Movie review: Ender's Game (2013)

Movie Summary: Ender's Game (2013)

Asa Butterfield's eye made Hugo. And his eyes are the only redeeming thing of this movie remake of a stunning book. When the action in the film is confined to consoles, all you have is the reactions of the little actors to convey the sheer relevance of the action scenes. Subplots did little to enhance the overall quality of the movie. It's like a mix of Tron with a younger version of a war game.

The story revolves around training Ender to become the commander of the entire fleet of battleships. The goal is to end the war FOREVER. That all sounds good, but Ender is a kid and the war is against another spieces.

The idea of using kids to fight a war... 

My psychological perspective:

The idea of using kids to fight a war is in reality brilliant. Especially if they were trained in this way before they developed appropriate executive functioning neurologically. But the shrink in the movie is right, it will be up to her to put these kids back together. In fact, there are many social developmental theories which point to the importance of appropriate role models and societal rules during these crucial stages of development to shape our decision making processes and our moral view of the world. 

The film is a great reminder that children are just that- children. They should not be asked to do things like killing or fight wars much less wipe out entire species. But there really are child soliders out there in our society- brainwashed to think that killing is ok. Desensitized to empathy for pain.

Topics to talk about with your teenagers

Bullying. Assertiveness. Compassion for enemies. 

My Christian Perspective:

I'm not sure what my opinion is of this film from a Christian point of view. 

Parallels are drawn between God destroying all sin, so that it cannot ever cause a problem again. But this doesn't hold. God didn't destroy us all so we can start again, but he reaches out to each of us individually, and asks us to respond. 

Some are drawing parallels between Ender and Christ. The balance of understanding enemies and defeating them through this understanding. Yes sure, Jesus was put through many different challenges on earth, but these were not to break him. Jesus came first out of love.

Poor
This has not been a useful resource or good use of time.

The movie didn't do the book justice. May be entertaining for 13+ year olds out of sheer boredom from the Christmas holidays and need of aircon in 40+ degrees weather.

As you can see I wasn't the biggest fan. If not for Asa's deep eyes conveying the story, I don't think I would have sat through the film. The storyline was disjointed and did not truly represent the freshness or radical notions the 1985 book would have bought at the time. 

Not my pick of movie to watch this year.