It's hard to tell whether City of Ember is a pretty awesome-looking kids' movie, or a movie that appeals to the adults in the family too. It's definitely an action movie (tagline: "Escape is the only option") starring young actors in the lead roles. But it also looks dark and trippy and mysterious. It's a little bit of a puzzle trying to figure out what is going on in this movie from the trailer. It says "To save the human race, an underground city was built, to last only 200 years." That opening sentence alone brings up many questions: Was the entire human race placed in ONE city? Because that is one big city! Or were only certain people chosen? Or only survivors - kind of like an underground Battlestar Galactica? And why will it last only 200 years? And what were the humans being saved from? Okay, so obviously, the movie is set during the time when the 200 years is almost up, and some teens are charged with figuring out a way out. A creepy-looking Bill Murray plays the leader of the city, and Tim Robbins is some stiff who's either helping the kids or being a total weirdo and trying to sabotage them. You can't tell from the clip. I do sense that the movie will end with them finding a way out of the city, which I guess sort of makes it a kids' movie. On the other hand, this apocalyptic theme is sort of bleak for most kids. So maybe the target audience is young adults? Adults? I give up. You're welcome to go see this. And if you have a clue what this movie is trying to do or say, please let me know.

Reviews By People Who've Actually Seen It:
Variety
Rotten Tomatoes