What can I say about the movie Ender’s Game? Besides the fact that it is a wonderfully directed movie, with amazing acting coming from such a young cast? Ender is played by Asa Butterfield who also starred in The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. With his amazing previous performance, I knew this movie was going to be just as good. And low and behold, I was right. Ender lives in futuristic, government controlled world that recruits young teens in a military academy. The government began recruiting young teens after the Formics, an unknown alien race, attacked planet Earth, killing thousands of humans. Teens are recruited to play simulated war games to prepare them for the next unprovoked alien attack and hopefully defeat the alien race that changed their world forever. The government decided to use younger children because they believe the kids can see potential war strategies that adults couldn’t see themselves.
Things are tough for Ender; he is the third child in a world that only allows two per family. He is constantly bullied at school by kids who are threatened by his intelligence and mastery of war maneuvers. And when he goes home, he has to fight off the attacks of his older brother, who is jealous of Ender for being in a school he was kicked out of. Luckily he has the love of his oldest sister Valentine. The audience does not see much of Ender’s parents besides a brief dinner scene; possibly signifying their lack of influence in Ender’s life. But Valentine and Ender have a relationship so exceptional and loving; you can’t help but shed a few tears. Ender is not perfect and has to learn how to manage his intelligence and anger issues if he wants to impress Colonel Graff played by Harrison Ford and Major Gwen Anderson, played by Viola Davis, who believes he is the savior of the human race, and lead a group of teens who refuse to listen to the “new guy.” When I heard about Ender’s Game, I thought okay, this is going to be a cheesy version of The Hunger Games, and these kid actors will bring nothing to the table. I will gladly admit to being wrong and commend the casting director for picking such a cast. At some point during the movie, I forgot the actors could be no more than 16. Gavin Hood, director, did very well taking the audience into the psyche of a young boy who has potential to be written in the history books, but has to deal with being misunderstood, anger issues, and not being prepared for the strenuous tasks that lie ahead for him.