J.W. LYNNE
AUTHOR OF BESTSELLING NOVELS WITH TWISTS, TURNS, AND SURPRISES
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Movie Review: Ender's Game (2013)

An intriguing premise and stunning visuals make Ender’s Game a winner.
 
I was intrigued by the premise of Ender's Game: gifted children are trained to be soldiers. It is not unlike the fascinating book/movie premises of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (children are trained to be wizards) and Kid Docs (children are trained to be doctors). I believe that the creativity and out-of-the-box thinking of bright children could help them find the solutions to problems that have stumped adults.

Based on the 1985 science-fiction novel by Orson Scott Card by the same name, Ender’s Game tells the story of preteen, Ender Wiggin, a socially-challenged child genius who is selected for an elite program to create military leaders to solve the Earth’s biggest threat: annihilation by the Formics, an alien species. The Formics attacked the Earth once before and will no doubt attack again unless we find some way to stop them for good. Ender and the other youngsters in the program are our only hope.

The movie takes us with Ender from Earth to outer space where Ender is assigned to a small “army" (more like a team)and begins his training by both studying in high-tech classrooms and battling other armies of child soldiers in a huge zero-gravity chamber. Later, he advances to engaging in simulated battles with the enemy in a huge theater where incredibly life-like projections allow Ender and his army to be in the center of the action, as if they stepped into a 3D video game. Winning each battle requires strategy, rather than brute force, something that Ender excels at. Ender must also gain the respect of others, something that he struggles with.

As visually stunning as the battle scenes are, the movie’s bigger asset is its cast. Asa Butterfield creates an Ender that is both vulnerable and fierce. Butterfield is exceptionally intensely engaging to watch. The supporting child cast of soldiers is also quite strong and deftly capture their characters' maturity while allowing for moments of childlike wonder at the strange and unfamiliar world that they inhabit. A standout is Hailee Steinfeld as Petra. Steinfeld and Butterfield create a touching, genuine friendship.

The adult cast is star-packed. As Ender’s teacher, Colonel Graff, (and Ender’s father-figure as the movie’s  dialogue heavy-handedly points out), Harrison Ford commands the screen. The program's psychologist, Major Anderson, portrayed by Viola Davis, is the mother figure, but gives a somewhat bland performance. Ender’s mentor Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) is intimidating and mysterious. Unfortunately, in his early scenes with Ender, Kingsley mumbles what might have been important lines of dialogue.

Because of its cast, its visuals, and its premise, Ender’s Game is entertaining. There were even a few genuinely funny moments. Ender’s Game is one of those movies that should be seen in on a big screen in a movie theater rather than waiting for the DVD or Blu-ray. Although I don’t believe that we should put a preteen in command of our military any more than we should send a ten-year-old to face Voldemort or allow a fourteen-year-old to perform heart surgery, it is fascinating to consider what might happen if we did.
Jen's grade:
A
Absolutely go see it!

Jen (California, USA)*
 
* Jen won two tickets to a complimentary screening of Ender's Game.