Platapus
11-10-13, 08:37 AM
We saw Ender's Game last night. :shifty:
In my opinion, many people who will see this movie will be disappointed.
If you are a fan of the books, like The Frau is, you will be disappointed at how much of the book never made it into the movie. That is one of the problems with books and movies. Not all books can be reasonably made into a movie. The book went into far greater detail on character development and background that was missing from the movie. Books are great at expanding events. I have read books where entire chapters have been devoted to explaining what happens in a few minutes. Books are great at that. Movies are better at condensing events.
This movie did not do a good job at all of explaining what is going on. Part of that is part of the plot schtick at the end, but regardless of the plot snapper, knowing the background is important. Especially, when constructing a plot where only kids know stuff and all the adults are hapless. That takes some explaining. It is not something one just leaves up to the audience to figure out.
If you have not read the books, like me, you will be disappointed at a movie that tries to be a kid's fantasy movie for the first 3/4ths and then tries to, at the end introduce a post-positivist duality/dichotomous study of good/evil.
The premise of the movie is that somehow only kids can save the earth. Not uncommon in a kid's fantasy movie. The adults are in supporting roles and the innate capability of The Kid protagonist is what is needed. Great when you are a kid, a bit hackneyed watching as an adult. I am sure that the book invented some rational for this plot, but the movie did not come anywhere close to explaining it.
Kids will enjoy this movie and will identify with the protagonist. Only the kids know what is going on and the adults simply support them. Adults will be left wondering why of all the billions of people on the earth, only kids are capable of doing things. I don't care how smart a kid is, you don't put them in command of a fleet at the age of 6 (book) or 12 (movie) without some real good reason.
The movie does have wonderful special effects so if that sort of stuff is your sort of stuff, this movie won't disappoint. We saw it in one of those "4D" theaters. The fourth "D" is simply a bass turned way up. Yes, it IS as annoying as that teenager at a stop light with the stereo system cranked up and contributes to the movie experience about the same way. Perhaps the theater did not have it adjusted properly but I found it distracting and I don't think I was the only one in the theater thinking that.
During the move there were some scenes that, in my opinion, were geared toward the marketing of a video game. I suspect that there will be an Ender's Game game out soonest.
The acting was pretty good. Unfortunately, there are only three characters in the movie. :yep:
The Kid - Played by Asa Butterfield. The actor playing The Kid did a very good job. Even if they don't make an Ender's Game part Deux (one can only hope. There are some books that simply are too complex for movies.), I think we will be seeing more of this young actor. He played this part very well. Butterfield is not exactly a newbie. He has been acting for about 10 years and this experience showed. :up:
The Old Guy - Played by Ben Kingsley who for some reason has his face covered with tattoos. This was explained in the movie, but because the music was not potted properly, this explanation was literally drowned out. The Frau tells me that in the books this character's face was not tattooed in the first book so it must be a movie thing. Thanks to the sound, we will never know why or even care. Since he does not do any speaking for any dead in this movie, it is unclear why the director included the makeup in the first movie.
What we do know is that this OG is supposedly the only person who was able to defeat the baddies the first time. What we don't know is why he is not commanding the fleet but instead some kid with zero experience is. :hmmm: The guy with the mostest experience is in the leastest position. :hmmm::shifty: But then Ben is not a kid so there you go.
The Colonel - Played by Harrison Ford. Or to be more accurate, overplayed by Harrison Ford. Poor Harrison. He used to be such a good actor. But recently, his acting seems to be restricted to barely suppressed angst. For this movie, think K-19 without the horrible accent. The Frau tells me that this is also a departure from the book. Col Graff, in the books, is rather cold and emotionless but the Harrison Ford character is anything but. But since he is a supporting character, in this movie, who cares.
Those are the only three characters in the movie. The rest of the cast are either one dimensional extras who are just there to gaze admiringly at The Kid, or two dimensional characters with just enough lines to be either a toady of The Kid, or a nemesis of The Kid, neither of which seems to have much influence on the movie plot. Evidently, the book goes much further into the influences of these other characters. But in this movie, they are simple props. :nope:
I assume that the Hailee Steinfeld character is being groomed for a future romantic roll in Ender's Game part 7 or something. :O:
The good news is that the movie is about 2 hours long. The bad news is that the movie is about 2 hours long. Way too short to attempt to cover the intricacies of the book and too long to build up to a special-effect laden but drama-less "big battle" scene. The end scenes were thought-provoking but honestly in the world of Science Fiction, rather trite. Hardly a unique end plot.
Overall, I give this movie a C+. I did not feel cheated out of my money after watching it. I have no desire to see it again (even for free!). If it were not for the lousy sound, it could have been a solid B. Waiting for it to come out on DVD will increase benefit. At least with a DVD you can stop and review stuff.
But if you are a big fan of the books, you will probably be disappointed. You have to keep in mind that this movie is advertized as being "based on the book by Orson Scott Card". Moves "based on" books are often a disappointment, if you are a fan of the book. Set your expectations to low and you will see a pretty good special effects sci-fi movie. Then you can go back and reread the books. :up:
In my opinion, many people who will see this movie will be disappointed.
If you are a fan of the books, like The Frau is, you will be disappointed at how much of the book never made it into the movie. That is one of the problems with books and movies. Not all books can be reasonably made into a movie. The book went into far greater detail on character development and background that was missing from the movie. Books are great at expanding events. I have read books where entire chapters have been devoted to explaining what happens in a few minutes. Books are great at that. Movies are better at condensing events.
This movie did not do a good job at all of explaining what is going on. Part of that is part of the plot schtick at the end, but regardless of the plot snapper, knowing the background is important. Especially, when constructing a plot where only kids know stuff and all the adults are hapless. That takes some explaining. It is not something one just leaves up to the audience to figure out.
If you have not read the books, like me, you will be disappointed at a movie that tries to be a kid's fantasy movie for the first 3/4ths and then tries to, at the end introduce a post-positivist duality/dichotomous study of good/evil.
The premise of the movie is that somehow only kids can save the earth. Not uncommon in a kid's fantasy movie. The adults are in supporting roles and the innate capability of The Kid protagonist is what is needed. Great when you are a kid, a bit hackneyed watching as an adult. I am sure that the book invented some rational for this plot, but the movie did not come anywhere close to explaining it.
Kids will enjoy this movie and will identify with the protagonist. Only the kids know what is going on and the adults simply support them. Adults will be left wondering why of all the billions of people on the earth, only kids are capable of doing things. I don't care how smart a kid is, you don't put them in command of a fleet at the age of 6 (book) or 12 (movie) without some real good reason.
The movie does have wonderful special effects so if that sort of stuff is your sort of stuff, this movie won't disappoint. We saw it in one of those "4D" theaters. The fourth "D" is simply a bass turned way up. Yes, it IS as annoying as that teenager at a stop light with the stereo system cranked up and contributes to the movie experience about the same way. Perhaps the theater did not have it adjusted properly but I found it distracting and I don't think I was the only one in the theater thinking that.
During the move there were some scenes that, in my opinion, were geared toward the marketing of a video game. I suspect that there will be an Ender's Game game out soonest.
The acting was pretty good. Unfortunately, there are only three characters in the movie. :yep:
The Kid - Played by Asa Butterfield. The actor playing The Kid did a very good job. Even if they don't make an Ender's Game part Deux (one can only hope. There are some books that simply are too complex for movies.), I think we will be seeing more of this young actor. He played this part very well. Butterfield is not exactly a newbie. He has been acting for about 10 years and this experience showed. :up:
The Old Guy - Played by Ben Kingsley who for some reason has his face covered with tattoos. This was explained in the movie, but because the music was not potted properly, this explanation was literally drowned out. The Frau tells me that in the books this character's face was not tattooed in the first book so it must be a movie thing. Thanks to the sound, we will never know why or even care. Since he does not do any speaking for any dead in this movie, it is unclear why the director included the makeup in the first movie.
What we do know is that this OG is supposedly the only person who was able to defeat the baddies the first time. What we don't know is why he is not commanding the fleet but instead some kid with zero experience is. :hmmm: The guy with the mostest experience is in the leastest position. :hmmm::shifty: But then Ben is not a kid so there you go.
The Colonel - Played by Harrison Ford. Or to be more accurate, overplayed by Harrison Ford. Poor Harrison. He used to be such a good actor. But recently, his acting seems to be restricted to barely suppressed angst. For this movie, think K-19 without the horrible accent. The Frau tells me that this is also a departure from the book. Col Graff, in the books, is rather cold and emotionless but the Harrison Ford character is anything but. But since he is a supporting character, in this movie, who cares.
Those are the only three characters in the movie. The rest of the cast are either one dimensional extras who are just there to gaze admiringly at The Kid, or two dimensional characters with just enough lines to be either a toady of The Kid, or a nemesis of The Kid, neither of which seems to have much influence on the movie plot. Evidently, the book goes much further into the influences of these other characters. But in this movie, they are simple props. :nope:
I assume that the Hailee Steinfeld character is being groomed for a future romantic roll in Ender's Game part 7 or something. :O:
The good news is that the movie is about 2 hours long. The bad news is that the movie is about 2 hours long. Way too short to attempt to cover the intricacies of the book and too long to build up to a special-effect laden but drama-less "big battle" scene. The end scenes were thought-provoking but honestly in the world of Science Fiction, rather trite. Hardly a unique end plot.
Overall, I give this movie a C+. I did not feel cheated out of my money after watching it. I have no desire to see it again (even for free!). If it were not for the lousy sound, it could have been a solid B. Waiting for it to come out on DVD will increase benefit. At least with a DVD you can stop and review stuff.
But if you are a big fan of the books, you will probably be disappointed. You have to keep in mind that this movie is advertized as being "based on the book by Orson Scott Card". Moves "based on" books are often a disappointment, if you are a fan of the book. Set your expectations to low and you will see a pretty good special effects sci-fi movie. Then you can go back and reread the books. :up: