Go. Not a reproduction of the book.

Rating: 8/10 (2 November 2013)

Rating a book-based movie is always tinted with one's feelings about the book. In my case, reading the first nine books indicates my bias. And yet, leaving the movie theatre, I wasn't disappointed, didn't feel misled or cheated. The essence of the story, the challenges Ender faces, are all there. If anything, moral dilemmas that are only hovered above in the book are in the forefront in the movie, easily triggering a good post movie moral discussion. It's a solid 8 movie, maybe 8.5. Why not more? I have a nagging suspicion that unless you read the book prior to the movie, Ender, Bernard, even Peter and Valentine's characters are flat, not really given an opportunity to show who they are. In Bernard's case, his character is practically rewritten, and it feels as if it was prompted by "let's send an optimistic message about bullies." I don't like it. This feeling was reinforced by the complete omission of the character of Rose the Nose, maybe for fear of an anti-Semitism/racism cry. With more than enough voices calling to boycott the movie as a protest against Orson Scott Card's views, this may have been a reasonable decision. For me, however, there was no chance for a boycott. I love the cast, truly. Viola Davis delivers a strong character I can only admire, respect, and wish her the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Trying to compare the interaction between Hugo and Georges Méliès to the one between Ender and Mazer Rackham led me to nothing. Wonder if there is any interview in which they talk about it. As for Asa Butterfield, this is his third movie that leaves me impressed beyond praises, the other two being Hugo and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Asa's delivery of Ender's character is, coming to think about it, better than the literal Ender. And I don't think I ever felt this way about any other character. With as many appearances as he has, it is surprising that his only win was the Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for youth in film. Maybe it's time it changed. GO!!!