I'm glad I never read the books

Rating: 9/10 (21 January 2014)

Because after reading the bad reviews here, there seems to be a common complaint that it didn't follow the book closely enough. I've been disappointed by several movies lately so I'll review one I liked.
Great CGI for starters. Next, it's great to see some clean shaved youths with hair on their heads and not on their faces. I loved Hugo last year and didn't make the connection that they both starred Asa Butterfield. I did make the connection between Asa and Pee Wee Herman. I'll admit I like Pee Wee, and even though Ender is nothing like him, they sure look alike.
I despise Military movies where someone is always shouting stupid orders and abusing those under them. In Ender's game, you get that early on but even after being abused, when Ender get's to be in charge of others, he treats them with respect and caring. Refreshing. The twist near the end where the last war game was for real was clever. Harrison Ford was a perpetual frowner and as the movie progressed I accepted how that made him interesting. He was a troubled leader, short on time, and wanting to save mankind. Also interesting was labeling Ender as special from the beginning. It made it difficult for him to function with others until he wins their respect and friendship.
Compare Ender's Game to "12 Years a Slave" which the Academy will probably give some awards to because it's an "important" movie. I don't need to see black people being whipped and mistreated 150 years ago. We all learned about that long ago and wish it never happened. I much prefer to be entertained with a a nice piece of Sci-Fi eye candy.