City of Ember

  • 2008


MOVIE IS interesting magical incredible enjoyable disappointing
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46 %
53 % Rotten
$ 2 Million
See Where to Watch City of Ember
Positive Reviews 57
Negative reviews 24
Average Rating 2.9/5
interesting magical incredible enjoyable disappointing

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
3.0
Ember is seldom riveting, but its consistently compelling, and its uncompromising literal and metaphorical darkness renders its climax enormously sati .. Av Club
3.1
The people live on canned foods.The storerooms look about as big as those at your average supermarket. Rogerebert
3.0
That may be City of Embers biggest flaw: In the effort to keep young viewers attention by moving the action along briskly, it sacrifices some storytel .. Common Sense Media
3.3
This seriously entertaining film celebrates the idea that, despite their elders complacency, the young will find the strength to imagine a better futu .. Time Out
3.1
Kenans production designers breathe vivid, animated life into this dank urban milieu, which is falling apart thanks to a central generator on its last ..
5.0
Barbara Lipska, a neuroscientist who was diagnosed with melanoma tumors in her brain.
2.5
I havent read the source novel (which is part of an ongoing series), but Id wager that it packs more of a punch than this film, which, despite boastin ..
1.0
A loud, depressing and confusing would be franchise starter that is just as murky, corrupt and exhausted as the post apocalyptic world that it depicts .. E Film Critic
1.5
After the nifty Monster House, its a disappointingly sluggish film from Gil Kenan. Telegraph
4.4
The story, based on Jeanne Dupraus novel of the same name, is beautifully constructed. It builds until it reaches the point that its one edge of your .. San Francisco Chronicle
3.0
With its 80s kids adventure vibe and whirling, mo cap style, Kenan marked himself out as a tyro who could tune in to a smart script and turn it in to ..
2.5
Yes, its a shame no one is making movies like Goonies anymore, but this pale imitation is just as disappointing. Cinema Blend
3.0
And yet there is an undimmed light at the center of this story, thanks to the resourcefulness of its young protagonists. Ny Daily News
3.1
The city, with its cobbled maze of streets and squares and its patched up infrastructure, exudes a magical, albeit crumbling, charm.The people wear wo .. Philly
3.0
For youngsters used to more exciting fare even on the small screen, City of Ember is likely to be more like City of Slumber. One Guys Opinion
3.8
Those looking for thought provoking material wont find it here but, as a well paced adventure with sci fi overtones, its a good excuse to spend 90 min .. ReelViews
3.1
No one is ever fully transported anywhere, and that unfortunately includes the audience. Combust Ible Celluloid
2.0
Laura: After being nominated for an Oscar last year for Atonement, fourteen year old Saoirse Ronan has a disappointing followup with the dismal, drama ..
3.0
The Builders have done a fine job here, if only audiences will show up to appreciate it. Eric Ds Nider
2.0
Admire it, at least, as a kids film trying to be different, but even at 90 minutes, it drags. Independent
3.5
Ronan and Treadaway are terrific as the central heroes, giving full bodied performances far beyond the requirements of the script. Shadows On The Wall
3.0
On top of that, the production design is extremely impressive, particularly in the costumes and the sets for the pipeworks and generator scenes.The fi .. View London
3.1
For a kiddie adventure, the movie, based on the Jeanne DuPrau book, has a pleasingly moody, eerie quality: It all takes place in a wonderfully designe .. New York Post
3.0
If City of Ember brings to mind Platos allegory of the cave, consider yourself broadly educated.The Greek philosopher used a parable to make a point. Film Journal International ..
3.5
Whether by coincidence or intention, City of Ember hits home, leaving you hoping that well find our own Doon and Lina to get to the bottom of things b .. Az Central
3.1
The storys powered by the sense of discovery that moves classic quest tales the idea that theres something much, much bigger out there if only you can .. Boston
3.0
Her conversations with Doon rarely go beyond the practicalities of their adventure and, worst of all, the film lacks a villain worth worrying about. Smh
3.5
The direction is occasionally inspired, and the story is engaging. Mountain X
4.4
Gil Kenan, director of the hugely enjoyable animated family comedy Monster House, makes a smooth transition to live action with this splendidly cast, .. Star Tribune
3.1
City of Ember is a thrilling adventure tale and teen fantasy that is grounded in real concerns about who is managing the planet. Toronto Star
2.0
This is a by the numbers fantasy adventure for teens: five parts Terry Gilliam to one part Fritz Lang. Guardian
1.0
City Of Ember: Fantasy that falls flat on its face City Of Ember (PG) The only reason to see City Of Ember is to enjoy the sight of Bill Murray trying .. Daily Mail
4.0
There is never any doubt as to where the story is heading, nonetheless it is well told and reaches a satisfying conclusion as Lina and Doon find a way ..
3.0
The lights are flickering out, but its now comfortable adult inhabitants dont want to leave. Movies
1.9
Kids will be bored and, actually, adults will be just as restless. The Movie Boy
3.5
After years of wallowing in the lowest common denominator, childrens movies live action childrens movies, at least are slowly but surely improving. Bullz-Eye
2.0
A grim fantasy about a cloistered subterranean metropolis that wants to be both a kids adventure and a dystopian finger wag. That director Gil Kenans .. Calendar Live
3.0
Pure escapism fun, with plenty of stark visuals and inventiveness to go around. Hollywood
3.0
It scores few points for originality, but its a fuzzier, less pretentious and more enjoyable movie. Seattle Pi
3.8
No, this is a family friendly epic designed to send viewers out on a safely euphoric high and nothing more, and to say it does so with almost smoothly .. Movie Freak
3.5
And its good thing too because, despite a great cast, the adults aint around much.
2.5
This new movie is a distinctive step down but retains a strong concept. 7M Pictures
3.0
If a relatively new city is on the edge of collapse because of substandard upkeep, shouldnt you have your wiring and pipes replaced Oregon Live
3.0
With a little luck and nurturing City Of Ember will find its way into the light of the multiplex, where word of mouth could give it an extended stay. Boxoffice Magazine
4.4
The moral might well be lost on kids, but for adults, its compelling all the more so because we like the good people of this dying city. Movies Tv Guide
3.5
Its difficult not to become immersed in the fun of uncovering clues and discovering secrets in a society and landscape with few caps on creativity.
2.0
Also starring Amy Smart, this lame supernatural horror screams straight to DVD, with little in the way of scares, but yawns aplenty. Mirror
3.0
City Of Ember might be a strange amd simplistic narrative effort by but it is a spectacular journey of collaborative visual artistry. Varia Gate
4.0
Tween audiences should be awestruck, and the message of audacity in the face of orthodoxy feels genuinely heroic. Abc
1.5
Director Gil Kenan, who made the brilliant animation feature Monster House, does his best. With a better script and bigger budget he will be back with .. Ft
3.8
More than 200 years go by and the over extended Ember is crumbling.It is way past its expiration date. Christianity Today
2.0
But it is woefully short of two vital ones action and adventure. Only near the end do the thrills get stoked up as our heroes go on a hair raising boa .. The Sun
2.0
The film offers no real information about how hes going to do that once his hoped for assignment as an electrical apprentice doesnt work out. Killer Movie Reviews
2.0
The price for this brevity is a loss of epic scope, reducing Ember to breathless exposition without the desired time to sit down and take inventory of .. Brian Or Ndorf
3.1
Without an intriguing story or interesting characters, City of Ember isnt much more than a visually familiar feast for the eyes.
3.8
Just as director Gil Kenan is getting the action going, the film ends abruptly (with the promise of a sequel because no movie gets made these days wit .. Waffle Movies
2.0
Passable family fare, but Ember too often smoulders when it needs to fire. Sky
2.0
This weeks TLS October 12, 2018 Visions of modern India; the Odyssey in reception, translation and imagination; what German nationalism did to the ide .. Entertainment Times Online ..
1.0
Sadly, the ensuing ramble about a forgotten, dystopian civilisation (thankfully) facing extinction after 200 years is more muddle than muggle. Metro
3.5
The price for this brevity is a loss of epic scope, reducing Ember to breathless exposition without the desired time to sit down and take inventory of .. Scifi Movie Page
2.0
A film that doesnt fulfil the promise of its source material but still offers a novel setting and reasonably gripping if rushed story. Film4
0.5
Murray is an actor who could wilt a building with his rheumy gaze, and his presence here is so insurmountably satirical that he throws the movie out o .. M Tv
4.4
I found City of Ember to be one of the most pleasant moviegoing surprises of the year. Imaginative, exciting, dramatic, and even fun. Aisle Seat
3.5
With the help of Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau and Tom Hanks (as producer), this film is a true treat for the whole family, especially when .. The Scorecard Review
4.0
City of Ember is a not quite classic addition to the genre, a dystopia that gets away with being derivative and somewhat prone to trite thrill ride ac .. Orlando Sentinel
3.0
City of Ember is one of those sparkling and smart family fantasy films that breed respect for the writers of young adult novels and serve as reminder .. Detroit News
2.5
Will almost certainly bore both you and the child/kid brother/nephew/court appointed protege you brought along unless they truly love learning about p .. Metromix.com
3.0
A gorgeously imagined and visually sumptuous but still bleak and dystopic vision. Movie Mom
3.5
There arent too many original ideas for fans of the genre and the climatic scenes lack a sense of urgency but by being such a visually exciting film, .. Cinema Autopsy
3.8
This Walden Media production has less in common with The Chronicles of Narnia than with Z.P.G. and THX 1138 and other environmentally conscious scienc .. Gomemphis
2.0
Spider Man: Far From Home release date, cast, trailer, and everything else you need to know Feature Your first look at the Spider Man: Far From Home p .. Sfx
3.0
City Of Ember is a fun adventure flick that drags a little in the beginning but picks up and turns into a fun ride.
2.0
While producers Fox Walden continue in their efforts to bring interesting books for youngsters to the big screen, moviegoers are advised to read the n .. MSNBC
3.8
Her forgetful grandmother knows its important but cant remember why. News Ok
1.5
City of Ember simply doesnt work as entertainment, ending up a cluttered mess and another example for writers to use when they pull the Sophomore Slum .. Movie Retriever
4.0
But if the narrative seems slight, the movie looks good and doesnt overstay its welcome. Ar Kansas Online
2.5
The result of a longer version might have be an unforgettable childrens classic instead of this entertaining though forgettable one. Knight At The Movies
4.5
This enchanting science fiction story has a female protagonist whos so courageous and smart youll wish she were your daughter. Awfj
1.9
Richly detailed setting does not overcome haphazard, amusement park ride plotting. Cinema Sight
3.5
The marvelously detailed world of Ember was created through a combination of sets built on a brownfield in Belfast and CGI effects which blend in almo .. Playback:stl
4.0
City of Ember is an obsessively creative and wondrous film, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that Hollywood need not dumb down its fare to appeal to .. Colorado Springs Gazette
2.0
If youre in need of a good nap, you might want to stop through this city of blinded lights, but otherwise, its not worth a visit. Gazette
3.5
Murray is always good to have around, and so are Tim Robbins, who plays Doons defeated father, and Martin Landau as one of the drones who tries to kee .. The Australian
3.1
I like the ideas this movie presents, and its certainly interesting to watch. But the characters are too shallow to care about anyone.
1.3
I sat there bored out of my skull, rooting for the generator to explode to put us all out of our misery.
2.5
Saoirse Ronan brings a preternatural maturity to this starring role, but, most importantly, a sense of urgency, which is largely missing from much of ..
3.1
Its smart and could be a heck of a wake up call if it bothered to sound its alarm earlier and louder. There are magical, thrilling moments and a gem o ..



See Where to Watch City of Ember