This is not a game. Indeed.
Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) has been recruited for a space army involving teenagers. Using video game style tactics, General Graff (Harrison Ford) and some of his associates train kids for war missions. But all Ender wants on the inside is respect. Respect from anyone who bullies him. And respect from those who talk down at him. Through the months, the intelligent kid makes his way through the ranks, makes a lot of friends along the way, and perhaps solve a terrorist threat from an alien planet.
The acting is top-notch. Butterfield, who was terrific in Hugo, brings Ender to life with sincerity and ambition. Ford is terrific as the tough-minded General Graff. Hailee Steinfeld and Abigail Breslin are also great as supporting actors. Steinfeld brings a gentle, yet take-no-prisoners attitude to Petra, while Breslin is sweet and emotionally resonant as Ender's sister Valentine. Viola Davis and Ben Kingsley (reuniting with Butterfield from Hugo) work well in their comparatively small roles.
The cinematography is terrific, with special effects that make this seem like an older version of Spy Kids 3D: Game Over. The screenplay is very well-done, with it being family-friendly at the same time as being emotionally engaging and technically impressive. Steve Jablonsky does good with the music score. Some really exciting moments, especially the laser tag scene. I thought the messages of making wise decisions, overcoming obstacles, and leadership were great, especially for a movie so much about war tactics.
On the downside, the only thing I can think of is the ending having a slight environmental message. Its very anticlimactic and really questions the idea of a sequel. (Though I haven't read the books, so it could be just me)
Ender's Game was a book written by Orson Scott Card, and is the latest YA to hit the big screen. I personally haven't watched much of those types of movies due to too much romance or supernatural influence. What drew me to Ender's Game was the lack of those elements, as well as an interesting premise and the positive reception critics gave it.
Its fascinating, because, despite some of the difficult-to-fathom words said on screen (so much about space and training), this movie is still quite good. It is well-acted, well-written, and well-produced. The cinematic view of space as well as most of the other backgrounds are so fun and fascinating to watch. Plus, the film slams issues affecting us today, such as bullying and bad decisions.
I mentioned all that. Need I say anything else? An environmental-ish ending aside, Ender's Game is a compelling piece of sci-fi that works on such levels that not many have reached.
Score: 9.1/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of
Language: Not much. Lone uses of "smarta--", "crap" and "my g--". "Ba--s" is spit out twice.
Adult Content: A stray comment states, "Your mother cheated. That's why you look like a plumber".
Violence: Ender is bullied by others through most of the film. And as a result, Ender defends himself in somewhat violent ways. One bully is punched repeatedly. Another is almost killed in a shower. We see a couple scenes of mildly intense war action. A planet blows up (though its seen digitally). A game shows a mouse attack the eye of a giant. A chip is surgically removed from Ender (we hear him scream and see the chip drop inside a glass of water).
Drugs/Alcohol: None.
Other: Some bullying that is obviously not rebuked. Some may question General Graff's strategies involving the kids being too hard and intense.
