Flatline

Rating: 6/10 (23 February 2014)

Ender's Game is a prime example of a screenplay adaptation failing to complement the book through lack of story. Now, I don't mean to sound harsh, we all know that a book to movie translation is hard work and never as good as we expect, but here there was absolutely no tension. The story is about a young boy trained to lead an army against the alien race that threatens earth, and save the world, you would expect some nerve wracking, blood pumping anxiety to splash the screen occasionally through character interaction and emotion, but there is nothing. It was critically missing that X-factor that would've breathed life into the tale.
The actors are all well seasoned and can deliver a line but the emotion in this film was lackadaisical. They didn't ever truly get stirred up. And the script was written in a way that went out of their way to explain things that really didn't need an explanation. Also, it was cheesy the way they gave back-story or explained things to other characters. You could tell it was more for the audience than the characters.
The age bump was necessary for the screen but it took away from the innocence of the characters. They came across as wimpy or whiny when they were just supposed to be young and inexperienced. And not to mention the lack of the character Valentine. (Ender's Sister for those of you who are not to sure who I'm talking about) She played a big role in shaping who Ender was and what he did, but in the movie you see her in three short scenes and it fails to portray the bond the two siblings shared.
The movie just came across as dead to me for the most part, and borderline boring but it wasn't all bad; The graphics were amazing and the actors were (for the most part) in tune with their character. And the story, as basic as it was, was entertaining. It didn't push the boundaries of movie making or character development but you won't walk away halfway through. I give Ender's Game 5.8/10 for stunning visuals and an all star cast but no more for lack of usage of such valuable assets.