My 11 year old son and I enjoyed this movie very much, perhaps because neither of us has read the book. Visually it was a treat to visit Ember, a handmade city with no cars, creative clothing and houses and a community where everyone knows you. It just looked so interesting. <br /><br />The movie got off to a quick start, giving just enough back-story to get the mystery of the plot going. I think it is predictable from the beginning that the kids will find a way out, but how they piece together the clues and the specifics of their escape are unravelled in exciting bits and pieces. The suspense worked on two levels- will they find the way out before the City collapses- and will they find the way out before "the law" stops them? <br /><br />While all the actors did a fine job, I particularly enjoyed Saoirse as Lina. And the girls who played Poppy were adorable. <br /><br />My son said the same thing as other reviewers about the end- he would have liked to have seen the whole town pouring out into the light.