Ender's Game

In the aftermath of a catastrophic alien attack which almost destroyed the Earth, quiet but fantastically intelligent young school boy Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas) is pulled out of school and recruited by the International Military, run by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford). He is torn away from his family and taken to a battle school in the Earth’s orbit, where all the best most elite children are taken for advanced military training. This training involves mastering increasingly difficult war games in order to prepare the human race for the next alien attack by forming an army made up of “a new kind of soldiers”. Under the guidance of the International Fleet Commander and war hero Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), Ender must use his strategic skills to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle, and become the much needed saviour of the human race.

Based on Orson Scott Card’s best-selling novel, Ender’s Game is an action packed, futuristic sci-fi with a military space theme. It is a great example of blockbuster film making, including spectacular spaceship battles and zero-gravity space wars, as well as some truly breath-taking shots and a thought provoking psychological subtext. Whilst being entertaining and engaging, this film raises some real philosophical and moral questions. Even if you don’t agree with its underlying politics, writer-director Gavin Hood (X-Men: Wolverine) has created a spectacular film with great special effects and a superb cast who really bring the story to life.

Jacqui Gill