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Friday, November 1, 2013

Let's Go Out To The Movies: Enders Game

DISCLAIMER:FOR THE SAKE OF FAIRNESS I AM KEEPING MY OPINIONS ON ORSON SCOTT CARD'S HOMPHOBIC VIEWS SEPERATE FROM THIS.

FOR THE RECORD THOSE VIEWS ARE TERRIBLE BUT HE WROTE A GOOD BOOK.

ALSO SINCE BOTH THIS MOVIE, AND THE BOOK IT IS BASED ON ARE BUILT AROUND A TWIST ENDING, SPOILER WARNING. SHORT VERSION: IT IS QUITE GOOD


Enders Game the book is one of the most influential works of science fiction in recent memory, and also an incredible book. It is required reading, I decree it of you. Let's see how the new movie represents such a marvel.

Story: It's the future, fifty years ago mankind was nearly wiped out by a Formic hive mind. In the aftermath of this, we have decided to take the best and brightest of Earth's children and stick them in Battle School, where they constantly go through grueling war games to pick the best to defend mankind. 

The best ends up being Ender Wiggin, an incredibly gifted child that is soon singled out for Command School, where he and his class do simulation after simulation of a theoretical second war. After he leads them to victory on the Formic homeworld, the Stratagos has something to tell him. SPOILER WARNING, IF YOU WISH TO REMAIN UNSPOILED TURN BACK NOW. It was real, it has always been real and he has just commited genocide. 

I cannot begin to understand the burden that would place on someone's concience. The closest analog in the real world is likely being the one that had to drop the bomb on Hiroshima. That isn't even the worst part. That is the realization, it was probably the course of action that results in the least deaths by keeping the war from being dragged out.

It tells this story well, but it is also a beat for beat retelling of the book which you can probably find in a library for free. Make of that what you will.


Visuals:If anything can be said fo this movie it's that it looks great. Battle School and Command School look, approprietly, like one big video game. In fact, there are entire sections of the film that are essentaily gameplay footage. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a planned game. That might make the point hit home even harder. It all looks well organized, and shiny, and I can only assume that it looks better in 3D.

Acting: For our adult cast, Harrison Ford is quite great as Colenel Graff, Viola Davis plays a compassionate Major Anderson, and Ben Kingsley plays a wise and well executed Mazer Rackham, even if I don't quite accept the face paint. 

As for the child actors, Asa Butterfield is great as Ender, but aside from that I can't think of any standout performances. They aren't bad, but not great either. Moises Aries is not bad as Bonzo, but I can't get past the fact that he played Rico on Hannah Montana, which makes some scenes unintentionaly comical.

In conclusion, the Enders Game movie might not be as good as the book, but it is certainly a good film on it's own. 

Hats off to all, and have a nice day.

Greg.B


These people responded to my comment in one of their videos. Thanks Glove and Boots! http://youtu.be/o5desZLRuzQ

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