Justin Chang of Variety thought the production design of the movie was "captivating," and found the story elements "timely." Due to the "lumbering nature of the story," however, Chang felt City of Ember failed to do much with the "potentially relevant subtexts."Variety: City of Ember Movie Review (October 9, 2008)

The Hollywood Reporter's Kirk Honeycutt wrote in his review that the script had "gaping science-fiction holes" to the point where he thought much of the "cockamamie" movie was unbelievable.The Hollywood Reporter: City of Ember Movie Review (October 9, 2008)

An Empire review found City of Ember's visuals "exciting" enough to warrant a more positive recommendation, while an Arizona Republic reviewer thought the film "hit home" with Ember's situation paralleling that of the United States' at its release.Empire: City of Ember Movie Review (October 7, 2008) The Arizona Republic: City of Ember Movie Review (October 10, 2008)

More City of Ember reviews will be listed here upon its wide release.