City of Ember (2008)

Director: Gil Kenan
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Toby Jones, Bill Murray

Synopsis:
In a crumbling underground city, a couple young people seek to find a way out before everything falls apart.

Impressions:
It seems like two big trends since the turn of the century is an uptick in comic book movies and film adaptations of YA series. Naturally, the studios are hoping to score big like they have with the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises, but not every one makes it that far. This is one such example. Honestly, the movie isn't that bad, but it's not great and it seems that it was poorly marketed. However, I don't feel that compelled to know what happens next, so if you're not a fan of the books, you may be content for the story to begin and end here. You've got some big-name actors in the cast like Tim Robbins, Bill Murray and Martin Landau and some recognizable character actors as well. I particularly liked Bill Murray as the corrupt mayor. The two leads are okay. The worldbuilding was decent, though some of the CG was just passable. I certainly wouldn't consider it a must-see, but I don't think you'd regret seeing it either. A fair choice for the target demographic in the early teens.

Rating:
50/50