Ender's Game

Sonea Fifer · 8 May 2013 at 17:38

Hi there

Is anyone else like me eagerly anticipating the release of Ender's Game on 25/10/2013?

Here's the first trailer:

It's based on the 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card and is without doubt my favourite book - I've probably read it at least a dozen times. Apparently Mr Card had quite a bit of input on the movie so here's hoping they don't **** this one up. It's certainly listing a plethora of A List actors. . . . . .

Dano · 8 May 2013 at 18:04

Well, the trailer certainly gives up a major plot twist for the unread.

Edit: in fact, having re-watched it, it looks like they have completely destroyed the main plot twist in its entirety, can only hope its due to it being a trailer.

Fenris · 8 May 2013 at 19:00

Dano said:
Well, the trailer certainly gives up a major plot twist for the unread.

Edit: in fact, having re-watched it, it looks like they have completely destroyed the main plot twist in its entirety, can only hope its due to it being a trailer.

From what I've heard the reason is that the audience are actually told the "twist" from the start or not that far in, with the child charters being in the dark.

I can kind of appreciate that decision to be honest, I found the ending/twist a bit abrupt and not very well managed in the book, just a "Oh by the way..." and then THE END.

Asa Butterfield has an AMA on reddit atm for anyone interested.

Kutter · 8 May 2013 at 21:47

Ford doesn't look as old in this as he did on TV lately, hopefully we will be seeing the return of Han Solo next year.

Ohh and i can't wait to see this too

Meridian · 8 May 2013 at 22:21

Fenris said:
From what I've heard the reason is that the audience are actually told the "twist" from the start or not that far in, with the child charters being in the dark.

I actually prefer the story as told in Ender's Shadow, and one reason is this: that the actions of the cast are much more significant where you know something that they (mostly) don't. Which leads to an interesting question: in Shadow, but not Game, one child knows. I assume they'll stick with none of them knowing for the film.

Oh yes - the film will almost certainly be bad.

Sonea Fifer · 8 May 2013 at 22:32

Dano said:
Well, the trailer certainly gives up a major plot twist for the unread.

Fenris said:
From what I've heard the reason is that the audience are actually told the "twist" from the start or not that far in, with the child charters being in the dark.

This was my take on it too - hopefully we're right and no spoilers have been given here.

Meridian said:
I actually prefer the story as told in Ender's Shadow

I loved that book too - I'd never heard of an author retelling the exact same story from the perspective of another protagonist, I thought this was a brilliant idea and it's so well put together imo.

Meridian said:
Oh yes - the film will almost certainly be bad.

Don't say that - I'm really looking forward to this!

nst68 · 9 May 2013 at 11:08

Meridian said:
I actually prefer the story as told in Ender's Shadow, and one reason is this: that the actions of the cast are much more significant where you know something that they (mostly) don't. Which leads to an interesting question: in Shadow, but not Game, one child knows. I assume they'll stick with none of them knowing for the film.

Oh yes - the film will almost certainly be bad.

I thought the whole Shadow series was excellent, Bean's development and also incorporated the rest of Enders 'toon.

Really hope the film lives up to the book, so much of it is about Enders development, not sure how that'll translate to movie.

leemk · 11 May 2013 at 08:09

Cant wait for this , i hope his brother and sister play a big part in this as they where major characters in the book .

nst68 · 11 May 2013 at 12:37

leemk said:
Cant wait for this , i hope his brother and sister play a big part in this as they where major characters in the book .

I reckon they'll get left out the film all together.

Random Guy · 11 May 2013 at 13:49

I would love to have high hopes for this....but I struggle to see how they will focus on the non-Ender narrative thread. Didn't watch the Trailer to the end, but it looks like it is more focused on some Tron/Star Wars type mash-up.

marl · 11 May 2013 at 14:57

My perspective is a bit different. I listened to an unabridged audio version of Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead... I absolutely hated them and would rank them amongst the worst I've ever read/listened to...

Meridian · 11 May 2013 at 15:02

marl said:
My perspective is a bit different. I listened to an unabridged audio version of Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead... I absolutely hated them and would rank them amongst the worst I've ever read/listened to...

I have to ask: compared to what? If you did not like them, what books did you like? (I should also point out that, in general, listening to an audio book is a VERY bad way of getting the feel of any piece of literature. Only some comedy survives the transition.)

marl · 11 May 2013 at 15:15

Meridian said:
I have to ask: compared to what? If you did not like them, what books did you like? (I should also point out that, in general, listening to an audio book is a VERY bad way of getting the feel of any piece of literature. Only some comedy survives the transition.)

Compared to most Star Wars, Star Trek, anything by Peter F Hamilton, Alistar Reynolds, Jack Campbell etc..

Perhaps it lost something in audio, but I found the story to be dull and the ending.. well not very believable for me from beginning through to the end.

No1newts · 11 May 2013 at 15:39

I thought the twist was great and would have liked to have seen it in the film.

Though I suppose that would be too subtle for most audiences these days

Fenris · 11 May 2013 at 15:52

nst68 said:
I reckon they'll get left out the film all together.

They are already credited with being in the film, his sister is IN the trailer.

No1newts said:
Though I suppose that would be too subtle for most audiences these days

Subtlety has nothing to do with it, even the book isn't particularly subtle about it.

Like all transitions from book to film, changes are inevitable. You can't tell a 300+ page story exactly the same way in 2 hours of screen time without taking artistic liberties.

Also remember Card is directly involved with the process, he's hardly going to let arguably his greatest work be butchered is he?

No1newts · 11 May 2013 at 18:24

Fenris said:
Subtlety has nothing to do with it, even the book isn't particularly subtle about it.

Perhaps subtle isn't the right word, but it certainly is unexpected and is agreat twist.

Fenris said:
Like all transitions from book to film, changes are inevitable. You can't tell a 300+ page story exactly the same way in 2 hours of screen time without taking artistic liberties.

Also remember Card is directly involved with the process, he's hardly going to let arguably his greatest work be butchered is he?

Fair point, I'll still see it, just a little shocked at how they are not playing (arguably) the books main point the way it was played in the book.

Meridian · 11 May 2013 at 22:41

marl said:
Compared to most Star Wars, Star Trek, anything by Peter F Hamilton, Alistar Reynolds, Jack Campbell etc..

Perhaps it lost something in audio, but I found the story to be dull and the ending.. well not very believable for me from beginning through to the end.

If you put Star Wars and Star Trek above Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead then the audio book must be really bad. And Card is a better writer than Hamilton or Reynolds. It's probably too late to suggest that you read the actual books, because I doubt that will change your opinion.

Castiel · 12 May 2013 at 00:01

Double post.

Castiel · 12 May 2013 at 00:02

I think they are going to totally **** it up. Enders Game and its sequels were a mainstay of my childhood so I am not so sure about this tbh.

marl · 12 May 2013 at 00:40

Meridian said:
If you put Star Wars and Star Trek above Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead then the audio book must be really bad. And Card is a better writer than Hamilton or Reynolds. It's probably too late to suggest that you read the actual books, because I doubt that will change your opinion.

Just goes to show how one man's meat is another man's poison...