A prologue explains that, in order to save mankind, the underground city of Ember is built, where the survivors of the human race will have to live before emerging back onto the surface. The secret of how this return should be effected is entrusted to the Mayor of Ember and successors in a locked case. Unfortunately, things go wrong, the case disappears, 200 years and more go by, and the underground city starts to fall to bits. And so our story starts.
The central characters are a pair of discontented youngsters, one of whom happens to have the case (the lock is a 200-year timelock, and the case is now unlocked). Unfortunately, the population of Ember is now firmly taken up with the idea that there is nothing beyond the city, even though food is running out and the generator which provides them with power is failing increasingly often. Added to this, the current Mayor has a distinct lack of will to do anything about the situation (mainly because he has a well-stocked little hideyhole), which means the youngsters are on their own.
Bill Murray is the Mayor, and Tim Robbins is the father of young hero Doon. There are a number of well-known British character actors in supporting roles, and the young girl who has the case and all its secrets is Saoirse Ronan, the young Irish actress from Atonement. The production design is fabulous - the underground city, and the physical aspects of everyday life for these underground dwellers, are all stunningly well realised. And the story, of course, is a riff on Logan's Run.
Everything is well set up for this to be a fun fantasy ride. So what went wrong? Well, not that much actually, but there are several things you can put your finger on. Murray is one of them. The character of the Mayor should be publicly lovable and privately slimy. Murray's customary air of genial mild sleaziness prevents him being fully effective at either end of the spectrum. Harry Treadaway, who plays Doon, never really engages as a credible protagonist. The conclusion leaves you going, "Oh. And...?" And, to be frank, with the exception of the final 20 minutes or so, the film just isn't exciting enough (the last 20 minutes is exciting but confusing).
I was also worried by the fact that the city of Ember is - how can I put this? - a bit small. The entire future of the human race rests on the reproductive efforts of, what, 500 people? I enjoyed it, but it should have been better. My 11-year old companion liked it just fine.
The central characters are a pair of discontented youngsters, one of whom happens to have the case (the lock is a 200-year timelock, and the case is now unlocked). Unfortunately, the population of Ember is now firmly taken up with the idea that there is nothing beyond the city, even though food is running out and the generator which provides them with power is failing increasingly often. Added to this, the current Mayor has a distinct lack of will to do anything about the situation (mainly because he has a well-stocked little hideyhole), which means the youngsters are on their own.
Bill Murray is the Mayor, and Tim Robbins is the father of young hero Doon. There are a number of well-known British character actors in supporting roles, and the young girl who has the case and all its secrets is Saoirse Ronan, the young Irish actress from Atonement. The production design is fabulous - the underground city, and the physical aspects of everyday life for these underground dwellers, are all stunningly well realised. And the story, of course, is a riff on Logan's Run.
Everything is well set up for this to be a fun fantasy ride. So what went wrong? Well, not that much actually, but there are several things you can put your finger on. Murray is one of them. The character of the Mayor should be publicly lovable and privately slimy. Murray's customary air of genial mild sleaziness prevents him being fully effective at either end of the spectrum. Harry Treadaway, who plays Doon, never really engages as a credible protagonist. The conclusion leaves you going, "Oh. And...?" And, to be frank, with the exception of the final 20 minutes or so, the film just isn't exciting enough (the last 20 minutes is exciting but confusing).
I was also worried by the fact that the city of Ember is - how can I put this? - a bit small. The entire future of the human race rests on the reproductive efforts of, what, 500 people? I enjoyed it, but it should have been better. My 11-year old companion liked it just fine.