. Thomas Edison would be proud. Having said that, it’s no brainer that anything Walden Media helps distribute will certainly have a fair amount of lavish spectacle.
Why is it though that post-apoclayptic movies have some of the ugliest lookin’ fashion? CITY OF EMBER is no different.

The movie itself moves really fast. You can tell that it runs from one scene to another without ever stopping for a moment to make us understand better and even if it does, it’s done in a very quick manner, before you know it, all of a sudden, the characters are at another point of the story and the conflict reaches the highest point and then it resolves but not in a way that would give you a sense of satisfaction.
I blame the adaptation, Screenwriter Caroline Thompson is too focused on packing everything in, making sure the book becomes the movie so much so what you get is a movie that doesn’t have a breather.
I’d rather see a book-based movies that show only the top essential elements of the story and elaborate more on each than to just skim through the whole thing.

None of the performance in this movie are noteworthy. Oscar nominees Saoirse Ronan, Bill Murray even Oscar winner Tim Robbins are easily replacable, their characters are just way too far out in the line of ‘okay’, they’re hardly memorable at all. CITY OF EMBER has probably two or three roller-coaster ride scenes that once again, only the young ones will like but somehow it just doesn’t leave a lasting impression. I know this might sound silly but the ending reminds me too much of the movie WALL-E. After watching CITY OF EMBER, you’d be asking, “Is that it?”

* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film