Ender's Game:
Now, there has been some controversy around the film due to Orson Scott Card's beliefs about homosexuality and gay marriage. Some have boycotted the film, but I think that isn't fair because Card only served as a producer on the film and the film's plot has nothing to do with Card's personal beliefs and has no ties to the political and social issues of today. I say we should separate the art from its' creator in this instance and judge the film on its' own merits. Ender Wiggin, a young but highly intelligent military academy student, lives in the late 21st century. Years earlier, in 2087, Earth was attacked by an invasive alien species, but due to one military pilot's sacrifice, was able to destroy the horde and keep the aliens at bay. Ender is selected to become a student at an advanced space academy that trains young adults to become experienced soldiers and military tacticians to fight off the alien hordes by remotely piloting battle ships in space. Ender must prove himself a worthy student and soldier while facing some serious moral challenges along the way. The cast is filled with young and old stars alike, including Asa Butterfield (Hugo), Harrison Ford, Viola Davis, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Hailee Steinfeld. Aramis Knight as a supporting role, and Moises Arias portrays Bonzo, an aggressive bully at the academy, and Nonso Anozie plays a sergeant at the space school. The cast do great jobs, especially Butterfield, who again shows off his talents as a young actor. Ford and Kingsley are great supporting characters, who act as mentors to Ender. Initially, I was hesistant to see this film, even with all its' star power. It just didn't appeal to me, I thought it was like Harry Potter meets Hunger Games in space. But when I heard how great the novel was, I figured I'd see it, and I'm glad I did. It was an enjoyable and surprisingly pretty dark sci-fi drama, with a relatable and likeable main character and great supporting cast. The special effects and battle sequences were tense and well-executed. Gavin Hood, despite having mediocre films before (Rendition, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) does a great job bringing OSC's vision to life. Speaking of which, Card makes a voice cameo as a pilot in the film. The music by Steve Jablonksy (known for his work on Michael Bay-produced films, who replaced James Horner for this film) is actually pretty good, and fits the tone of the film. Ender's Game is a thrilling, well-acted, well-written, and entertaining sci-fi film and a fitting adaptation of OSC's novel. 4/5 stars.
(Image: Wikipedia)
No comments:
Post a Comment