Review of ENDER'S GAME

ENDER'S GAME

 

Science fiction, Orson Scott Card, Harrison Ford, released 2013

 

In the year 2086, a race of ant-like creatures, FORMICS, attacks Earth and is beaten off under the leadership of a military genius named MAZER RACKHAM (Ben Kingsley), but as a cost of millions of human deaths. Humanity then focuses on repelling a second attack. Earth builds a complex educational infrastructure where selected children must devote their lives becoming as good as Mazer Rackham--if possible. Though the formics have not launched an incursion for fifty years, surely one is inevitable and humanity must be ready.

 

ENDER WIGGEN is a student at one of the basic schools. He is exceptional in both academic and physical training, but is constantly being picked on by bullies. When one of the bullies attack, Ender floors him and then continues beating and kicking him even after he is subdued. COLONEL HYRAM GRAFF (Harrison Ford), who has been spying on Ender all along, asks Ender why his counterattack was so vicious. The answer: to prevent future attacks in addition to ending this one. Graff smiles. This is the characteristic he wants in a leader. Ender ends up promoted to the top level battle school and is given a series of simulated battles against the formics, most, but not all, of which he wins. Then comes the final simulation against a massive formic fleet.  But all is not as it seems.

 

As far as I remember, the movie is faithful to the book.  Orsen Scott Card is a devout Mormon, and his novels are said to reflect those beliefs, but I can't see any connection. The movie raises such issues as child soldiers, war in the absence of a clear danger and other problems, and discusses them in a reasonable manner. To what extent should society exploit the few for the safety of the many; how far can a civilization go to defend itself. There are no answers to questions like these. There's a surprise ending, so if you haven't read the book, be careful to avoid spoilers.

      

Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff is a disappointment. Gone are all traces of Han Solo, leaving only a constipated military bureaucrat behind.  Ben Kingsley, on the other hand, plays his role as the cool savant very well.

 

This is a quality film, both from a cinematic viewpoint and as a workout movie, especially for sci-fi fans. There are a few slow spots and a couple of plot flaws (mainly in the development of some of the characters), but in general it's well crafted. It will frequently get your pulse up to a run.  I give it ++++.