
City of Ember
2008, Kids and family/Adventure, 1h 35m
129 Reviews 50,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
City of Ember is visually arresting, and boasts a superb cast, but is sadly lacking in both action and adventure. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Cast & Crew
Lina Mayfleet
Doon Harrow
Mayor Cole
Loris
Sul
Barton Snode
News & Interviews for City of Ember
Critic Reviews for City of Ember
All Critics (129) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (60)
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November 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review… -
Murray playing the glutton doesn't exactly fit the bill and for all the architectural care that's gone into Ember's creation, the secret at its heart is no mystery to us, the audience.
December 12, 2008 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review… -
Murray is always good to have around, and so are Tim Robbins, who plays Doon's defeated father, and Martin Landau as one of the drones who tries to keep the city in working order. The young actors are excellent.
December 12, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review… -
It's an unfortunate end to a promising movie.
November 10, 2008 -
Ultimately, it didn't move me in any way.
November 10, 2008 | Full Review… -
Even if it occasionally goes off course, City of Ember provides audiences with a thought-provoking and family-friendly adventure.
October 10, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/4
Audience Reviews for City of Ember
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Sep 24, 2011This movie has so much promise for its demographic. The themes, the visuals, the actors... but none of it comes together in a truly compelling manner that would move an older audience. In the end it's a coming-of-age movie full of obvious metaphors, allegory, themes and a cast of two dimensional characters that represent them. It's not bad, a pretty decent entry-level into the SciFi genre for younger generations. But I suppose the inaccessibility of the movie for us "old" folks brought about its own demise.Drake T Super Reviewer
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Aug 07, 2011The odd casting choices aside, this film feels like a film destined for the 80s but ended up being made too late. I can normally see where a film failed and this one lies on the shoulders of the director. The transitioning from animation to live action has resulted in a mixed bag and I'm puzzled how this choice was made. The lead actor looks much too old against the other younger actors, this type of casting is everywhere. I'm not sure what type of film they set out to make but it feels like producers had a heavy hand in the post production. There was a lot of potential here and the possible franchise had early death here. Hopefully the book series is worth a look to finish the storyline. 10-11-2017.Brendan N Super Reviewer
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Feb 18, 2011Viewers not already familiar with Jeanne Duprau's 2003 novel will probably not care about the characters in the film nor believe its outlandish plot.Dillon L Super Reviewer
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Jan 01, 2011Very, very weird, but in a good wayMichael E Super Reviewer
City of Ember Quotes
Mayor Cole: | Mayfleet! That's a name for a messenger! May your feet be fleet. |
Doon Harrow: | What does this do? |
Sul: | I don't know. That's not my job. |
Lina Mayfleet: | If this is a potato, then I'm 16 and sexy. |
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