The movie adaptation of Orson Scott Card's 1985 novel Ender's Game was in the works for a long time. But when it was released in 2013, it fell flat and fans of the book had many problems with it. Although the cast has many acclaimed actors including Viola Davis, Hailee Steinfeld, Harrison Ford, and Asa Butterfield, audiences just didn't like it. From changes made to the main characters to the general look and feel of the battle scenes, Ender's Game was a flop.
Ender's Game tells a fairly devastating story about children going into battle and experiencing violence, and yet the movie didn't portray this serious subject properly. What are the differences between the book and movie, and why do fans feel so let down by the Ender's Game film adaptation?
What Is Ender's Game About?
Ender's Game is about Andrew Wiggin, who goes by Ender (Asa Butterfield). In the future, the International Fleet forces children who are considered to be more intelligent than others to battle a group of aliens who threaten the Earth. Major Gwen Anderson (Viola Davis) and Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) think that Ender is special and put him in Battle School. From there, Ender is tested physically and mentally, and getting hurt is a common occurrence.
There are some sci-fi movies with no human characters. And while there are definitely lots of humans in Ender's Game, the movie doesn't tell audiences much about each person, which leaves a lot to be desired.
Ender's Game ends with the main character learning that the Formic aliens who everyone thought were so threatening weren't going to take over Earth at all. Ender almost dies and is able to survive, but since the movie doesn't have much emotion to it, audiences don't feel like they have been taken on a journey.
Like The Hunger Games, which is getting a prequel, Ender's Game is about children who are put into horrible and unimaginably violent situations. No child should have to go into battle or be part of a war, and yet Ender has no choice here.
What Is Ender's Game Based On?
Ender's Game is based on the 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card which is very popular. In the book, his brother, Peter, treats him horribly and hurts him all the time. His sister, Valentine, is much kinder. The book tells a similar story to the movie. However, there are some major differences, including the ending. Like many sci-fi movies that are based on books, it was necessary to make some changes. But most fans agree that these changes made the film much worse.
When the Ender's Game book wraps up, Ender has spent a lot of time as the leader of a new planet, and he has written a book called The Hive Queen about what he has experienced. The movie changes this slightly and has Ender deciding to go to another planet.
What Did The Movie Get Wrong About The Story?
While sometimes there can be a lot of hype surrounding a movie adaptation of a popular book and that can make it feel lackluster, the Ender's Game movie got the story completely wrong. And people were right to prefer the book to the movie. It's a very surface-level adaptation that leans into the battle scenes and wants to impress with its Battle School, but instead, feels lackluster.
The main issue is that there is a lot of emotion in the book. This is particularly true of the interactions between Graff and Ender. They are tough to read about but incredibly important to Ender's character arc since Graff is so terrible. And when Ender is ready for the next stage of his journey at the end of the movie, it falls flat. It doesn't feel like he has been on a satisfying emotional journey. He hasn't been given the same character development that he was in the Ender's Game book.
The movie doesn't paint a picture of Ender's feelings about everything that has happened to him. And since he deals with so much trauma from a young age, that's definitely a problem. Unlike the best child characters in horror movies, Ender feels flat. Fans of the book can't help but wish for a more complex depiction of how his past experiences have gotten him to the place where he is today.
Although sometimes things can get lost in translation, it's definitely possible to adapt a book successfully. The movies and TV series based on Neil Gaiman's work are great examples of what's possible. And while some Stephen King adaptations leave a lot to be desired, there are some good TV shows based on King's work. The Ender's Game movie adaptation was promising, but fans will likely keep returning to the book instead.