Wednesday 6 January 2016

MPOV: Ender's Game

In the future, humanity is preparing to launch an attack on the homeworld of an alien race called the Formics who had attacked Earth and killed millions. Over the course of fifty years, gifted children are trained by the International Fleet to become commanders of a new fleet for this counter-attack.

Cadet Andrew "Ender" Wiggin draws the attention of Colonel Hyrum Graff and Major Gwen Anderson by his aptitude in simulated space combat. They order the removal of his monitor, signifying the end of the cadet program. Ender is attacked by Stilson, a student he defeated in the combat sim, but Ender fights back and severely injures him. Ender confesses his grief to his older sister Valentine, but is harassed further by their older brother Peter. Graff arrives to reveal he was being tested and is still part of the program. Graff brings Ender to Battle School, placing Ender with other cadets his age, but treats him as extraordinary, ostracizing him from the others.


Among other studies, the cadets are placed in squads and perform training games in a zero gravity "Battle Room". Ender quickly adapts to the games, devising new strategies older students have not yet seen. Graff reassigns Ender to Salamander Army, led by Commander Bonzo Madrid. Bonzo is resentful of the new addition and prevents Ender from training. Another cadet, Petra Arkanian, takes Ender and trains him privately. In one match, Ender goes against Bonzo's orders and works with Petra to achieve a key victory for his army.

The above taken from Wikipedia.

I've not read the book but this movie adaptation is quite interesting. Not sure how to define it but it's entertaining enough. Good plots with creative CGIs to boot. Exciting at some point, I liked that Ender is smart mouth so there's bound to be some drama here :-) Also it felt like exploitation of children just to have them do the man's work to kill a colony of innocent ants. The ending was predictable though... somehow it felt as though they had only 1 chance and that's it. Hmmm... like I said, interesting. 

My rating: 3/5
Directed by Gavin Hood
Casts: Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfield, Viola Davis, Ben Kingsley
Category: a 2013 American science fiction action film based on the novel of the same name by Orson Scott Card

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