Based off a 1985 science fiction novel written by Orson Scott Card, “Ender’s Game” is the dark tale of a how a pre-teen boy is trained (and manipulated) to save all of humanity.
Sounds pretty intense, right? It is. In the world of “Ender’s Game,” genius children are trained via war games to become commanders of armies. Before being admitted to battle school, a small monitor is implanted in the back of each student’s neck, enabling their superiors to “see” each move (physical and emotional) they make. These actions are analyzed to determine their ability to fight, make decisions and even lead. If proven worthy, these children graduate to battle school, in which they participate in simulated battles, play gladiator style games in a zero gravity dome and train in hand-to-hand combat.
Ender Wiggin is one of these children. He is one of three children to Theresa and John Wiggin. We learn through an awkward conversation between Col Graff (Harrison Ford) and the Wiggin’s, that Theresa had to ask permission to have Ender, implying that families are limited to two children. The older two children, Valentine (Abigail Breslin) and Peter (Jimmy Pinchak), were unsuccessful in training school and Ender seems to feel a sense of responsibility to climb the military ranks. In a way, he’s obligated to. The military owns Ender and thus he is pushed and manipulated by Col Graff.
Ender is always the smartest kid in his unit. He thinks tactically and although a bit unapproachable, he is able to rally his troops. His tendency to do whatever it takes to keep the enemy at bay, warrants his promotion to commander. Col Graff is extremely impressed and decides Ender is the child to save the planet from incoming alien creatures called Formics. However, Major Gwen Anderson (Viola Davis) sees things differently. She is the voice of reason (a.k.a the child psychologist) and fears that these children will not be able to put their lives back together once the battle with the Formics is over.
In preparation for war, Ender leads his team through a series of simulations, which look amazing on a theater’s big screen. Ender gives orders like he’s playing an elaborate chess game. Because he can think three steps in front of his enemy, his friends follow his every order, even when it sounds crazy.
Young teen actor Asa Butterfield plays the exceptionally smart Ender Wiggin. He is a bit of a walking time bomb. Although lankier than many of his “classmates,” Ender packs a hard, terrifying punch when he needs to. This tendency to violence only validates his superiors’ theory that he can lead an army. Asa has been in light family friendly movies like “Nanny McPhee” and “Hugo.” This role required Asa to dig deep and find a more primitive side. I’m always impressed to see young actors pull out a surprising performance and that’s what Asa did. If he’s able to continue showing such prowess as he matures as an actor, Asa has a fine career ahead.
Although still in the “family” genre of movies, this film does have moments of violence that you may not want younger children to see. Asa finds himself being bullying many times throughout the movie and reacts in a very brash way. As he explains to his colonel, he not only wants to win that fight but he also doesn’t want to be bullied again.
“Ender’s Game” is not only a sci-fi film, but a film about adolescence and the discovery that morality is not always black and white. In this harsh world where children do not get the chance to be children, Ender searches for truth in a world shrouded in mystery.
