Put a sling into it

Rating: 8/10 (20 January 2014)

A very surprising film, about a boy genius who has the adaptability to see within the carnage of war and carry out impossible tactics to win. Armed with a few misfits of his own, he carries on a tradition in his family to becoming the most prominent commander of earth's force fleets. Yet within his training, in his spare time he plays a game board to quell his continuing rage from losing.
However, not all is what it seems in his training academy. Ender (Asa Butterfield) realizes that after his last simulation he finds out that all he has done since his inception to the facility is command actual fleets in war. With the final war being the destruction of the enemy's planet.
With his last promise made to a drone of his enemy he decides to take the only queen in existence to a remote planet where she can be born in an environment suited to her needs. This was also after his promotion to admiral, making him the youngest flight officer in earth's history.
I thought this was a good film, what threw me off was the constant simulations in every station Ender landed on. This was a clue to giving me the answer that his constant training, was actual battle scenarios carried out by him, and his team. A good twist.
What was kind of disappointing, was seeing the Formics last drone talking to ender, the least the makers could have done, was to have them speak telepathically. At even the most minute level to give the ambiance a little more depth. Although the drone's planet was destroyed, it could have told ender what the plan really was. This way some resolve could have been issued even though ender did manage to figure it out himself on a basic level.
I thought the music was good, and the acting. With Harrison Ford any role he plays is always remarkable. Even playing the sadistic colonel for ender, and his squad. What was a bit of a pickup was Ben Kingsley. I hate to say this, but every time I see him in any role, is I can only think about his most famous role. That which was Gandhi. I can never get used to seeing him in any other part.
I give it eight out of ten stars, it was original, fresh, and above all entertaining. For those who like games this is it, and for those who like a good twist, this is it. Highly recommended to those above age 16.