City of Ember

City of Ember - Escape from Darkness is a dystopian Science-Fiction/Fantasyfilm director Gil Kenan from 2008 The screenplay for the film wrote Caroline Thompson..

Action

In a bleak future scenario for the protection of humanity an underground city called Ember is built, in which people find for generations hermetically sealed protection and refuge. The builders of the city plan to isolate the trapped people for exactly 200 years. At the same time they leave the mayor a metal box with instructions for a future return to the surface, which, however, the passage of time forgotten. In addition, a significant portion of knowledge and skills forever lost.

At the end of 200 years learns Ember food shortages and blackouts. The latter are caused by a scruffy, driven by water power generator, and there is always prolonged interruptions in lighting. The two 12 -year-old main characters, the orphan son of Lina and Doon are the inventors, assigned in a ceremony held jobs after completion of schooling. Doon, who is very interested in the generator, originally gets the job of messenger assigned, but these exchanges with Lina against the tube worker in the hope of being able to work in the vicinity of the generator.

One day, Lina discovers the metal box, which is owned by their senile grandmother. The document contained therein immediately arouses their curiosity. From then try Lina and Doon together to unravel the document which exists only in fragments. At the same time the situation comes to a head after further disruption of the generator in the city. The corrupt Mayor Cole does nothing to stop the impending doom Embers, and instead pursuing their own interests by hoards in a hidden room large quantities of food for themselves. As he discovers the metal box with Lina and bring them into his possession, Lina can escape due to a power outage again. Then can search by Lina and Doon Cole.

Doon, Lina, and their little sister Poppy hide from their pursuers. Then follow the instructions of the former builder who can unravel cumbersome. The three eventually reached through an underground river unharmed to the surface, where they experience their first sunrise later. In this situation, they discover through a crack in the earth deep below the earth's surface the lights Embers. Lina and Doon let their fellow citizens a message, which is found by doons father Loris.

Background

The production is the live-action debut of Cainan and is based on the 2003's eponymous novel by Jeanne DuPrau, which appeared in Germany under the title race against darkness. The literary work is the first part of a current four -part book series, which was continued in 2004 with The People of Sparks and 2008 with The Diamond of Darkhold, while the third part of the book series, The Prophet of Yonwood (2006), is a prequel to the first film. The concept of history has similarities to the 1909 published short story The Machine Stops ( " failed The machine " ) by EM Forster.

Criticism

" Lovingly equipped fantasy film with a retro look with a keen sense of space and a great narrative poetics care in the characterization of the characters. The joy on the set design, however, comes at the expense of dramatic development that will handle the journey to light rather neglected. "

" City of Ember ' is an exceptionally entertaining adventure film with an exciting premise suffers its characters and story development, unfortunately, under the short term. While Kenan staged not as fast as many a genre colleague, but scores his challenging children's book adaptation about their dystopian setting with a lot more depth. "

Publication

In Germany the film was released on 26 March 2010 on DVD and Blu- ray Disc

Awards

  • Nomination in the category Best Art Direction for Jon Billington and Martin Laing
  • Nomination for Best Costume Design for Ruth Myers
2008 in film Film score Andrew Lockington Marianne Jean-Baptiste E. M. Forster 13th Satellite Awards
191763
de