![]() Doon takes books home so he can learn about the world. Kenny, a younger Sparks boy, befriends Doon and shows him an abandoned library. Some in Sparks still welcome the refugees. Often, the Emberites look foolish because they are afraid of animals, like chickens, or they do not know about storms or fire. Soon, the portions for the Emberites become smaller at lunch and even less for breakfast and dinner. The families who sponsor the refugees resent having to share their food. The people from Sparks think those from Ember are weak and lazy. As summer approaches and the weather gets hotter, many Emberites get headaches, sunburns and heatstroke. In present time, tensions begin to rise between the people of Ember and those of Sparks. It killed off most of the people so that the few survivors had to learn to live all over again, without the convenience of electricity and gasoline. Together, the three plagues and four wars are called the Disaster. They built guns and bombs that could kill whole cities.Īfter the wars came the plagues - one of starvation, one of fever and the last a respiratory disease. Then people began to fight about whose god was better and who should have the most land. They had moving pictures and paved roads. Many years earlier, people had learned how to fly and make music that came out of the air. Torren teaches Lina about three plagues and four wars. In the evening, they are given food to bring to the hotel to eat for supper and breakfast. In exchange for their work, the families bring the Emberites into their houses and feed them lunch. They help the families farm, clean and build so that they can learn the skills they will need to survive. The refugees are assigned to various Sparks families during the day. He is surprised to learn that the earth is a sphere and that there are no boundaries to stop him from exploring. ![]() He loves to see the animals, like oxen and dogs, and learn about trees and sunshine. He is unhappy about having to give up his bedroom to strangers.ĭoon is excited to learn all about this new world. Her young nephew, Torren, also lives with her. The doctor is friendly but scatterbrained. ![]() Murdo, and her sister, Poppy, are sent to live with Dr. Although its furniture has long been scavenged, it provides shelter from the sunlight and rain, something to which the Emberites must try to become accustomed. Most of the refugees are sent to live in an abandoned hotel on the edge of town. During that time, the people of Sparks will try to teach them about farming, weather and other skills they will need in order to survive on their own. Its leaders, Mary Waters, Ben Barlow and William Dent, agree to let the people of Ember live among the community for six months. This agricultural community has made it through some hard times and is now enjoying a time of relative prosperity. Their search for civilization ends when they find the town of Sparks. ![]() Although technologically advanced, they have no knowledge of how to live on the surface of the earth. But the people have never lived above ground, in the sunshine. Four hundred refugees from the city manage to escape before the electricity shuts off and leaves them in the dark. After a long day of waiting, their wish comes true. They sent a message down to the people below, hoping it would be found and others would find the way out. Also, Ronan, the kid from Atonement, turns in a good performance.Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow had found the way to escape the dying underground city of Ember. Still, it beats the latest Narnia installment, and the latest Harry Potter too for that matter. In short, the source-material had the brains, but the director lacked the guts (or maybe just the talent, or were assasinated by his studio) too go through with it. THe story is actually pretty good, not original, but tightly woven and deceivingly fresh with a timely message. The parts where they are handed there jobs through lottery (a jab at communism?)and the old man with the pipes. Its really nice for a change to see a fantasy film without a lot of monsters, the enemies here are brain-stagnation, greed and selfishness. Its strenghs of this film mostly resides within the source material(witch i haven't read though). The cute little girl is completely superfluous, and Bill Murray and Treadaway's Doon doesn't make enough with their characters (or isn't allowed too). The directing is at times questionable though, there is little sense of pacing and there are some parts that feel tacked on (the crazy flumride anybody)just because its supposed to be a summerfranchie. It has great setting and atmosphere, an intriguing plot and charm to boot. There is much about it to like, for sure, but there are also some flaws that cant be overlooked. ![]() Had some trouble deciding my rating on this one. ![]()
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