Metrics
Genre:
Sci-fi, Thriller, Coming-of-age
Rating:
8.5/10
Audience:
Kids, Adults. Sci-fi fans. Pretty universal.
Rewatch Time:
The first time is the most important, but it’s really entertaining for 2h.
Winner:
Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield)
Review
Can I just say, SUPER underrated movie. Let’s set the record straight - plotwise, we have the novel by Orson Scott Card to thank, and it is SPECTACULAR. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more compelling sci-fi plot than this one. The conclusion alone is worthy of classifying the whole movie as a thriller. Then the acting; Asa is wonderfully expressive as the young Ender (his voice cracks are especially emotive), and Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff is pretty great to watch too. Petra (Hailee Steinfeld before she was famous), Valentine (Abigail Breslin) and Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley) are both also pretty great supporting characters. The technology and word-building of the future - the space stations and battle room in particular - is beautiful, and the score and direction (zooming into Ender’s eyes a lot) really helps develop the emotion of the characters.
Spoiler Territory
THAT ENDING. Definitely one of the best endings in movie history. And the expression on Ender’s face is definitely powerful enough to capture just how terrible his realization felt. The buildup to the final scene, with the Mind Game and whatnot, was all done pretty well, and the pressure definitely progressed in a way that kept the stakes higher than ever. Plus, the battle room scenes are just the most fun ever.