Ender’s Game tells the story of Ender Wiggin, portrayed by Asa Butterfield. Ender is a young cadet working his way up the ranks to captain the fleet that will prevent the Earth from being invaded by aliens.
The premise is very cliché and unoriginal. But don’t let this turn you away because director, Gavin Hood, pulls off this very usual concept beautifully. “My boyfriend dragged me to see Ender’s Game and I unwillingly came along expecting another dull sci-fi flick. Lucky for me I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the film” stated one movie-goer when asked of her first thoughts after the movie.
The setting’s familiar assets are used in such odd ways that you will pleasantly ask yourself “Why hadn’t I come up with that?” The movie will also introduce you to a fictional sport that looks like the most fun since Quidditch.
The world is fully-realized and magnificent, immersing you completely. Despite some rather odd design choices like the game arena and the uniforms each team must wear, the set pieces are gorgeous and set this world apart from its many other sci-fi counterparts.
The acting for the most part was well-done. All of the adult actors, especially Ben Kingsley and Harrison Ford, did phenomenal work as always. However, as expected the child actors did not fare so well, save for two major exceptions. Asa Butterfield and Abigail Breslin are two of the few elite child actors who consistently perform well in their films. The rest of the children gave sub-par performances, but delivered the lines and got the job done.
There is one more major flaw in the film: the pacing. The film moves too quickly; it is constantly shifting from place to place before you can get your bearings down in the previous location. This is most likely due to the fact that it is a film adapted from a popular novel. The team was trying to include nearly all the major scenes from the book, while moving through them quickly enough to stay within the two hour window they must hold. It keeps you entertained, but it also leaves you longing for a break to soak it all in.
However, if you can look past these two major discrepancies, Ender’s Game turns out to be a movie surprisingly worth your time. All of the main characters are developed very well and each has their own personalities and skills. Seeing these characters grow, especially Ender, as they train is a beautiful sight to behold. The dialogue is shockingly well written and the film keeps you on your toes throughout the experience.
Ender’s Game is most definitely worth a watch, even if just to introduce you to a brand new, interesting, fantasy realm. You’ll fall in love with the world and stick around for the characters and the interesting tasks they’re put through.
