Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Enders Game (2013)

This is topic Enders Game (2013) in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=001993

Posted by Joe Elliott (Member # 4006) on 11-06-2013, 03:24 PM:

Synopsis: Ender is a cadet in a training program to train humans to fight an alien menace that nearly wiped out humanity once. He and the other cadets are being trained to do the unexpected. Ender being the most promising of the cadets.

I have not read the book, but this definately seemed like a chopped up conversion of a book. It appeared so chopped up at tiems, it reminded me of the original theater release of Dune. There were several scenes that referenced things that it seemed the viewer should already know about, but was never shown. There seemed to be so much to the plot that wasn't covered. I don't know how much movie they originally filmed, but like Dune, it looks like it would be much better to wait for the extended directors cut. Or for those with the time on their hands, read the book. The special effects and cinematography were good.

2 1/2 out of 5. Just not really sure how I feel about this movie. It was entertaining, but the obvious missing details were disturbing to me, but then again, I am a bit OCD about things.

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 11-17-2013, 07:46 PM:

The book is actually part of a larger series, but I've never read anything other than just "the book".

Not all good books translate into good movies and this movie is yet another example. You cannot cram all the story elements of a 300+ page book in a sub-2hour movie, so you have to make concessions if you want to keep close to the story.

The result is a movie, that's actually very boring for 90% of the time, you're essentially watching Ender (who's beyond genius and simply cannot fail) going to school... One boring exercise is followed by the other. Most of the characters in this movie, have a depth of cardboard cutouts. Even Ender's character only shows some developments at the very end of the movie.

Personally, I do think it would've better to take some of the concepts and elements from the original story, and come up with a NEW story altogether that better fits a screenplay.

P.S.: I cannot remember those aliens being called "Formics" in the book, in the book they were something like the Bugs or Buggers, which in itself reminded me of Starship Troopers (the book).