Rated
PG-13 (Some Violence, Sci-Fi Action and Thematic Material)
Running
Time: 1 Hour & 54 Minutes
Cast-
Asa
Butterfield-Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin
Harrison
Ford-Colonel Hyrum Graff
Viola
Davis-Major Gwen Anderson
Hailee
Steinfeld-Petra Arkanian
Ben
Kingsley-Mazer Rackham
Aramis
Knight-Julian 'Bean' Delphiki
Moises
Arias-Bonzo Madrid
Conor
Carroll-Bernard
Abigail
Breslin-Valentine Wiggin
Jimmy
'Jax' Pinchak-Peter Wiggin
Nonso
Anozie-Sergeant Dap
Tony
Mirrcandani-Admiral Jawaharlal Chamrajnagar
Directed
by Gavin Hood
 |
| I believe I can fly... |
Note: Screened on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at AMC Loews 34th Street 14.
When
director Gavin Hood told Orson Scott Card that he was planning to bring Ender's Game to the big screen, the author
wished him good luck but warned that his novel was 'utterly un-filmable.' Hood,
however, remained undeterred. Mired in development hell for the past twenty-eight
years, the film adaptation of Ender's Game
is finally arriving in theaters amidst a wave of controversy. Card is well-known
for his vocal opposition against homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and while
I am in complete disagreement with his beliefs, boycotting the film makes
little sense. 'Movies have to be judged by their content, not by who created
them,' as written by Cinema Blend's Mack Rawden. If you're still on the fence, it's
already been established that Card won't be seeing a single dime from whatever amount
the film takes in at the box office, although sales of the book have recently spiked.
Ultimately, I can't force you to see Hood's film but what I can do is tell you if it's good or not
so that you can make an informed decision. The pacing is uneven and rushed, the
supporting characters are undeveloped, and the ending is somewhat anticlimactic
but "Ender's Game" remains an above-average, if workmanlike, sci-fi action-adventure
that's boasted by strong performances, stunning visual effects, and a timely coming-of-age
story that's brimming with social commentary.
In
the year 2086, an insect-like alien species called the 'Formics' attack Earth, wiping
out tens of millions before their massive fleet was finally defeated when pilot
Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) heroically rammed his fighter jet into the hive queen's
ship. Fearing another invasion in the future, the International Fleet puts together
a rigorous training program where the best and brightest children are taught in
the art of tactical warfare at an advanced, orbiting space station dubbed 'Battle
School.' Fifty years following the program's inception, twelve-year-old Andrew 'Ender'
Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is personally invited by Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison
Ford) and his colleague Major Gwen Anderson (Viola Davis) to join Battle School
as his strategic processes are far more advanced compared to the other recruits.
Socially isolated by Graff, Ender struggles to fit in while the other cadets make
it clear that they would like nothing more than to see him fail. Still, he manages
to form a fast friendship with Julian 'Bean' Delphiki (Aramis Knight) and Petra
Arkanian (Hailee Steinfeld) but the constant pressure from the Colonel soon gets
to him. Although Ender quickly rises through the ranks and graduates to Command
School, he begins to wonder if he is losing his humanity as the Formic invasion
draws near.
Orson
Scott Card's Ender's Game originated as
a short story in the August 1977 issue of Analog
Science Fiction and Fact and was subsequently expanded into a full-length, 384-page
novel eight years later. Critically lauded upon its release, the book won the prestigious
Nebula and Hugo Awards in 1985 and 1986 but a film adaptation remained out of
reach for almost three decades despite its popularity. Part of the problem was
the technology. It just wasn't advanced enough to believably bring all the
zero-gravity war games in the Battle Room to life but the bigger issue was that
at the time, films based on young adult novels were largely untested at the box
office. The fact that the project managed to even escape development hell is due
to the recent successes of "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and
"The Hunger Games."
Personally,
I haven't read the book before going into the advance screening but it's immediately
clear that Gavin Hood, who wrote the script in addition to directing, took a chainsaw
to the source material in order to condense it into an audience-friendly two hours.
As a result, the pacing often feels clumsily uneven and hurried, especially in
the second half where it feels like Ender is advancing to Command School in a matter
of days rather than months (the time-frame that the story takes place in has been
reduced from six years to one). With the exception of the main character and
Ford's Colonel Hyrum Graff, most of the supporting players have been marginalized.
Certain concepts, such as the 'mind game' that Ender plays in his free time, don't
translate all that well on the big screen and the way Hood ties into it in the
film's final scenes come off as awkward and might even confuse those who haven't
read the novel. These flaws, however, fade away when the story begins focusing
on the 'win at all costs' mentality exemplified by Graff and the ethics regarding
the use of children in war, even though they're not directly fighting the
enemy. The way 'the enemy' is defined in the film is also surprisingly relevant
to the post-9/11 world that we now live in. Graff wants to completely eradicate
the Formics and thereby prevent any future attack but an adult will blink twice
when asked to commit what is essentially genocide. Children are a different matter.
They can be easily manipulated (as Graff does with Ender) and less likely to question
the morality they're given. It all goes back to the age-old question: does the
end justify the means? Does the concept of right and wrong go out the window
when the entire world is threatened? When "Ender's Game" tackles
these questions, the film is at its most compelling and the climactic moment
where the truth is revealed regarding Ender's final test, and the moral and
emotional fallout it entails, is a particularly strong one.
Also
strong are the visual effects from Digital Domain. They look absolutely stunning,
especially on an IMAX screen and even better, it's all presented in pristine 2D.
Contrary to most big-budget blockbusters released this year, the film largely avoids
reveling in explosion-driven spectacle, with the exception of the opening battle
scene and Ender's final exam. These two scenes nicely bookend the picture and are
created with a palpable sense of energy and scope. The production design from
Sean Haworth and Ben Procter successfully brings the sci-fi world in Card's
novel to life with its sleek and utilitarian look. Of course, the highlight is
the spherical 'Battle Room' where the various cadets engage in 'war games' in
zero-gravity. While some of the green-screen and wire-work don't hold up well
to close scrutiny when compared to the likes of "Gravity," these are
minor issues at best. There aren't any scenes filmed specifically in IMAX but
this is definitely the preferred format to view "Ender's Game" as the
larger screen and rumbling surround sound add to the immersion factor.
The
talented lead cast really goes a long way in smoothing out the script's rough patches.
Asa Butterfield (last seen in 2011's "Hugo") is outstanding as the
titular Ender Wiggin. The sixteen-year-old actor is sympathetic and vulnerable
in the role but he also exhibits a subtle darkness within his performance. The
way he mixes fragility with a hardened, at times violent, demeanor is captivating
to watch and when the character finally grows into the commander that Graff wanted
him to be, Butterfield ceases to exist and literally becomes Ender. Some of the most emotionally-charged moments are the
ones where Butterfield goes toe-to-toe with veteran actors like Harrison Ford and
Viola Davis. Ford appropriately growls with intensity while Davis lends the picture
a quiet gravitas. The rest of the supporting cast are fine but are saddled with
underwritten roles. Hailee Steinfeld in particular suffers from this, leaving
her character's quasi-romance with Ender feeling tacked on. As main bully
Bonzo, Moises Arias (from May's "The Kings of Summer") is comically
miscast. Abigail Breslin unfortunately fades into the background as Ender's compassionate
sister Valentine and finally, a tattooed Ben Kingsley is encumbered with a New
Zealand accent that makes most of his dialogue all but indecipherable.
Released
on November 1, 2013, "Ender's Game" has received lukewarm reviews
with 63% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that 'it isn't quite as thought-provoking
as the book [but the film] still manages to offer a commendable number of well-acted,
solidly written sci-fi thrills.' Despite the aggressive marketing campaign from
Summit Entertainment, the film is expected to only earn $25 to $27 million over
opening weekend. That's not bad but the studio is certainly hoping for more
considering this is to be a potential franchise (the Ender's Game series comprises thirteen novels, including spin-offs).
I can't help feeling that Card's extreme stance against homosexuality and same-sex
marriage marred its release, at least partially. Gavin Hood's big screen
adaptation of "Ender's Game" definitely has its fair share of
problems but for the most part, it successfully captures the spirit of the
novel and most importantly, its themes. Hopefully, the film will perform well
enough at the box office to warrant a sequel.
Final
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
"In
the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to
defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him."
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