City of Ember (2008)

[bunniefuu]

On the day the world ended the fate of mankind...

was carried in a small metal box.

Any less than 200 years is not enough. That's the general feeling.

In a secret location architects, scientists and engineers...

met and concluded that there was only one hope for our future:

To build an underground city designed to keep it's citizens...

protected for generations to come.

Secure the box. Set it for 200 years.

We'll keep them in the city for 200 years.

You're certain that'll be long? - None of us can be certain of anything.

We can hope. Growing up with no knowledge of a world outside,

future generations will be spared sorrow for what they've lost.

For the good of all mankind.

The box was entrusted to the first mayor,

who was to pass it on to her successor.

As the years counted down the box passed from mayor to mayor.

None knew what secrets it held. Only that it would open...

when it was needed most.

But fate ran another course. And the chain was broken.

The box was tucked away and forgotten.

And as the city grew old and began to crumble, the box quietly clicked open.

Dad, do you hear that? - Hurry up. You don't wanna be late.

I am hurrying. - I'm proud of you, son. Today's a big day.

Yeah. I just hope, I don't get assigned some useless job.

You can't control what job you get on Assignment Day. That's not the point.

The important thing is to do...

One, two,

three, four, five,

six, seven, eight,

nine, ten.

They're getting longer. And it's the third one this week.

The Generator's our only source of power. If it goes, we all go.

Well, that's dramatic. - Dad, this place is falling apart.

No, I will not just sit around while Ember collapses.

I'm getting into the Generator, whatever it takes.

Congratulations on achieving this momentous occasion:

Your Assignment Day.

I'm late! - Lina, are you and your granny all right?

Yeah, were fine. You all right, Mr. Tock? - Just another blackout, Lina.

Hi.

Be you 8 or 18, the time has come to answer the call to service.

Hi, Mr. Boaz. - Produce the Book Of The City Of Ember.

You need to sign in! - I am late!

Psst! Lizzie.

We swear eternal loyalty to our city. We declare our infinite...

gratitude to the Builders who chose this site with the greatest care.

We flourish above our mighty flowing river. We thrive thanks...

to the unbounded capacity of our mighty Generator. Beating at our very center...

like a magnificent heart. Beyond Ember, the darkness goes on forever...

in all directions. Ours is the only light in a dark world.

It's true.

Bag.

Be the first to discover your future.

Reach in, young man.

Read it loud.

Electricians Helper. I get to work in the Generator.

Timekeepers Assistant. - You get to work with clocks.

Building Repair Assistant. - They have a lot of fun.

Greenhouse Helper. - Thatta girl.

Potato Peeler. - You're gonna come in handy.

Warehouse Clerk. - A vital job.

Pick one, young lady.

Pipeworks? - Louder, so we can all hear.

I am a Pipeworks Laborer. - You're a very fortunate girl.

That is an important job.

Mold Scraper. - We got a Mold Scraper. Great.

Messenger.

Lina. Lina.

Trade with me. Swap jobs. Please. You have to.

You want to work in the Pipeworks? - No, I want to be Electricians Helper.

But Joss won't swap. I don't want to waste my time while the whole city crumble.

Yes. - What?

Yes.

Thank you, Doon! - Thanks!

The light from the lamp is not all. There is a brighter light.

Mrs Murdo! - How was your Assignment Day?

I'm a Messenger! - That's wonderful, Lina! Congratulations!

Granny!

Granny! Where are you? I'm a Messenger.

You shouldn't make things up. You're... You're not a Messenger, Lina.

But today was Assignment Day, remember?

Where's Poppy? - Poppy?

Poppy? - She was helping me look for something.

Here is Poppy.

Poppy.

Poppy.

Poppy, take that out of your mouth.

Here. It's for you.

Thank you.

I made it. - Yeah, I can tell.

What's it for? - It's for your graduation.

I mean, what does it do?

You'll figure it out.

There's more to a bottle cap than keeping liquid from leaking out of glass.

The main thing is pay attention.

Pay close attention to everything. Everything you see.

Notice what no one else notices, and you'll know what no one else knows.

What you get is what you get.

What you do with what you get that's more the point.

Wouldn't you say? - Really useful, Dad.

You don't want to eat? - I'm not hungry.

Hey.

Hey, it's okay. You hurt your wing.

Good night, Lina. - Good night, Poppy.

I'll play you the voices while you fall asleep, okay?

Yoohoo. Yoohoo.

Anybody home? Don't hold dinner for me, darling.

I'll be there before lights out.

Mrs. Mayfleet, your shoes are ready.

Raine, it's Clary. The sprinkler systems down again in number 2.

Raine, it's me, Barrow. I've been thinkin' about it.

I watch my boy and I've come around.

I've changed my mind. I'm in.

Where do you go?

Lina Mayfleet, reporting for duty!

You're early, Mayfleet. At ease. At ease.

Eight o'clock! Stations, everybody!

It's beautiful. - Wear it proudly. Take care of it.

Always keep it in good repair. - I will.

Your station is Garn Square. Stop!

I need to tell you the rules. One: When a customer...

gives you a message repeat it back to make sure you've got it right. Two:

Always wear the red cape so people can identify you. Three: Our customers...

pay 20 coins for every message, no matter how far we have to carry it, so go fast.

I love going fast. - Very good. I'm impressed. Now go!

Sit, sit.

These overalls go over your clothes. That belt will have all the tools you'll need.

There's enough traction in these boots. You need traction to work the pipes.

Thank you. - Now, this locker is yours.

You can put in your shoes and whatnots. - Okay. All right?

All right, let's try this.

You got a big head.

Try this one. That fits!

All right, now. Cut your name in there. - Why?

Why? In case something happens to you.

The guy who wore this helmet before you drowned. If he hadn't cut his name in,

we wouldn't have known who he was. Here. Use this.

I think, I can figure out what's wrong with the Generator. When can I see it?

Done.

Sul?

20 coins, please.

Hey, slow down.

Clary!

Clary! It's me. - Look at you.

Roner told me. - You're my first message. That's great. I'm ready.

From Arbin Swinn, the vegetable vendor. - Let me have it.

"If this is a potato, then I'm 16 and sexy."

Help!

Help, somebody, help!

Look!

It broke off in my hand! - Stay back. He could be contaminated.

Don't go near him. - I couldn't see it. I ran right into it.

I swear. It was as big as a house. I was trying to get out along the river.

It was so dark. I grabbed on to it. I had to, before it grabbed me!

Don't touch him!

Stand back! Back! - I had to... No!!

I knew it was dark, but I had no idea how dark.

I couldn't see anything.

Why would he risk being thrown in jail when everyone knows...

it's against the law to go out there? - All right, move!

There's far too much to do here to worry about out there.

Your father woulda known how to fix these potatoes.

Don't dig too deep, Lina.

The whole thing is rusted. - Yep.

Yep, it oughta be replaced, Sul. So where do you store new pipe?

New pipe?

We haven't had new pipe since my second decade here.

Yeah. We've been patching so long we have more patches than pipe.

Here, hold that. Attaboy. That's good.

Round and round we go, there. All right, well, check it.

Squeeze it.

Is it holding?

So far. - So far?

So far is so good..

- Same as always. What's gonna happen? But what about the blackouts?

They're getting worse. They're... - Slow down, kid.

You have to learn to take things as they come.

What's the... what's this tunnel called? - It's tunnel 25.

And this is 26. - How do you know?

Come on.

What's that for? - Pressure. Water wheel.

And this? - Don't know. It's not my job.

But you've worked here forever. How could you not know?

Minding my own business keeps me... keeps me busy enough.

Can we go into the Generator?

There's gotta be another way into the Generator.

This tunnels been erased.

Hey! What are you doing here? You don't work in the Storeroom.

You're... You're Looper. Your brother was in my class.

Thanks for the enlightening information. Is that why you're here?

No, I'm training in the Pipeworks. I saw this rope.

I'll got lost. I'm sorry. - Yeah, well, get lost again!

Are you okay?

Please. Come on.

Please. Please, come on.

Lina? Lina? - Doon?

Lina, keep talking. - Doon, where are you?

Where are you? You okay? Keep talking. Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm okay. Something's not right.

They never last this long.

What's that sound? - It's the Generator.

But they can fix it, right? - Maybe. We're running out of time.

We have to do something. There was a man this morning.

He came back from the Unknown Regions. He said he heard water.

Did you ever think there might be - A way out of Ember? a way out?

All Pipeworkers, Electricians...

Look, I need to get down the Pipeworks. You stay safe, Lina, okay?

Doon. Doon! Wait!

Where did you get that? - I think, it's from some kind of animal.

No, where did you get it? - A man came back with it.

From the Unknown Regions. - It's from a beetle. It's beautiful.

Can I keep it? - I have a message!

Mrs. Sample, I need to get home first. - Pass the message as you go.

Tell everybody.

7 minutes! The power failure lasted 7 minutes!

Twice as long as we've ever had!

Granny!

- What's here? It is here somewhere. Somewhere. Something.

It's very, very important.

My great granddaddy, he told me this. And I...

Wait here. Poppy, no.

Give me that. Spit it out.

Poppy, come on. Pop! Fine.

You're ruining the couch, Granny.

You found it.

This is what you're looking for? You sure?

What's so special about it?

I don't... I forgot. I don't remember.

I don't remember.

Okay, Granny. I've gotta get back to work. - Okay.

See ya, Pop.

Joss? Joss. - The Generator's broken, it's hopeless.

I have a message for Seely Schnap. - I'm Seely Schnap.

- Munn Millders sent me. What is it? He did?

He wants me to tell you that he can't come over for lunch today. He said...

that your house is too far away from his and he's afraid of the blackouts.

I have a message for the mayor.

"Your ship is in."

Good day, Messenger. What brings you to the Gathering Hall?

I have a message for the mayor. - Very good.

Right this way, if you please.

These pictures are of all the mayors of Ember.

I was related to him. He was my great, great...

Don't know how many "greats" grandfather.

"Podd Morethwart. Seventh Mayor of Ember."

We still live in the same place he did.

Come in.

I recognize you from Assignment Day. - She's a direct descendent...

of our seventh mayor. - Are you? How nice.

Name? - Lina Mayfleet.

"Mayfleet"?

That is a name for a Messenger.

May your feet be fleet.

Apparently, you were born for the job. What's your message for me, Lina Mayfleet?

It's from Looper, sir.

"Your ship is in."

Excellent.

What are those boxes in the portraits, sir?

Is that part of the message? - No, I was just curious.

Thank you.

I'm looking after myself. You've heard the rumors, you know what they're saying.

It's going black for good. - What's going black for good?

Clean your ears Little Miss Nosy. I said "back."

Going back for good.

Did you deliver the message?

Embers been here a long time.

Blackouts or no blackouts. Generator hasn't failed us yet.

Generator won't last. It's falling apart. And no one knows...

what they're doing down there. Something's really wrong.

What can you do about it??

What can you do about it?

How do you explain, that this used to be so small?

You're gonna give yourself a headache.

"Ember."

"Time."

"Support life."

"One: Proceed."

"Two: Release."

So shiny. - What do you think it is?

I need 20 packages of light bulbs. - I need 15 airtights.

Well, ya can't have 15, only 3. - Don't give me that. Yesterday I saw...

plenty airtights in Pott Street Market. - That's why there aren't so many today.

Don't be smart with me. - What do you want me to do? Next!

I need some help and I need help right now please! What?

Lina!

Did we find it? - Lie back. You need to stay in bed today.

We found it, Granny.

Found it.

Granny. What is it? Can you tell me?

Don't ask her to talk now. What's best for you is to sleep.

Isn't there any medicine you can give her? - I'm low on medicine.

I'm sorry.

Give her as much water as she'll drink.

Can you look at Poppy too?

Hang on to her.

I'm just gonna look in your mouth. - Don't bite.

What was that doing there?

Poppy! Poppy, stop.

Poppy, stand still. Don't move.

Okay. Okay, I've got you.

Granny, we're coming.

Granny?

You and Poppy have to share but I think the bed's big enough.

Poppy, let's make some dinner and let your sister get settled.

Do you know your part?

I think, I remember it pretty well from last year.

The Great Day of Singing is so important. It lifts all of our hearts.

How lucky we are. - I don't feel very lucky lately.

There's nothing to worry about. - The blackouts worry everybody.

Help is coming. - Help?

Who built our city, dear?

The Builders? - That's right.

And the Builders will come again and show us the way.

Whatever it is, Granny, I'll figure it out.

I promise.

It says "Pipeworks." - That's why I brought it to you.

This printing you know what it reminds me of?

Come on, I'm gonna show you something.

What are we doing here? - The Builders left us this book.

We learned about it in History.

Come on, open it up.

No one but the mayor's supposed to.

The Builders wrote these instructions. It's exactly the same.

Come on. There's something I have to show you.

Wow. - What do you think?

I think, it's instructions. - Yeah?

What I don't understand is why would they have it in a circle? I mean...

- What? Add a T. Add a T. E, x, i, t. Exit.

What if there's an exit from Ember?

We're don't supposed to be down here. - This tunnel was erased from Sul's map.

It deadends at a locked room.

Yeah. This could be it.

That was just the last time. The time before that I saw...

Shush! You're gonna get us caught.

Come on.

What was that? - I have no idea.

Run.

Lina! Up here!

Go, go, go, go, go! Quickly, quickly!

Hurry! Get the box!

Run!

Hey! Over here!

Lina! Lina! He's stuck! Jump!

Thanks for another great idea. - Moles need to eat all the time.

Probably just as hungry as we are.

Those storerooms are completely empty. Were gonna run out of food.

It doesn't matter anyway. The Generator won't last.

And pretty soon it'll be black for good.

"Mayfleet." That's my name. - The man who wore...

that helmet before me drowned.

Drowned?

He worked here. There's no water but the irrigation pipes.

How could he have drowned? I miss him so much.

Mom too.

How am I ever gonna figure out what this is all about? It's all these zeros.

That's what scares me the most. What would countdown to nothing?

It sounds like doomsday. - Shh. Please, honey.

Don't do anything foolish. I couldn't bear to lose you too.

How did he die, Clary?

Did he really drown?

Your father thought it was doomsday too. He believed there was a way...

to get outta Ember. I couldn't dissuade him.

I said it was our duty to stay here and fix our problems. That it's illegal...

to venture out into the Unknown. - Why is it illegal?

Your father said, "The river runs in one direction,

so it must come from someplace and go to someplace."

But he musta hit it too early or something, I don't know.

The tunnel flooded and...

And my dad died?

He was by himself?

Everyone else got out before it collapsed.

I was... I was considering taking the box to the mayor.

Yes! Do that. Do that instead, please.

Let him handle the situation.

These are trying and troubled times.

Our problems are grave.

We need answers. But beyond answers...

more important than answers,

we need solutions.

And in order to find those solutions...

I propose we launch a thorough investigation.

I hereby declare the creation of a task force...

to investigate the blackouts.

Do I have volunteers?

Today we,

the people, stand united against the darkness.

Lizzie.

Lizzie!

Strawberry jam! - Get off! Give me that. Go away!

Back off. - What's applesauce?

Pineapple? - Give me that.

No ones had pineapple since my grandmother was a little girl. Where'd you get this?

Lizzie, where'd you get that food?

All right.

I got it from my boyfriend. - You don't have a boyfriend.

It's not official, but there's this guy who really likes me.

He explores the storerooms especially the ones on the edges.

They're marked empty in the ledger, but they're not all empty.

I'll give ya a bite if you promise not to tell.

It's wrong, Lizzie. - Why not live as well as we can now.

Hey, there he is.

Doon!

Have you...

Doon!

I need to tell you something. It was Looper we saw near that 351 door.

Before that, I took a message to the mayor for him.

I'll bet there's something big on the other side of that door.

There's so much food.

And I thought he was lying when he talked about finding a solution.

He wasn't lying. He's found his solution. - Poppy.

Lie down, okay? It's time to go to sleep. Could you just pump those pedals?

What is this?

It's the answering machine tape from my parents phone. When they still had one.

Yoohoo. Yoohoo.

Anybody home?

Don't hold dinner for me, darling. - That's my dads voice.

Raine, it's me, Barrow. I've been thinking about it.

I watch my boy and I've come around.

I've changed my mind. I'm in.

What's wrong?

He lied to me. - Where are you going?

Meet me at the Greenhouses, okay? - Good night, young man.

How was your rehearsal?

For the Singing. - It was fine.

It was really good. - Good.

Good night. - Good night.

Dad. I heard you. I heard you on the answering.

Lina Mayfleet has her parents old answering machine tape. I heard you.

You said, her dad could count you in.

You tried to leave the city, didn't you?

Why would I do that?

Because of me.

Dad. Please.

We were wrong. - No, you were right. There is an exit.

Yeah. Raine thought so too, and it got him k*lled, son.

Dad, there's a way out in the Pipeworks, but you have to tell me everything.

Tell me what you know. - I don't know anything, neither do you.

The Builders left Instructions. - The Builders abandoned us.

No, they didn't. They didn't, Dad, I have proof.

Show me.

Wait!

Happy Great Day of Singing, young lady. - I need to speak to you in private.

Very well, then.

What I need to tell you is secret - What is it? and really important.

The mayor's got a bunker in the Pipeworks. It's filled with food.

The shortages aren't as bad as everyone thinks.

You mean the mayor is stealing?

Looper, who works in the storerooms, is helping him.

Well, this is shocking. Shocking.

I... I'm shocked.

We have to report this. Come with me.

Well done, Lina Mayfleet. - Once you arrest him, Doon and I...

can show you where the room is and... Wait, where are we going?

I beg your pardon, Your Honor. You remember Lina Mayfleet?

She wants to accuse you. - Accuse me of what?

Of stealing food from the people of Ember.

I love my city and everyone in it.

I would never think to do such a thing. - We saw your room! We saw you in it!

"We"? - She and her friend Doon Harrow.

What's that box?

It's mine.

It's unusual looking. Where'd you get that?

You're related to one of the mayors. - Yes, he was the seventh mayor.

A lot of things got lost when the seventh mayor passed.

- Why? May I look at that box, Lina? What's inside the box, Lina?

I imagine it's official mayor related business.

Box. Give it to me. - It's not yours.

- No. Give me the box! Get it from her. Now.

All right, take it from her! Move! - Grab her!

Have you got her?

Get her.

You, messenger! Stop! After her!

Is this the home of Doon Harrow? Is he here?

I... I can't hear. I have a weak ear. You have to talk louder.

Doon Harrow. - No, Loris. We're looking for Doon Harrow.

Charged with treason against the city. - If it's true, he's no son of mine.

Treason is the worst offense anyone could possibly commit. Builders were wise...

when they said: "If you have proof you have to pursue it!

There's more to a bottle cap than keeping liquid from leaking out of glass!" Go.

This way. Doon! The guards are here! You traitor! They're coming to get you!

Follow him.

The keypad is somewhere.

What's he doing? - Just one second.

Is this the way to your apartment? - Apparently not.

- Who? They're after me! Guards! Doon and I, we... Quick.

What is this all about? We'll be late. - Well, excuse me, ma'am. I'm...

I'm looking for Lina Mayfleet. - She's not here.

She's probably already in Harken Square. - Okay. I'll just have a look for myself.

You know, the mayor did ask for her specifically.

The Greenhouse. She was meeting a friend at the Greenhouse. Does that help?

Careful! That's food you're destroying! Our food!

Psst!

A warning: If I discover you are helping, harboring or assisting those kids...

Why would I do that?

I have information they're comin' this way. - Who provided you with that information?

That's confidential. All I need for you to understand is this:

If you're involved you'll regret it.

Anything you hear, anything you see, you tell me.

Otherwise there will be consequences. Should anything happen in the future...

that you hear of or see, I expect to be informed.

I don't need to tell you that I have the mayors ear.

Leave two guards behind! - We've gotta find a way out of here.

Now.

What is this?

My dad made this.

It doesn't look very safe. - That's my dad.

Everything he makes looks like this. - What do you mean, your dad?

Barrow. His voice is on your answering machine.

But your dads name is Loris. - Barrow Harrow. It's his nickname.

After some wheelbarrow he used to push around.

You're the boy. That means our parents were trying to escape together.

They were trying. We're running out of time.

They'll come back for us.

Pedal!

Now you stay here and be a good girl. Okay? And look for me up there.

Where's Lina? - I'm... She's here somewhere.

- Can you see anything? - Barely.

Here it is again the moment in the year when we pause to celebrate our fair city.

This beacon of light in a world of darkness.

Hold on!

Get that stuff. Cover it.

This miracle of planning this magnificent achievement...

that is our city of Ember.

They started singing.

I've got to show you. The mayor had one too.

He gave this to you? - Not exactly.

Generator.

Okay, we have to get there. We have to get there now. Let's go.

Wait!

Poppy.

Yoohoo!

Yoohoo!

Yoohoo!

Come here.

That's it.

Poppy.

Maybe he knows.

Sul. Sul.

Okay, we have to get him on his feet. Wake up.

Sul, is there a key to the Generator door? - Sure there's a key.

Great. Where is it? - How should I know? It's not my job.

Wait. Something's not right.

The Builders were smart, they would have made it simple.

I wouldn't call any of this simple.

They would have thought it through.

They planned...

everything.

Doon.

There's something behind those lockers.

Poppy, come on. Let's go. Quick.

There's gotta be a way in!

What are these for?

"Boat." - Boat.

"Release by rotating something."

"Clockwise."

It's that. It has to be. Okay.

Poppy!

There's more coming.

There's another one. Look.

The water level is too low! It's gonna hit.

It should have moved outta the way. - Were not supposed to skip ahead.

We need to follow the instructions exactly.

It's what the Builders would have wanted. - Okay, come on.

"Access..." Something, something... "one room."

One room.

Come on, Poppy. Come on.

It wasn't "one room" we were looking for. It was "L."

Emergency Control Room. Okay.

The cards. I'll try the cards. Okay.

Come on! Come on.

Nice work, Poppy.

Okay.

Are you okay?

The cards. Get the cards.

"Set Water Wheel One to full thrust."

Water Wheel One. Thrust.

Okay. It's moving. Okay. What's next? - "Set Water Wheel Two to full stop."

Water Wheel Two. Full stop.

It stopped.

It's stuck.

Sul.

Sul.

Stay here.

Sul! Sul! - Go away, boy. Go away!

Sul, what are you doing up here? - This thing is jammed stuck!

I've got to free it. - And you know that's what you should do?

It's my job!

Nothing's working. - Try this!

It's beginning to move!

It's moving!

It's working, Sul! Sul, this is the exit.

To where?

It's the way out of Ember. We'll find out!

Doon! Hold on!

Doon! Okay, let's go. Come on, quick.

Are you all right? - Yes.

Poppy!

Sul, come on! Now, we've gotta go now! - I've got to keep this open!

Sul, come now! Come with me! - You go! Now!

It's all right!

Are you okay? Okay, get in.

Did you see what happened to the first? - We don't have any choice. Come on!

Hold on, Poppy.

It's lowering.

Mayor Cole? Mayor. Mayor.

I made it.

What are you doing? You can't leave me here. Wait!

No. No. We had a deal.

Wait. Wait.

It was you and me. Open the door.

We had a deal! We had a deal!

Open the door! Open the door.

Not fair! You said...

Doon, to the right! The right! - I'm trying!

Drop! - Hold on!

There's something up ahead.

They were right. There's nothing but darkness.

Lina.

It's blue.

Ember! You can see it! Hello!

They won't hear you. It's way too far.

But... But we've gotta tell them somehow. We need to tell them what's up here.

Lina and Doon tied their hope to a rock.

And tossed it down toward the city.

The rock could've ended up on a roof.

Or kicked into a gutter.

But fate ran another course.

And the message found it's way.

Now the path was clear for all.

All of us who kept the flame of Ember burning through the darkness...

so that we could live again on the earth.

In the air and the light.