"Enders Game" Review

DISCLAIMER: I can not in good conscience condone the statements or the beliefs of author Orson Scott Card. His statements against the gay community are horrid and uncalled for. I have many gay friends, all of whom are great people. Any discrimination against that lifestyle is something I can not and will not agree with. I hope someday we can live in a world where this type of backwards thinking is frowned upon by our society as a whole. 

Ender's Game, set in the year 2086, is about a young man named Ender Wiggin who is chosen by Colonel Graff to lead his peers into battle against an alien force. The only question is, does Ender have what it takes?

I have never read the book, so I am not aware of how faithful it may or may not be.

The movie has excellent performances, and astounding special effects, but it never feels like director Gavin Hood knows what he is trying to do. More than a handful of the scenes feel needlessly complicated, things that seem rather interesting are pushed to the side, and in the end, there are more than a few loose ends. You'll leave the theater with more complaints than pleasant memories. While there is a good chance that these things are explained in the original novel, my logic is if you're making a film based on a book, don't start with the preconception that your entire audience has read it and will fill in the missing pieces.

The character development also feels forced. When we are first introduced to Sergeant Dap, he is the typical, hard nosed yelling drill sergeant. Yet the next time we see him, he has a completely new attitude towards Ender.

The biggest issue I have with the film is that it attempts to get a message across, but the film itself is never clear in what that is. It is obvious that movie is trying to focus on bullying, but in what respect? Are they saying that we should fight back? Are they trying to tell us that we should walk away? In the midst of adapting the screenplay, I think Hood lost track of what the point is, if he even had one to begin with.

Asa Butterfield stars as Ender, and plays him with a shy yet knowledgable persona. He is great at portraying social outcasts as we've seen in Hugo, and here is no different. He brings his best to the role, yet the development that is rushed upon him by the writers isn't enough to make for it.

For the second time in 2013, a film completely wastes the talent of Sir Ben Kingsley. He brings his years of wisdom, and his trademark attitude to the role of Mazer Rackham, but he is not utilized as much as someone of his caliber should deserves. Once again, he does great in his role, but it's not hard to imagine someone lesser known could have done just as well.

Viola Davis is equally brilliant in her role, yet she too is criminally underused.

Hailee Steinfeld from True Grit features in the role of Petra Arkanian, and she does masterfully as well. I do appreciate that Hood chose not to take her in any obvious direction.

Once again, Andrew's Standout is the always welcome Harrison Ford. He portrays Colonel Graff with his usual gruff and angry demeanor but also with a paternal intuition. He adds humor when necessary, and his character may be the only one that stays true to their initial personality throughout the picture. Ford is consistent with who he is, yet shows off a wide range of emotions.

All in all, Ender's Game is a confusing mess that is only saved by it's proficient acting and decent special effects. I would skip the film and see something more stimulating.

C+