HUB Movie Review: Ender’s Game

Story posted January 17, 2014 in CommRadio, Sports by Sofia Westin

There really is nothing like coming back to college and seeing a movie that features a preteen who is much smarter than you will ever be and manages to save humankind...and his name is Ender Wiggin. Welcome back.

You guessed right, Ender’s Game, based on the best-selling novel of the same name, is coming to the HUB near you, serving as the year’s first featured Late Night movie. And what you will see is a lookalike place of Superman’s Fortress of Isolation, lots of CGI (Computer Generated Images), dramatic glares and stares, and, you know, space aliens.

Now, Ender’s Game is kind of like all those other futuristic aliens-attack-the-Earth-and- devastate-everything-including-New-York-cause-that-is-always-the-first-place-to-go---but for kids. Ender is the new Jack from Oblivion, or the new Raleigh Becket from Pacific Rim, but miniaturized. Based on how these other guys did, how will it all end for young Ender? Hmmm.

Ender is played by up-and-coming actor, Asa Butterfield. In the supporting cast you have a bunch of Academy Award nominees and winners. Hopefully he picked up some pointers.

Anyways, the story follows Ender as he is drafted to join the International Military to prepare for the Third Alien Invasion (so they know when it’s coming...did they know when the first one would?), where the commanders find him to be a genius and send him to command school. That’s the basic synopsis. His commanders or trainers, include Mazer Rackham and Colonel Graff. The latter is played by Harrison Ford, and I must say that I was very excited to see him back in space. I can definitely see the older Han Solo as a military administrator.

Though this is an action movie, I’m telling you now: there is a story. It is not lost amid all the explosions—this is not the movie’s driving force, which can oftentimes be the case (The Expendables, for example).

On the Penn State Scale...

1—when Penn State loses a game

2—an 8 a.m class (which are awful)

3—a canceled 8 a.m class

4— free textbooks

5—free Creamery ice cream for a whole year

I would consider this movie a good three and a half. There is lots of action, good actors, fighting, brilliancy and more dramatic stares. Besides, the music just pumps you up even more. Happy watching!

P.S. There is some sort of end credit thing, but it really is nothing special. It’s just some Formic chirping, apparently. If you don’t know what a Formic is, then go watch it!

Sofia Westin is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email sgw5090@psu.edu.