What I think of Ender's Game and issue that have with it. Part 1: The unfortunate Implication

Today I just want back from seeing Ender's game at a drafthouse. It was somewhat fun although I really did not enjoy the first half of the movie. Now, I got late so I totally miss the early part where they explain about Ender's game universe so I might be incorrect at some part.

To summarized: Ender's Game was a story of a boy name Ender Wiggin(Asa Butterfield) who got enroll into some Nazi child soldier boot camp in space. There he was train to become a super armchair commander to flight horde of Hive-mind Alien while fighting real battle with bullies.

As I said earlier, I did not like the film in the first half where they shown Ender got bullied, and see Harrison Ford(which play Colonel Gaffe, Ender's supervisor) became manipulative asshole. But I think the film gets better as it progress as Ender (unrealisticly) learn to become a leader. After that, well... there are some zero gravity fight, Ender fight bully in the shower, some space battle and slight plot twist. Good, but nothing worth thinking over.

The acting is pretty good though, slightly better than most sci-fi standard.

Now I understand that this is probably one of the most beloved sci-fi book so most fan will probably hang me for this. I did not read it and do not have any plan to do so. But I got lot of things I don't like in the film that I feel worth discussion. I will try to focus my thought on the film but in time I might accidentally veer into bashing the book. My apologies if you don't like what I think, but I will stand by my idea.

Here we go, the list of stuff I don't like about Ender's game:

--Spoiler Alert!!----

1) The comparison between Alien and (what author thought) of standard US enemy(Imperial Japan, communist, Muslim, etc.) This is very obvious. And the way that they way that the film treat this issue is somewhat half-heart. In the 98% of the movies we got feed with information that they are bad and they must be destroy, blah, blah.... Good enough for typical Sci-fi.

And in the end, after exterminate them, Ender knows that they might not be bad. Then he make understanding with Alien Queen before he take their last eggs and fly off into horizon to find them a new home. While this probably sound like 'peace' promoting story, I got the exactly opposite message. I message that I got from the film is:

"You can understand your enemy only AFTER you massacre billion of them."


How couldn't I think it that way? Peace and understanding without conversation is a neat idea. But since it came in around last ten minute, it make me wonder if the writer didn't think it through and just put it in to make a good twist. Not to mention that Ender adjust his mood from moping to 'Messiah mode' rather quick. Make him rather a Mary Sue and a apology to mass murderer.

And for the Alien, their only role is to serve as plot device and a base for Ender's moral. Not even a character.

Which I saw in Gundam 00 first, without xenocide part[1].

2) The way the film treat military as a whole.  They try to Military look brutal but effective. All I see is stupidity. All their strategy is depend on Ender, some random kid from nowhere. They treat Ender like the Chosen One from the start. Even before he was send to school. All he need to do is beating a bully and laugh at Harrison Ford. No body got that privilege in real life. Not that quick in the matter of war.

The way they treat their trainee is even worst. The military track their activity(especially Ender) whether they eat or sleep like a creepy stalker. They block e mail and train Ender by manipulate event around him. What is this? A Patriot act in space. Even worst, they promote competition to extreme which I don't think it's effective. Little competition is good but it should come after building team spirit and discipline. Otherwise it will create tension and jealousy among member which manifest in from of Bozo, Ender's bully senior.

And they watch two boys duke it up with this face[2].

And this lead to next part,

3) The way the film treat bully issue. It was too cheap and easy. While this normally lead to suffer and death, the film treat it as another step to badass. When bully happen in this film, no adult in this seems to care and thought of it as 'test of character'.  Fantasy character like Ender  might beat them it into scrap and 'accidentally' kill on of them with no consequence, but it never been that easy in real life. Not everyone survive a bully process, especially in a place like military.

They will either:

A) Been abused until they give up or suicide
B) Gotten rape, maybe by more than one proprietor.
C) Both.

If you don't believe me, just google 'Danny Chen' or watch 'The Invisible War'

Seiously, look for them[3].

Yes, I know what you thinking. You might think this just the way to train soldier right? Rough on them so they are tough. Please keep in mind that those officer are not even hit their puberty. There are child soldier!

And those horrible stuff they put on them are not even worth the effort. In my mind, Ender is not super strategist that everyone thought to be.

Why? Read on next part.

--End of Spoiler!!----

<To be continued on Part 2>


Image source:

1) Bandai, Gundam 00: A awakening of Trailblazer.
2) Sakae Esuno, 'Mirai Nikki'
3) Chain Camera Pictures, 'The Invisible War' (left picture)
     Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, 'Danny Chen' (right picture)