City of Ember (USA. 2008)

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

Imaginatively designed and directed with a sure-hand by sophomore filmmaker Gil Kenan (Monster House), ‘City of Ember’ has all the makings of a solid kid's film but misses two key ingredients: Excitement and Conflict. It’s a fancy box that ends up containing nothing but wispy air.

After a stylish opening, we’re introduced to a city in dire peril. In the future, all humans live underground and rely on a giant generator for light. That generator is about to break down forever and everyone is in a complete state of denial. Two teenagers, a girl and a boy, are the only ones that can save the day.

‘City of Ember’ held promise. It had a interesting story, a director with a near-classic film under his belt and a a healthy budget to bring the original novel to life. I expected a children-led adventure filled with shocking conspiracies, fantastical monsters and hair-raising adventure. Not quite. Imagine an introduction stretched to a feature length running time. You keep expecting things to burst into action and they never do.

The acting is filled with ‘Hey! It’s that Guy/That Gal From That Thing!’ roles and the two leads are very casual. We even get Bill Murray taking on his first full role (After a slew of tiny cameos and voice work on *shudder* Garfield) in a while. Don’t be surprised to find the same old deadpan Murray without any Ghostbusters or Groundhog Day flair.

Don’t go in thinking this is a kids-on-a-mission films. It’s not. It’s a ‘Kids wander about and stumble onto things’ film. It has potential and completely wastes it. Questions like “Why can’t they go into the darkness?” and “Why are the bugs so big”, “What’s the deal with the blind religious faith that follows the “Builders”?” are brought up and quickly forgotten. There are a few hints of bigger things (A very well rendered giant monster thing) but they tease and never deliver. Even the climax of the film is underwhelming. There’s no reveal, build-up or pay-off. The film simply reaches a conclusion everyone over five knows it’s going to reach.

There’s nothing strictly wrong with ‘City of Ember’. It’s just a workmanlike experience with very little spark. The adults will notice the superb craft of it all and the kids will wish the its boringness was over.