As I wrote a couple weeks ago about the hooks Gil Kenan's City of Ember has to the current state-of-the-game in the US election and the (now global) economic crisis, here are some select graphs that remain prescient:
"This is not an "adult" post-apocalyptic thriller or anything, but it isn't "kiddy" either. This is not a reinvention of the post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy film, but it is a vitally important cautionary tale for the climate we currently live in, especially in the US.
"Fundamentally, the thematic thrust of the movie involves paying attention when things don't sound or feel right, pulling your head out of the sand, and doing the right thing.
"There was no ever-present danger-danger in the "someone's out to get us", traditional sense, but instead I felt rather claustrophobic, like the city was caving in on the kids (and me by extension) just as the economy and the country seems to be crumbling at the moment. It reminds me of what my dad has told me has happened to Havana over the last five decades, complete with government-assigned professions "for the greater good" of a crumbling society."
I'll add here that I think the trailers are slightly overdoing expectations for the amount of "action-packed thrill-riding" in the movie proper. Kenan has exceptionally translated fast-paced cognitive discovery into physical action, so you should expect this is more of a discovery adventure than a "look out here comes the monster/army, get out the bazooka/power ring" thing.
"Swing-voter parents taking their kids to City of Ember will watch a crumbling civilization as a result of inaction coupled with empty The People Come First promises. They'll see a leader refuse to address how he's going to fix things other than say he's on the job and focused on no one but them all while he's only intent on deflecting concern and covering his own ass."
Post-apocalyptic fairy tale City of Ember starts pulling heads out of the sand today.