Spectacular.

Rating: 8/10 (20 February 2014)

Really a jewel among modern Sci-Fi. Great visuals, just enough to look good, but not enough to look abhorrent. Good acting - impressive actors, solid performance. Maybe nothing "hardcore", but they are kids. Ender is a kid. And that is a very good start. Fair music, noticeable right when needed. Could be better, but not all movies are grand movies. And most importantly... something that practically all modern movies totally lack... SENSE! This movie has sense(whether thanks for the original book or not). It has morale, logic, a deep thought about it. And it's not something on the level of Disney drool opera of Avatar scale. Nothing like a big flip off with the purpose of guessing of Promotheos. It's not about victory, it's about the reason for victory. Really something amiss in modern competitive gaming.
What could be better? Perhaps a bit more story escalation. Of course, the whole movie is about the genius rising, but the plot looks too much placeholder. Maybe something else, but can't quite figure any other real issue.
What's important, is that the movie fits it's motto - balance. Tactical, quality approach. It may not be a grand blockbuster, but it's not another stupid Sci-Fi that you will watch for lulz and soon forget. It's a movie that both entertains, becomes memorable and teaches. I give it 8, it may deserve more, it may call for less. But it should stand out above average low-quality designs.