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Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes
Ben Lyons, At the Movies: Ultimately, it didn't move me in any way. Read more
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: [The filmmakers] create a sharply realized and fantastically rich underground city. Read more
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: A murky, directionless plot sinks this big-budget fantasy. Read more
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: Though City of Ember is a bit hurried in execution, this first live-action film by director Gil Kenan has the subterranean feel of a dream being described. Read more
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: Ember is seldom riveting, but it's consistently compelling, and its uncompromising literal and metaphorical darkness renders its climax enormously satisfying. Read more
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Whether by coincidence or intention, City of Ember hits home, leaving you hoping that we'll find our own Doon and Lina to get to the bottom of things before it's too late. Read more
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: The story's powered by the sense of discovery that moves classic quest tales -- the idea that there's something much, much bigger out there if only you can find it. It's a modest movie that understands the sky's the limit. Read more
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: A grim fantasy about a cloistered subterranean metropolis that wants to be both a kids' adventure and a dystopian finger-wag. That director Gil Kenan's second feature never quite succeeds as either is a shame for all the dazzling craftsmanship. Read more
Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: The brightest star is the soundstage that stands in for endangered Ember. It's a beguiling, belching, labyrinthine example of movie magic. Read more
Tom Long, Detroit News: 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 that good things do come out of Hollywood. Read more
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: City of Ember suffers from being as under-plotted as it is overdecorated. Read more
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: And though the film ultimately falls short of its considerable promise, there's more than enough here to keep thoughtful moviegoers - of any age - intrigued. Read more
Kyle Smith, New York Post: Begins where Dr. Strangelove ended: what if the world ended and humanity was forced to live underground? (Minus Strangelove's promise of an army of fertile vixens.) Read more
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Both light entertainment and smart, subversive literature, urging the young to think for themselves, question authority and make their own destiny. Read more
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: More often, all the running, the hiding, the escaping (from giant moles, from giant Murray) are decidedly less exciting, and compelling, than City of Ember wants to be. Read more
James Berardinelli, ReelViews: City of Ember has almost anything one could want from a science fiction-based family adventure film: likeable characters, an imaginative setting, and a fast pace. Read more
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: To be fair, City of Ember would probably entertain younger viewers, if they haven't already been hopelessly corrupted by high-powered sci-fi on TV and video. Read more
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: The story, based on Jeanne Duprau's novel of the same name, is beautifully constructed. It builds until it reaches the point that it's one edge-of-your-seat moment after another. Read more
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Splendidly cast, intelligent, graphically inventive romp. Read more
Susan Walker, Toronto Star: A thrilling adventure tale and teen fantasy that is grounded in real concerns about who is managing the planet. Read more
Nigel Floyd, Time Out: This seriously entertaining film celebrates the idea that, despite their elders' complacency, the young will find the strength to imagine a better future for themselves. Read more
Claudia Puig, USA Today: Even if it occasionally goes off course, City of Ember provides audiences with a thought-provoking and family-friendly adventure. Read more
Justin Chang, Variety: City of Ember would have functioned better as a five-minute theme-park ride than as a 94-minute family film. Read more
Neely Tucker, Washington Post: It's not an entirely convincing trip, but it is the sort of satisfying movie you wished they would make more often. Read more