City of Ember

Inside Ember, people live in a layered, lamp-lit world where every job keeps the city humming. The great generator that powers the lamps is failing and doors to long sealed archives spark rumors of a hidden purpose. Lina Mayfleet, a bright, restless teenager, dreams of venturing beyond the familiar halls, while Doon Harrow, a studious boy with a knack for maps, notices clues hidden in old construction notes. Together they chase a trail through corridors, pipes, and forgotten rooms, believing that a forgotten plan may reveal why Ember exists and how to keep its lights on. With each blackout, the pair grows bolder, racing against time to unlock the secret before darkness swallows the city. Their mission grows from curiosity into a dangerous resolve as they learn Ember might hold a plan beyond mere survival.

Directed by Gil Kenan, City of Ember adapts Jeanne DuPrau's novel with a screenplay by Caroline Thompson. A 2008 Walden Media production, the film stars Saoirse Ronan as Lina and Bill Murray as Mayor Cole.

Critics offered mixed takes, praising the faithful world-building and the performances of Ronan and Murray, while noting uneven pacing for younger audiences. Central themes include communal responsibility, curiosity as a force for change, and the tension between authority and transparency in a closed world.

While not a blockbuster icon, Ember has kept a memory among fans of its brisk, starry-eyed quest and Saoirse Ronan and Bill Murray performances. It is cited when discussing faithful YA adaptations and the appeal of practical effects, and it's still referenced in conversations about resilience in fantasy.

The film did not earn major nominations from leading award bodies. It did, however, attract some attention in small circuits for its production design and family friendly appeal, but it never became a contender at the top industry ceremonies.