Review of Ender's Game (2013) by Daniel F — 29 Apr 2016

A good-looking adaptation of the Orson Scott Card novel, this film tells of the military training endured by a cadre of brilliant teenagers who have been recruited to lead the defence of Earth against alien invaders.

Children are selected because their minds are supposedly more agile and better at processing huge amounts of battle data than adults. There are some disturbing aspects to the basic premise and story about child soldiers and total war.

Possibly because I've read the book, the movie's climax lacked the emotional heft that the filmmakers were going for. Asa Butterfield gives a good performance as Ender, a strategic and tactical genius who leads his fellow teens in their training battles.

I also enjoyed the soundtrack, which did a good job of maintaining a feeling of tension and danger. I think the movie would have fallen very flat without the emotional backing of the score.