Ender's Game

Name: Ender's Game
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Released: November 1, 2013
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 51
Cast: Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Harrison Ford

2013

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 574 Ratings

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6.5

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6.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 574 Ratings

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Ender's Game: Graff Recruits Ender

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Movie Details & Credits

Summit Entertainment | Release Date: November 1, 2013 | PG-13

Starring: Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Harrison Ford

Summary: The Earth was ravaged twice by the Buggers, an alien race seemingly determined to destroy humanity. Seventy years later, the people of Earth remain banded together to prevent our own annihilation from this technologically superior alien species. Ender Wiggan, a boy of only six, may become the savior of the human race. He is separated fromThe Earth was ravaged twice by the Buggers, an alien race seemingly determined to destroy humanity. Seventy years later, the people of Earth remain banded together to prevent our own annihilation from this technologically superior alien species. Ender Wiggan, a boy of only six, may become the savior of the human race. He is separated from his beloved sister and brought to battle school in deep space. He will be tested and honed into an empathetic killer who despises himself as he learns to fight in hopes of saving Earth and his family.… Expand

Director: Gavin Hood

Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Matt Mueller

Oct 24, 2013

Like its hero, Ender’s Game relies on brains more than brute force. An absorbing portrait of Lord Of The Flies-style morality housed in imaginative sci-fi casing. Read full review

Michael O'Sullivan

Oct 31, 2013

Ender’s Game is more than a parable about bullying, or a disquisition on the concept of the “just war.” It’s also a rousing action film, especially in Imax. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Oct 25, 2013

An impressive, thought-provoking astro-adventure that benefits from the biggest screen available. Read full review

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

Oct 22, 2013

It falters once the actual war begins: Ben Kingsley shows up as a Maori warrior with the weirdest imaginable accent, the final battle is uninvolving, and there’s an unconvincing upbeat coda. Ender’s Game ends up being fitfully engaging and endearingly odd. Read full review

Dana Stevens

Nov 2, 2013

I can understand wanting to skip Ender’s Game as a matter of moral principle, but you can also feel free to blow it off just because it’s not that good. Read full review

Peter Keough

Oct 31, 2013

It comes down to this: Which is more important, the innocence of a child or the survival of the species? And if the race survives, will it just become like the enemy aliens that must be destroyed to do so? Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Oct 31, 2013

Ender’s Game, the book, may have a special place in pop-lit. The movie, however, is as special as a migraine. Read full review

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User Reviews

shaund91

Nov 1, 2013

Go into it knowing that some things from the book will be change. That's just how it is for any book to movie adaptation. On its own merits this is a fantastic sci fi movie that I hope will do well enough for them to merit a sequel.

24 of 41 users found this helpful2417

Chaossaber314

Nov 2, 2013

A lot of the negative reviews seem so unsubtly over the top that they are probably tied to the recent Orson Scott Card controversial Gay Rights comments, and likely have nothing to do with the terrific adaptation of a classic novel.

0 of 6 users found this helpful06

Damocles346

Nov 14, 2013

This move is a shining example of how to take a book, and turn it into a movie. A director put in charge of moving the creative vision of a writer from the printed word to the visual medium of the big screen has to be very careful not to change the emotional content of the story, while beingThis move is a shining example of how to take a book, and turn it into a movie. A director put in charge of moving the creative vision of a writer from the printed word to the visual medium of the big screen has to be very careful not to change the emotional content of the story, while being willing to change the sequence, action, and dialog in order for the story to make a good movie. Ender's Game was the height of this art, provoking the same power emotions as the book, staying true to the heart of the characters, all the while taking a complex plot and distilling it down into a 2 hour movie. Well done, sirs, I salute you.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

dharma

Feb 2, 2014

A tame adaptation of the classic novel, and instead lowering its impact to get the teenage crowd. However, Ender's Game has always been geared towards adults and hence the problem. Some great performances by the leads but until the last 10 minutes or so, Ender's Game lost a lot of itsA tame adaptation of the classic novel, and instead lowering its impact to get the teenage crowd. However, Ender's Game has always been geared towards adults and hence the problem. Some great performances by the leads but until the last 10 minutes or so, Ender's Game lost a lot of its punch. Too bad.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

Mattyice

Nov 11, 2013

Enders Game was by no stretch a terrible film. However, it could have been made much better. All of the characters in the tim seemed a bit lifeless, including Asa Butterfield (who plays Ender), who did not seem fit for the protagonist role. Along with the poor casting decisions, the plotEnders Game was by no stretch a terrible film. However, it could have been made much better. All of the characters in the tim seemed a bit lifeless, including Asa Butterfield (who plays Ender), who did not seem fit for the protagonist role. Along with the poor casting decisions, the plot that made the original book so critically acclaimed was completely changed, including the entire ending of the film! That did not make me happy at all.
While there are many things wrong with this film, the one thing that they got right were the SFX, which were bright and engaging.
In the end, this movie could have been made much better if it were not for the poor casting choices and different plot.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

BB_Critic

Apr 30, 2015

Ender's game is directed by Gavin Hood and stars Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, and Ben Kingsley. This movie is based on the book, Ender's Game. The plot involves a young boy named Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) who is asked to participate in a Battle School to train him for the realEnder's game is directed by Gavin Hood and stars Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, and Ben Kingsley. This movie is based on the book, Ender's Game. The plot involves a young boy named Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) who is asked to participate in a Battle School to train him for the real enemies, which are called the Buggers. I personally disliked this film because of it's awful fast-pacing and it's sub-par acting, and the fact that the ending did not make any sense what-so-ever. I am the kind of person who looks deeper into the logic of movies, so if you are the kind of person who can shut their brain off and watch a movie, then you will probably enjoy Ender's Game. By itself, Enders game is an "eh" movie but as a movie adaptation to a book it is just horrible. 4/10… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Elfesness

Sep 27, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is possibly one of the worst sci-fi movies I’ve ever seen, it feels like I’m they dragged one lifeless, emotionless act out to be a whole movie and as many have said before feels like watching a computer game being played that you’re no part of. Full of unhappy kids being forced into child Labour as child soldiers, getting ready albeit being constantly sleep deprived to fight an enemy we know almost nothing about. Somehow Ender ends up to become in command of Americas (where is the rest of the world) fleet and as a side note is the only one who thinks that we should maybe find a way to communicate with the enemy. Like duh that would be a good idea! Constantly being told the others are your competition - because in war you don’t need to rely on your team right? Oh wait no you do.
The only interesting part are the last 5-10 mins when Endet helps the Alien species he was tricked into destroying.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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24	#24 Most Discussed Movie of 2013
63	#63 Most Shared Movie of 2013