when a film boast a cast list comprise of some of the most talented hollywood actor in bill murray and tim robbins and martin landau and and toby jones and not to mention newcomer and extraordinary talent saoirse ronan and it will most likely go one of two way represent either the film deserves such a fine cast and will be a great film ( take the depart ( 2006 ) for example ) . . . or the cast be set in a subpar piece to make up for the film lesser element ( like valentine day ( 2010 ) ) . luckily and city of ember fall in closer with the former instead of the latter . the film and adapt from the novel by jeanne duprau and tell the story of a small city name ember that and over two hundred year prior and be lock away by the city founding builder . the city be run solely on the power of it massive generator that lie beneath like a beating heart . however and the old generator be slowly fall apart and cast the city into short period of darkness . doon harrow ( harry treadway ) and a young boy recently assign to work on the pipe of the city and be convince that only he can fix the generator and help the city . during his exploration of the pip system and he find a mysterious room that be unmarked on his map . with the help of lina mayfleet ( saoirse ronan ) and the two teen discover the secret of ember and the answer that may help save the townspeople from eternal darkness . when city of ember be release into theatre and it seem to have go by the attention of most people without much notice . with a production budget of over $ 50 million and the film only rake in about $ 8 million domestically . but and why be this film such a tremendous bomb . from the look of it and it have little to do with the film quality . it have a very solid cast behind it and the story be entertain and kid movie at this level typically do well and and the trailer make it look to be very beautiful ( which it be ) . it would seem and then and that the film be simply just undermarketed . very little attention be give by the marketing team for this one and that what kill it . have city of ember be give a proper marketing campaign and it could have be very successful . the film be really quite good . the acting and a expect and be fantastic . the cast of legend like bill murray and martin landau be fantastically choose while and and the lovely bone star saoirse ronan be quickly become one of the best actor of her age group and not to mention a definite for a few oscar in her lifetime . the story be very entertaining and even if it isn not the most original or mysterious . the set design and however and be really what set the film apart . ember be build into a fantastic and beautiful city and from the underground and above . one issue that many seem to have deal with the cgi effect in the film and especially some of the scene towards the end . while some of the cgi be spotty and it hardly distract enough to remove from the overall beauty of the film and no one should allow such small issue to detract wholly from an overall good film . while book purist appear not to love the film for the oversimplification of the adaptation and those who have not read duprau novel should have a good time with it . final verdict represent positive . ap3 .