Impressive cast and special effects redeem Ender’s Game

Due to the controversy surrounding Orson Scott Card, author of the novel on which Ender’s Game was based, I feel it is necessary to preface this review with a brief note on objectivity.

Some may be quick to devalue the quality of a work based solely on the personal beliefs of its creator. Justifiably so. Oftentimes, a piece of art may function as an extension of its creator, a medium through which they may voice their personal, possibly controversial, beliefs. However, this is not a hard-and-fast rule; there are many examples to the contrary. As such, it is essential to know that a creator’s personal beliefs and the quality of a work do not necessarily have to coincide and therefore must be judged separately from one another.

If a film exists separately from the author’s beliefs, then said opinions ought not to color any perception of whether the film is good, or well-created. As such, if you are coming into this review expecting a critique based on Card’s personal, political or ethical beliefs, you will unfortunately be disappointed, as I intend to focus solely on how Ender’s Game holds up as a film, on its own merits, rather than as an extension of Card himself.

Now, that being said, what is this movie that warranted such a preface? What is Ender’s Game, and is it any good?

Ender’s Game is a sci-fi action-adventure film, set roughly 100 years in the future. The film tells the story of young Ender Wiggin, a child prodigy and certified tactical genius. Following a devastating war with an alien race called the Formics, the governments of the world apparently recognized the need for bona fide war heroes, should the Formics ever return. To this end, the Battle School is created for the training of such future heroes.

Ender, recognized as being extremely promising, is whisked away to Battle School, wherein he faces bullies, mock battles and odds which are perpetually and purposefully stacked against him.

Along the way, he struggles with recognizing who he is, connecting with friends in the academy and dealing with his intended “purpose:” leading the human race against the Formics in battle.

The film’s premise is nothing particularly groundbreaking. The story of a child prodigy going to an extraordinary school and dealing with a “destiny of greatness” has become incredibly common in recent years (see: Harry Potter). The common trope of the child overcoming over-the-top bullies is one of the oldest in storytelling, period. Even the concept of the Formics, humanity’s alien foe, feels oddly similar to older works, such as Starship Troopers; both cases feature not only the demonization of an extraterrestrial foe, but the implication that perhaps blame doesn’t necessarily rest where it may appear

(It doesn’t hurt that the Formics and the Arachnids of Starship Troopers are notably similar in many ways, which fans of the genre will likely pick up on).

Conceptually, every aspect of the film’s plot is tried-and-true. This is somewhat excusable, if only for the fact that the novel itself was highly influential to the sci-fi fantasy genre, and was written roughly 20 years ago; as a result, other storytellers have drawn influence from Ender’s Game in recent years, making Ender’s more basic plot somewhat predictable. However, excusable though it may be, the story’s age does show through the cracks. If audiences are hunting for Shyamalan twists, they would be better off looking elsewhere (preferably not to a Shyamalan movie).

However, while its story may be basic, where the film undoubtedly excels is in its presentation.

Ender’s Game comes packing an All-Star cast, featuring such greats as Harrison Ford (Star Wars, Indiana Jones), Asa Butterfield (Merlin, Hugo), and Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List, Iron Man 3). Ford steps into role as Colonel Graff, the gruff, brutal, yet supportive head of the Battle School and Ender’s primary pseudo-mentor figure. Kingsley plays the enigmatic Mazer Rackham, war hero of the human race and symbol of what Ender must become.

Both actors give excellent performances, stepping into the respective roles of their characters perfectly; Ford, in particular, brings stellar work to the table; despite his character’s large role in the events of the film, his character appears surprisingly little. Yet, in that time, Ford manages to capture not only Graff’s initiative and determination, but also a great deal of inner conflict and issues of conscience; he really works beyond the script and brings a lot of life to his role.

The main event, though, is Ender himself, played by Asa Butterfield. Admittedly, I was worried about this character, going in. Ender is, by his nature, a very complex, yet introverted character; much of his character development takes place in his head, as he is forced to mentally cope with extremely brutal, even cruel, circumstances.

As such, the actor who plays Ender much be able to capture a lot of feeling while not being able to say or actively do very much. While such a feat is certainly possible, performances like that are typically only given by seasoned greats, and, I feared, were well beyond the ability of child actors, who are simply too lacking in experience or ability.

I do hereby stand thoroughly corrected. A child actor is more than capable of exhibiting such talent. Or, at the very least, Mr. Butterfield is. While admittedly minimalist, Butterfield perfectly captures what Ender is as a character, conveying so much emotion and conflict just in his eyes; that’s not to say he’s over-the-top with wide-eyed wonder, or teary eyed sadness, but rather, his impassivity manages to convey far so much emotion while exhibiting none. When Ender suffers, audiences will feel his suffering; when he gets angry, audiences will feel his anger.

Granted, the performance isn’t perfect. Numerous times throughout the film, lines will be delivered so flatly that it will be obvious that they were read off of a script, and, sometimes, the impassive look on Butterfield’s face will get grating, making one want to shake the kid and get him to say something. However, these issues may have more to do with the script of the film itself, which, while true to the book, feels a bit like it was trying too hard to remain true to the book. The dialogue was written 20 years ago; naturally, its going to feel stiff by today’s standards.

The effects of the film, as expected of a big-budget Hollywood extravaganza like this, are gorgeous. The futuristic look of the Battle School feels like something out of the best sci-fi stories, and the well-choreographed battles are ripe with the wonderful combat, explosions and other goodies one wight come to expect from a modern sci-fi film.

Although, the film does suffer a little bit in the effects department. Perhaps it’s the lingering impressions of Gravity in my head, but the effects look a bit too much like CGI for my liking. While not a huge complaint, the campy polish of nearly every set in the movie feels a bit too much like a Hollywood job; you will never feel like these locations are real. And the space scenes (again, I may be spoiled by Gravity) look equally cheesy, in some parts.

However, despite looking undeniably fake, they don’t feel any less grand; from the tight confines of the school to the open terrain of the battlefield, the film manages to awe with sets that are a joy to behold. Even the fakeness manages to fit in with the tone of the piece, highlighting the fakeness, lies and sterility of Ender’s environment; it may not look real, but in the eyes of the characters, it’s not supposed to be real.

While there are some issues with the scripting and effects, Ender’s Game holds up remarkably well. Its story, while dated, remains solid. Its cast brings stellar performances to the table, and the effects, while too CGI-looking for my liking, look fine and are a good match for the story the film strives to create.

While not a game-changing blockbuster, Ender’s Game comes out as a fun movie and a worthy addition to the Sci-fi cinematic library.

Overall rating: 3.5/5