“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” won’t be the only film this fall boasting an array of wacky names. The sci-fi blockbuster “Ender’s Game” will be bringing folks named Ender, Mazer, Hyrum and Bonzo to tell Orson Scott Card‘s futuristic tale of kid killers in space (or something) and as yesterday’s preview of the final trailer suggested, it’s going big or going home.
Well, today is the unveiling of the final trailer, but we haven’t watched it yet, so we’ll leave you to tell us if this looks like a fall highlight. How does Asa Butterfield stand out as the lead? Are Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley appropriately growly? How does the latter’s warpaint look? Can Gavin Hood redeem himself after the colossal misfire of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine“? Are you gonna give this one a shot? Anyway, here’s the official synopsis:
In the near future, a hostile alien race called the Formics have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to find the future Mazer.Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant boy, is recruited to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult challenges and simulations, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military’s next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Mazer Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race.Based on the best-selling, award winning novel, ENDER’S GAME is an epic adventure which stars Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, with Abigail Breslin and Harrison Ford.
“Ender’s Game” orbits a theater near you on November 1st. Watch below.
Leaving aside my very complicated and very personal feelings regarding OSC and this book and the viability of the Enderverse as adapted to the big screen…
I think any promotional campaign for Ender's Game that fails to use "The enemy's gate is down" as its tagline kind of just… thoroughly discredits itself.
@TED – it's really hard to get any actual opinion on actors based on one or two shots through trailer. Especially Breslin being like Stewart – I mean, she was on a screen for 5 seconds!
But it's way easier to judge the film itself by looking at this trailer, especially when you know the book. The book is quite dark and mature and it deals for most of the time with Ender's psyche and his relations with everyone on board – from military officers, to other kids – friends and enemies alike. Oh, and there are simulations. Looks like the movie is all about simulations and Really Tired Harrisson Ford, with some heavy CGI sequences and little on characters.
The last and the most important thing I'm concerned with it's ending. No spoilers here, I just think that you need a good director, with a vision, with the eye for details, not so much focused on CGI and preety-looking set and pieces, but on characters and psychical pressure they're put through. Gavin Hood is not one of those directors, so the "twist ending" not only will be forced and – probably – not surprising, but most of all – without the emotional resonance of original material. Which is sad, because this story has a HUGE potential in the right hands. But looks like there's no right hands in Holly for now..
Darn for non quick time guys found this
http://hollywoodtrailershd.blogspot.com/2013/08/enders-game-final-trailer.html
It is just me or is everyone's acting in the trailer really weak? I thought Scorsese brought out a lovely performance by Butterfield in Hugo, but here his acting seems very forced and the line delivery cadence is odd.Viola Davis and Ben Kingsley, both fantastic actors, seem really stilted here. Abigail Breslin seems almost as bad as Kristen Stewart here. Harrison Ford is the only actor that's passable in this trailer, but that's just because he's playing his usual "Harrison Ford" role. Granted these are just snippets and maybe it will be fine in the end, but I think the acting seems really bad here. Maybe Gavin Smith just sucks at directing because everyone here can act. Am I the only one who thinks this?