Ender's Game review

ENDER’S GAME:

NOT SURE HOW IT HOLDS UP TO THE BEST-SELLING BOOK, BUT AS A SCI-FI ACTION FLICK, IT’S WORTH A VIEWING!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT

Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield defending the Earth in Ender’s Game

            I haven’t read the original novel, Ender’s Game, but I can safely say that as a sci-fi flick, the Ender’s Game movie is very entertaining and filled with action from beginning to end. The action is in your face, with ships blowing up, laser blasting, over the top fight scenes, and so on, besides thrilling action, the cast’s portrayals are done very well, especially Asa Butterfield (Hugo) as Ender, Harrison Ford (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Patriot Games/Clear and Present Danger) as the General, Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3), Viola Davis (The Help), and Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Zombieland) as Ender’s sister.

            In the near future, Earth was attacked by an unknown alien species and nearly wiped out all of humanity, if it wasn’t thanks to the heroics of International Fleet Commander, Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley). In preparation for the next alien attack, Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the rest of the International Military started training young children to battle the hostile race.

            One of these kids is the shy but strategically brilliant young boy named Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) who has the skills and commands to save the universe from annihilation.

            Overall Ender’s Game is a pretty entertaining sci-fi flick, the action is in your face and will keep your eyes glued to the screen, the premise is clever, the acting’s decent, and the directing by Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) isn’t half bad. I’m not sure how accurate the film is to the book, because I haven’t read it, but after watching this movie, it makes me want to pick up the book and give it a read.

            I guess my only issue with the movie is that there wasn’t much of a backstory on the alien race. The film would have been a little more interesting if we knew more about the aliens and what caused the war between the humans and the alien race, but there’s some detail about the aliens at the end of the second act.

            While I wouldn’t say Ender’s Game is as memorable or fantastic as other sci-fi space films like the Alien franchise, Close Encounters, Avatar, or Gravity, but there should be enough thrills and analyzed detail that will please fans of the genre. I’m a big fan of sci-fi and rarely miss a blockbuster in the category, and Ender’s Game is one of those sci-fi blockbusters that I enjoyed a lot this year, not a great movie but very entertaining.