Director: Gil Kenan, PG, 95min

Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Bill Murray, Harry Treadway

On general release

For years after the official end of the world, the people of the underground city of Ember have flourished in an amazing realm of glittering lights. But Ember's once powerful generator is failing, and the lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker. But then our young heroine Lina (Ronan) discovers a box containing instructions that will help her to save humanity. Lina joins up with the similarly troubled youth Doon (Treadway) in defying the entertainingly corrupt Mayor (Murray) and a clutch of dotty, self-interested adults to help ensure the survival of the citizens of Ember. If it feels a bit ho-hum, it might be because the premise is the sort of thing Doctor Who can cope with inside 50 minutes, while the plot is a simplistic series of puzzles, perils and chases that give the film the feel of a rough draft for a computer game spin-off.

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