Review: "City of Ember" shines brightly as entertaining family film

It's not really fair to judge the new young adult film "City of Ember" on its box office returns — especially when the competition is a talking Chihuahua.

Of course, the age of your children often decides your viewing habits, but if you do have a say, "City of Ember" should be your choice this weekend. As the old cliche goes, this film is approved for children of all ages, no matter when you were born or how many wrinkles you have.

"City of Ember" begins in the near future as the world has apparently done the stupid and unthinkable. In an underground bunker scientists and political leaders, who have prepared for this possibility by creating a self-sustaining underground city called Ember, are putting the exit instructions in a sealed box. They decide the atmosphere will be human friendly 200 years into the future and set the box to open then. Exiting the city too early would be too dangerous.

As the years pass, the box is lost and the reason for the city's existence is forgotten. As you can imagine, many strange belief systems and traditions arise. Also over time the city falls into disrepair, the generator is breaking down causing the lights to go dim, and the youth of the city start to question the leadership's ability to govern.

When the open box of half-destroyed exit instructions is found by the young Lina, she enlists the help of her boyfriend Doon to save the city by finding a way out. As they run from the corrupt mayor, duck through secret passageways and tunnels, the city of Ember reveals itself as fantastic as you had imagined.

The film is visually stunning. Its creativeness sets the mind to work at all the possibilities that can, and often, unfold. Also, as an FYI, the "City" of Ember was actually built to size in an Ireland ship-building hanger that was once used to build the Titanic. The scale of the film and its production design is truly impressive.

Gil Kenan, the director of the animated film "Monster House," has created a wonderful film world that will take the young and old alike on a wonderful journey.

It's rare these days to see such a large-scale film not created by computers. Like the old days, you really feel you're there — because you are.