Ender's Game Review

Ender's Game, the 2013 film that is based on the iconic novel of the same name staring Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield. The film is about Ender Wiggin, a promising young cadet that is rising through the ranks of the Battle Game school. In the year 2086 alien creatures known as the Formic attacked earth and slaughter millions, and the film takes place 50 years after the human race defeated the Formic and now humanity is preparing the next generation of soldiers by using kids.
One problem from the beginning is that the movie did not provide ample reasoning as to why kids are being used to control the fate of the human race. Other than line saying something about kids' minds are faster and that they know technology better or something like that, there is very littler explanation as to why children are humanity's only hope. Most likely, it was explained in the novel. Being that Ender's Game is based on a novel that a lot of people have a read, the movie adaptation occasionally suffers from some problems that adaptations usually have: a reliance on the fact that the audience knows the source material. While not always prevalent, there are aspects that feel as though there was a lot more behind it that those who have read the book can fill in the blanks. Some aspects of the story are skimmed over without much explanation. Even though the lack of explanation was a minor problem, Ender's Game biggest issue is that there is a general lack of suspense and intensity that most other good films have. Since those that have read the book already know how everything turns out, this is not a problem for those viewers, for the rest of us however, you feel that the story is a little predictable and that the final outcome is entirely expected, even if the ending is fantastic and mostly unexpected.


Directed by: Gavin Hood
Genre: Sci-Fi,
Release Date: November 1, 2013
Running Time: 114 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: The Battle Room scenes are cool, Harrison Ford is a excellent as always, Fantastic ending, Mostly non-annoying child/teen actors, Intriguing science-fiction world,

The Bad: Lack of suspense and intensity, Please explain why are kids controlling the fate of the humanity again?,



Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
In the year 2086, an alien species called the Formics attacks Earth. Mazer Rackham, commander of a small reserve patrol force, halts their advance and apparently sacrifices himself during their attack.
Fifty years later, a young cadet named Andrew "Ender" Wiggin beats a school bully named Stilson at a hand-held virtual game while Colonel Hyrum Graff and Major Gwen Anderson from the International Fleet watch via Ender's monitor on his neck. Ender is summoned to have the monitor on the back of his neck removed. When Stilson and his gang attack him, Ender retaliates and violently beats Stilson. Ender returns home and confesses grief over his actions to his sister Valentine. Their older brother Peter interrupts them and convinces Ender to play a game. He then begins choking Ender, threatening to kill him but pulls back. Graff and Anderson visit the Wiggin family and offer Ender a place in Battle School, admitting that the final test was to see how Ender would react to his monitor's removal. Graff talks privately with Ender and is able to convince him to accept, because Ender believes that "it was what he was born for".
Watch the movie to see what happens next.


Plot: 7.2/10- Ender's Game plot and general concept are great, albeit a little reminiscent of Star Wars and Star Trek in some aspects in terms of setting. Many of the concepts about how to create a leader are explored, and while they lack sufficient time to explode them in any depth, what little is present is thought-provoking to a degree. Where Ender's Game falters is when the movie rushes past certain points in the plot. Despite feeling a little slow at times, the movie simultaneously feels rushed. Most of the movie is about Ender training to become a commander and, for the most part, it was entertaining and interesting, even if it still had a few of the problems mentioned above.

Characterization: 7.5/10- Thanks to a strong performance by Butterfield, Ender is a mostly likable and well rounded character. He actually reminded me of Shinji Ikari from Neon Genesis Evangelion, albeit not nearly as messed up in the head or as developed as Shinji of course, but it was cool to see another somewhat similar type character. Colonel Hyrum Graff, played by Harrison Ford, is given some moral complexity and he is an all around good character. Most of the other characters are forgettable side characters that lack any real development.

Action: 6.9/10- The Battle Room scenes in Ender's Game are fun and entertaining to watch. In some ways, the game reminded me of Quidditch from Harry Potter, but not in a bad way. The giant spac and simulator battles are entertaining for the most part, even if they lack suspense. As stated previously, there is little suspense or tension at any point during the movie.

Acting: 7.8/10- Harrison Ford is fantastic as always, and Butterfield continues to prove that he is one of the better young actors in the business today. Some of the young teen and child actors are usually fine considering their age; however, they do seem unnatural in a few scenes.

Special effects: 7.5/10- Some of Ender's Game special effects look great, while others look unrefined with obviously noticeable use of green screen.

Soundtrack: 7.2/10- Steve Jablonsky score is surprisingly good, with a few tracks in particular that are noticeable while watching the movie.

Humor: N/A-

Overall: 7.4/10- Overall, Ender's Game is a very good effort and a mostly entertaining one at that. While most of the flaws can be overlooked, the movie is not particularly memorable unless you have read the source material, but it was nevertheless more worth my time spent watching it.

Closing comments: As with most novel adaptations, those that have read the book will either love it because they are fans of the book, or hate because it is different than the source material. As for the rest movie watching audience, Ender's Game is a well made science fiction film that is very good, but never truly great.

Recommended for: Sci-fi fans, Fans of the book,

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Coming Soon: November

Jordan is back with another preview of the month's upcoming movies.

My, my this year is flying by isn't it? Jordan from RATH'S REVIEWS here to give you another look at what is coming up and what just happened in theaters.

October was a strong month with an average Rath's Review score of 7.3, a 2.3% increase from last year's 7.2. However the month was much stronger than the numbers indicate because in 2012 I only reviewed three October movies and this October I saw six. If you want to check out the data and see which month has been the strongest so far this year, CLICK HERE. So what six movies did I see last month? Check em out:

Gravity: Wow. I mean what else can I say? If you saw this in IMAX 3D you know exactly what I'm talking about and if you didn't then I suggest you stop reading and go now. One of the more unforgettable movie-going experiences you will have in your lifetime. (Rath's Review Score: 10/10 -- Instant Classic)

Runner Runner: I called it as a dud and a dud it was. I didn't see it due to being so blown away by Gravity but I certainly didn't miss much. Unless you count a movie with an interesting premise that can't execute its ideas as something...

Captain Phillips: As I said last month, this one was pretty much a sure fire hit. Tom Hanks was amazing per usual as was director Paul Greengrass. Despite some of the controversy surrounding the real-life events the movie was a thrill from start to finish and October continued strongly onward. (RRS: 9/10)

Machete Kills: Man, what a trip this movie was! Certainly not for the easily offended or faint of heart but it was just loads of ridiculous, over-the-top, obnoxious, gory fun. I enjoyed it more than the score I gave it indicates but the score reflects its unnecessary length, overall quality, and some unnecessary plot points. (RRS: 7/10)

Carrie: A remake of the adaptation of the Stephen King novel that played it way too safe. I enjoyed it enough as someone who never saw the original, but this one does nothing new. I was disappointed that it didn't take more liberties to address the issues of cyber-bullying that our current culture has problems with today. (RRS: 5.5/10)

Escape Plan: Neither a dud nor a hit. I also didn't see this one but it seems like if you went in with the 80's action mentality then you were bound to have a fun time. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with a little mindless action with two elderly gentleman!

12 Years a Slave: Well I wish I could say I saw this one! I live in Denver and it's not playing in a single theater here. I HATE limited releases to no end. As for the movie, it's the clear front runner for the Oscar's right now so I'm sure it will be nothing short of fantastic. But at the same time I feel like it may be overhyped just a bit, similar to the way Lincoln was last year. Great movie, but not the best movie of the year. If it ever gets a wide release I'll update you guys.

Jackass Presents Bad Grandpa: An unexpected treat. Who knew that attaching a story and toning down the gross factor to some Jackass pranks could be so satisfying and heart warming. It had its issues, yes, but Bad Grandpa was a hilarious trip to the theaters that I didn't regret one bit. (RRS: 8/10)

The Counselor: The disappointment of this one still stings. It should have worked on almost every level but it was a mess, and a fairly bad one at that. It's slightly saved by a strong cast and some highlight scenes, but the screenplay by Cormac McCarthy was overly excessive and even pretentious. One of the bigger disappointments of the year for me. (RRS: 4.5/10)

Most Disappointing: The Counselor

Most Surprising: Jackass Presents Bad Grandpa

Worst Movie: The Counselor

Best Movie: Gravity (by a mile)

Now onward to a somewhat odd November. I'm not sure I ever remember there being so many blockbusters in a late month. It's like a second summer!

*Click the movie titles for their trailers!*

Ender's Game -- Nov 1



Why It's Worth Seeing: It's based off one of the better and more thought-provoking sci-fi books ever written. There is an immense amount of potential for a great movie here and with the strong cast and visuals it looks like they could pull it off.

What Could Go Wrong: Personally, as excited as I am for it, I'm still not entirely convinced that they will pull it off. The themes in the book were very mature and I'm not sure if Hollywood is going for that or if they are going for a sci-fi action piece. I think it's bound to disappoint on some level, I just hope it's not with regards to the themes and maturity.

Last Vegas -- Nov 1



Why It's Worth Seeing: Do you see that cast? Kevin Kline, Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, and Michael Douglas all playing geriatric males enjoying a buddy's bachelor party in Vegas. What could go wrong? Hopefully a whole lot so that the whole movie can stay as funny as the trailer is. The Hangover Part III came out earlier this year, but this might be the trip that you want to take to Vegas instead.

What Could Go Wrong: The usual with comedies...all the funny parts could be in the trailers, it could have an idiotic story, poor script, etc. My main concern is that the focus on old-person jokes will be worn far too thin by the time the credits roll.

Thor: The Dark World -- Nov 8



Why It's Worth Seeing: Because it's more Marvel, duh. The previous Thor was a somewhat weak entry in Phase 1 that was made much stronger after the release of The Avengers and we saw just how critical Thor's world was to the story. The Dark World looks to be epic on almost every level and as someone who was slightly disappointed by the first, I couldn't be more excited for this one. Also, I chose a poster here rather than a still because whoever is doing the Thor posters deserves an immediate and hefty raise. They are gorgeous.

What Could Go Wrong: The problem with the Marvel movies now is creating a character centric story while also moving the background Avenger's plotlines forward. It's an extremely tricky combination, one that we saw Iron Man 3 do very gracefully earlier this year. The quality of the movie will depend on how well it stands alone AND how well it ties into everything else.

Delivery Man -- Nov 22



Why It's Worth Seeing: We skip over a week mainly because I'm not all that interested in The Best Man Holiday or The Book Thief and arrive at the Vince Vaughn comedy, Delivery Man. Apparently he is the father to an absurd amount of children due to some medical mix-up. With Vince Vaughn, there is always the potential for a movie to be funny.

What Could Go Wrong: For starters, Vince Vaughn hasn't been funny in a while. The Internship which reteamed him with Owen Wilson was about as average as average gets and I may have laughed one or two times throughout. Also, the tone of the trailer seems to indicate it will have a serious feel to it, but then there are also the Vince Vaughn funnies...to me that sounds like a pretty lackluster combo.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire -- Nov 22



Why It's Worth Seeing: I couldn't find anything but production stills for this one, so I chose to show a poster as well because the marketing for Catching Fire has been phenomenal. I just finished re-reading the second book and I couldn't be more excited for this one...I'm part of the crowd that thinks that all of the books are phenomenal, not just the first one. From the trailer, it seems like they have nailed the overall theme of the book and the addition of Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a great one. The first movie was a very well done adaptation and I think this one has the potential to be even better.

What Could Go Wrong: If they focus too much on the love story/triangle then it will dive into Twilight territory. The Hunger Games series overall is about so much more than that love triangle and the first movie did a good job at finding an appropriate balance. If this one can't balance that properly then it could spell trouble.

Frozen -- Nov 27



Why It's Worth Seeing: It's from the team that made Wreck-It Ralph last year which went on to become one of my favorite animated movies ever. Despite Pixar being somewhat weak lately, it's clear that there is still some magic at Disney's animation studios and Frozen has the potential to be another hit.

What Could Go Wrong: Other than Wreck-It Ralph, Disney has been in a bit of an animation slump lately. Does Frozen have an interesting enough premise to become a hit? For me, the trailers indicate no.

Oldboy -- Nov 27



Why It's Worth Seeing: The original Korean Oldboy has become a cult classic. I haven't seen it but I had the plot described to me and my jaw dropped. It's messed up...big time. But if you can get past that it's an interesting journey. This remake features a strong cast and looks to be super R-rated.

What Could Go Wrong: With the strong director and cast, I'm not sure that a whole lot could go wrong, it just may not be everyone's cup of tea. Also with a plot this complex, they need to make sure that the audience knows what's going on and isn't in the dark.

NOVEMBER OVERVIEW:

Must See (in order): Thor: The Dark World, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

On My Radar: Ender's Game, Last Vegas, Frozen, Oldboy

Predicted Duds: Delivery Man

Thanks, James for the opportunity to do another guest post and thank you for reading everybody! See you next month! Be sure to follow me through Blogger at RATH'S REVIEWS. I follow back 100%! Also Like the Facebook page HERE! Enjoy the November blockbuster season!



Thanks Jordan for another great post. Please be sure to follow his blog, I can't recommend it more for movie fans.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Ender's Game Trailer Review.

Ender's Game, a science fiction film based on a novel of the same name and will be released on November 1, 2013. It has been described as Hunger Games meets Starship troopers and from the trailer it could turn out well. The cast is good featuring, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley and my favorite actor Harrison Ford. Also Clone Wars veteran Dee Bradley Baker (All Clones) is said to lend his voice in the film as well in an yet to be announced role.

While not blown away, Ender's Game trailer does looks promising. Butterfield gave a good performance in "Hugo" and I look forward to seeing him in another role. Since this is a teaser, not a lot has been revealed, which is good because most trailers reveal far too many major plot points. I believe Ender's Game could and probably will, be better than the next Hunger Games. My main concern is that there will be far too much teen-angst and drama, which rarely works. Only the Spider-Man, Back to the Future and Harry Potter franchises have done it well. It is good to see a new sci-fi franchise set in space against aliens, it almost reminds me of the "Hero's Duty" game from Wreck-It Ralph, which I need to review soon.

JT: Ender's Game is a sci-fi novel/series that was actually written a couple decades ago. (When I found it I thought it was more recent. Explains why there's no "Enderverse" fandom despite it's "worldwide bestseller" status.) It's set a century or so in the future, by which time humanity has, among other things, established space bases and discovered ETs. (Well, actually the ETs found us, but more on that later.) To defend against the threat of another ET invasion, the international battle-school scours the world for child prodigies and brings them up to orbit to train for galactic style warfare. The word I've seen is that the movie is going to be based both on Ender's game and it's spin-off parallel story, Ender's Shadow, which involves another kid, named Bean, who takes part in many of Ender's experiences.

James: Since I know very little about the "Enderverse", JT will be taking point on the commentary.

JT: These three scenes above are footage of the previous alien attack as seen in Battle School.

JT: Harrison Ford is the school commander. He's really basically just the principal.
James: With this and 42 Harrison Ford is making a comeback into major film.

JT: Wierdest looking... space station...ever. It looks like an Apollo lander tipped sideways.

JT: Whoa, that is dizzying. That there is the "battle room" where the intramural laser tag takes place. The triangles are just obstructions for the purpose of dodging.
James: This slightly reminds me of Tron: Legacy, plus battle room type scenes usually turn out being very fun to watch.

JT: This looks like the cockpit of a galactic fighter jet. This is an alien invasion movie anyway.

JT: Ender joins team lizard? He gets bounced around and is later given team Dragon to lead.

 JT: Random kids in the team dorm staring at Ender.

JT: Ben Kingsley has arrived. It's up to the movie to explain what he is doing. If my guess is correct, Kingsley is involved in an important twist.

James: Kingsley has some crazy tattoos, his backstory should be interesting.

JT: I do not know who those characters are or where they are. It's one of the places that exploded during the galactic warfare.
James: Impressive visuals, hopefully they did not blow their budget on the trailer.

JT: In the book there is one girl on Ender's team. Yes, they have a friend-zone thing going on.
James: Even though Butterfield and Steinfeld are the same age (15-16), Steinfeld looks much older, at least from the trailer. The possible kind of romance thing might seem extremely awkward and fake.
JT: Yep, she's supposed to be older, but then in the original Ender is only six or seven, but they couldn't do that...

JT: Again, Can't say who they are, but the place is the tubes inside battle-school, in which case the people are most likely Ender and his sidekick Bean.

JT: I do not recall that she is part of the story, but it's likely since there is not much reason to create new characters.

JT: No I can't say what's going on, but it appears to be some sort of training.
James: Space baseball, or something kind of similar.

JT: This, I believe, is Ender's sister. He's unwinding on Earth.
James: Good, not a girlfriend, it does look like they could be related.

JT: And here we get some cool intergalactic effects that might remind you of Star Wars...
James: The touch screen kind of thing looks great visually, hopefully it will translate well throughout the film.

JT: Kablooie goes the planet!

What do you think of Ender's Game trailer? Please comment below.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Ender's Game Trailer and Avengers Phase 3: Movie News.

Ender's Game trailer has been release and Doctor Strange film in the works, today on Movie News. Above the trailer for the upcoming film Ender's Game based on a popular late 80s novel and from the trailer, the film could turn out well. Expect a full review of the trailer with JT Friday.

 

Head of Marvel Kevin Feige has given some information on what Marvel Phase 3 will include, which as rumors suggested, a Doctor Strange film. 

This is what he said, “Dr. Strange is something that I talk about often and it’s sort of next up for us to dig into and explore. Our executive producer of Iron Man 3, having done Captain America: The First Avenger and as that was finishing he started working on the bones that would become Iron Man 3, and now that he’s finished with Iron Man 3, he’s working on the bones that would become Doctor Strange. Now that Iron Man 3 is finished, some of our quote-unquote spare time is going to be devoted to trying to crack Strange.”

Doctor Strange is sorcerer supreme of the Marvel, which basically means he is the powerful guy when it comes to magic. Since the previous Marvel, particularly Thor, explained magic as being "Science that cannot be comprehended.", it will be interesting to see where they take his concept. While he is not my first choice for a film adaptation, maybe it will either have a Harry Potter sort of vibe, just less magical, or similar to Thor. As I stated in my "Aragorn as Doctor Strange" post, Viggo Mortensen would be the perfect choice for the role, however he has denied any involvement as of several months ago. Although unlikely, a cameo in Thor: The Dark World would make sense to at least introduce the character to audiences like Hawkeye in the first Thor. Also Alan Fine is said to be the producer. Original source for story.

 

What are your thoughts on the trailer and Avengers news? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for a Star Trek: Overview.

 

 

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