Ender's Game

ACTION, ADVENTURE

Theoretical Warfare

7.75 out of 10 | Movie or DVD

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Rated: PG-13  Thematic material, some violence and sci-fi action
Release Date: November 1, 2013
Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes

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Director: Gavin Hood
Writers: Gavin Hood, based on the novel by Orson Scott Card
Cast: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Aramis Knight, Moises Arias

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SYNOPSIS: The International Military seek out a leader who can save the human race from an alien attack. Ender Wiggin, a brilliant young mind, is recruited and trained to lead his fellow soldiers into a battle that will determine the future of Earth.

REVIEW: Gavin Hood, director of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, returns to the big screen after a short stint working for the small screen. Adapting the work of Orson Scott Card, Hood brings Ender Wiggins to screen at the perfect time.

50 years after an alien invasion by the Formic, Earth's military dedicates itself to enhancing its strategic preparedness to combat future extra-terrestrial threats. The International Military focuses on recruiting brilliant young boys and girls to train in the arts of war. Third child Ender Wiggins (Asa Butterfield, Hugo) follows in the footsteps of his older sister Valentine (Abigail Breslin, The Call) and his older brother Peter (Jimmy Pinchak, Let Me In). Competing to get into Battle School, Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford, 42) takes interest in Ender and pushes the young boy as far past his limits as he can. When Ender excels at all his schoolwork and tactical training, Graff promotes Ender to the orbiting space station for Battle School. Disliked, mistrusted or envied by the other 'Launchees', Ender must do everything he can to win over his fellow cadets. Rising up the ranks, Ender eventually finds himself face-to-face with endless simulation battles between the International Military and the planetary defenses of the Formic homeworld. Will Ender and his misfit squadron beat the Formic in a final simulation in order to graduate? And will they eventually be ready to face the true threat?

Based on the worldwide sci-fi bestseller novel 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card, this adaptation remains as faithful as possible to the original story. Reading the novel as an adult, I have a greater appreciation for the story Card was telling. Not just a story of kids battling each other for supremacy in a academic school system – a la the Harry Potter franchise. Sure, the fate of the world between wizards and Muggles was threatened by Voldemort, but Ender's included the added components of having to save an entire planet from annihilation.

A sci-fi classic by Orson Scott card, 'Ender's Game' is the most accessible of the Enders stories for reading. As a series goes on, it gets more philosophical and deep. Cards later works, including 'Speaker for the Dead', 'Xenocide', and 'Children of the Mind', start to rival Frank Herbert's 'Dune' in terms of religion, philosophy, and exploration of xenomorphic entities. At the center of all the stories in the series, Ender struggles with is own nature, the solitary life he is forced to lead, and the choices he must make.

Ender's Game boasts a fine cast including Harrison Ford as Graff, Viola Davis (The Help) as Major Gwen Anderson, and Ben Kingsley (Iron Man 3) as Mazor Rackham. On the younger side Abigail Breslin plays Valentine, Moises Arias (The Kings of Summer) plays Bonzo Madrid, and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) plays Petra. But the jewel of the crown in casting is that of Ender, played by Asa Butterfield. He is not the normal the muscular and chiseled adolescent protagonist. His portrayal is wide-eyed with innocence, all the while struggling with his dual nature of violence and empathy.

On the strategic and tactical side Ender's Game uses wonderful CGI and wire work to bring to life scenes most integral to the story. From the zero gravity Arena at Battle School, to the mountain lake and skiff on Earth, to the captured forward Formic outpost that the International Military uses as a base of operations to plan assaults on the Formic homeworld. Ender's Game is a mirror of the book. The final simulated battle between the International Military and the Formic armada is rendered in beautiful detail with military precision. It is a sight to be seen, especially in IMAX.

Fans of Orson Scott Card's original and revised work should be thrilled at the adaptation to the silver screen. Now is the time when movie magic FX can tell this tale in grand style. For those who have not read the book, they will find enjoyment in every surprising twist or turn. Ender's Game is a superb sci-fi daylight, grounded in the mind of a young man on the precipice of greatness.

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The Dictator

Aladeen for Business

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Rated: R  Strong crude and sexual content, brief male nudity, language and some violent images
Release Date: May 16, 2012
Runtime:  1 hr 23 mins

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Director: Larry Charles
Writers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel, Jeff Schaffer
Cast:  Sacha Baron Cohen, Jason Mantzoukas, Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris, Chris Parnell, John C. Riley

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SYNOPSIS: Supreme Leader Aladeen of the North African country of Wadiya travels to New York to address the United Nations and ends up double-crossed and homeless by his closest advisor.

REVIEW: Director Larry Charles. a long-time collaborator with Sasha Baron Cohen who directed both Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Kazakhstan and Brüno, returns to take charge of Cohen's latest project as the misunderstood dictator of the small oil-rich North African country of Wadiya. Written by Cohen, and EuroTrip writers Alec Berg, David Mandel, and Jeff Schaffer, Cohen scraps the faux-documentaries of his past in favor of a scripted story.

Admiral General Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen, Hugo) has grown up from an early age as the dictator of the coastal oil-rich North African country of Wadiya. Undeterred by the United States of America's mandate to search the country for weapons of mass destruction, Aladeen travels to New York City with his advisor Tamir (Ben Kingsley, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) to address a session of the United Nations. When an assassination attempt on Aladeen's life fails, he finds himself without a beard and outside his entourage. In fact, a stand-in has taken Aladeen's place and is scheduled to act as a puppet to sign a democratic constitution in three days. The real Aladeen must endure the companionship of feminist, eco-friendly, vegan grocery story and caterer entrepreneur Zoey (Anna Faris, What's Your Number?) and former Wadiyan Head of Nuclear Science Nadal (Jason Mantzoukas, Baby Mama) in order to get an opportunity to switch back with his double and regain control of his country.

A fan of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Kazakhstan, but not a fan of Brüno, I went into the theater unsure of what to expect from Sacha Baron Cohen's latest effort. His first large scale scripted film that follows in the same style as Borat and Brüno, Cohen takes on the bigoted, power-hungry role of Supreme Leader Admiral General Aladeen of the North African country of Wadiya. Cohen takes his role of dictator seriously - seriously funny. He is so ludicrous in his perception of his kingdom and the world outside his kingdom, its at times hilarious. He is so enamoured with himself that he thought it a good idea to change over one hundred forty words in the Wadiyian to English language dictionary to his name. So when you go to the doctor to hear the results of an HIV screening, the results could be Aladeen or Aladeen. And when his nuclear head scientist doesn't understand Aladeen's argument to make the nuclear warhead pointy at the top, he gives his security detail the throat-cutting high sign to have the man executed, in the most silly evil dictatorial way he knows how.

When a scripted effort, Cohen surrounds himself with a cast of capable supporting players. Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley emotes minimalism with his understated portrayal of Aladeen's second in command with aspirations of selling the nation's oil reserves for his own ends. Anna Faris brings her bubbly wide-eyed ideals to her granola, vegan, unshaven pit role of Zoey. Chris Parnell provides the blow-by-blow color commentary of the dictator's actions at home and abroad from behind a news desk.  The head of Aladeen's security while in Manhattan, played by John C. Reilly, wears a earbud and his hatred for everything un-American on his sleeve, to comic effect. Jason Mantzoukas, who plays the former Wadiyian head nuclear scientist Nadal and current Wadiyian patriot who just wants to build a uranium-filled bomb, plays well with Cohen's Aladeen, especially when they take a tourist helicopter flight around the city. And Cohen entertains us with a duel role of both the misguided dictator Aladeen and an even more ignorant and naive shepherd-turned-body double Efawadh.

The story seems to serve as a reason for Cohen to embody a man who can rant about the inferiors and about Americans and American politics in general. Cohen's Aladeen does may some relevant and compelling arguments as to the parallels of democracy and dictatorships. Of course, those arguments come between full frontal male nudity and comments about dirty lesbians. But there is a shell of a romance in there as well. For an iron-fisted leader of a nation, Aladeen is a man with impossible wealth and no restrictions who really just wants to cuddle. All the money in the world may get Megan Fox (and many others) into his bed, but that money will not fill up the loneliness in his heart. Faris' Zoey may win his heart because of her ideals and her no nonsense approach to dealing with Aladeen and his idiosyncrasies.

The Dictator is a silly and raunchy exploration how some Americans see parts of the world and how some of the world see the United States. If you are a rabid fan of Sacha Baron Cohen's work and personas, The Dictator is a film for you to put on your 'to see' list. I found myself laughing in spite of myself. Some of the jokes land like a SCUD missile, but others 'paint' the funny bone like laser-targeted bunker busters!   

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WORTH:  Matinee or Rental

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Ain't No POTC
[Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina]

Finally over illness and various personal and business trips... I was able to get back on my normal schedule of movie-going. With the official start of the summer movie season revolving around the Memorial Day holiday weekend, we can look forward to plenty of pickings during the hot months when the lure of the ocean breezes and sandy beaches cannot compare to the siren song of a cool movie theater.

SYNOPSIS: A street orphan catches the eye of the King of Persia and is adopted. Growing up, Dastan becomes a worthy prince and warrior. He aids his brothers as they storm the Holy City of Alamut in search of the forgers who have been secretly supplying Persia's enemies with weapons. After being accused of killing his father during the victory banquet, Dastan teams up with Alamut's Princess Tamina to clear his name and unravel the mysteries of the dagger that holds the powerful Sands of Time.

Disney Studios look again to the past to discover another possible franchise for the future. Looking at the video game series, Prince of Persia, Disney takes its cue from the Ubisoft developed 2003 three-dimensional action platform Prince of Persia game. The movie strips much of the background story of the game into the most critical components of the movie, namely the lead character, a princess, a powerful dagger and the Hourglass of Time.

Jake Gyllenhaal comes off a strong performance in "Brothers" to bulk up for the lead, Dastan, in "Price of Persia. Known to plunge into battle and combat without thought, Dastan has grown into an accomplished warrior of Persia. But faced with the beauty of Princess Tamina, played by Gemma Arterton coming off her "Clash of the Titans" performance, Dastan flounders. Both Dastan and Tamina are strong duty-driven characters, but both also show a softer side once one can find a crack in the proverbial armor of the other.

The story runs down two paths, one of Dastan being accused of murdering his father and trying to find the true killer, the other of Princess Tamina trying to reclaim the Dagger of Time that Dastan had picked up as a spoil of war in order of fulfilling her sacred, entrusted duty. Of course, there are adventures along the way which allow Dastan to show his swordplay and acrobatic skills, as well as situations that allow us to catch glimpses of Princess Tamina in different flowing garb.

The story is not going to be the next "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, regardless of the period date of the film, the ensemble of the cast, or the likeability of the characters. Jake Gyllenhaal is ripped and endearing, if not memorable. Gemma is gorgeous and talented, even though her character is not pushed to far. Alfred Molina takes an almost unrecognizable turn as Sheik Amar, a entrepreneur trying to ilk out a desert ostrich gaming living without having to pay taxes to the Persian "Man". Ben Kingsley turns in an always solid performance as the king's brother and counsel and trusted Dastan's uncle.

One of the problems of the film is that in order to make such a grandiose film, much CGI had to be done for the action sequences. Where the effects work is when Dastan uses the Sand of Time triggered from the dagger. Where it succeeds less is where it is used for added battle sequences, adding more soldiers to a scene, or adding real soldiers to a CGI environment. I would rather have more practical action sequence that really let you be a part of the action, instead of being distracted by it.

"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" is good enough a film for a Summer distraction and popcorn movie, but the hourglass of its success as a franchise is probably already running out.

Worth: Matinee