The very first trailer for the Lion’s Gate movie adaptation of Ender’s Game has debuted and… it leaves me uneasy. And that’s perfect.
From this trailer the movie looks to be a by-the-numbers action flick that tells you in no uncertain terms that these kids are being trained to command fleets against a proven alien threat and that Ender is the best amongst them all. (The trailer even ends with Ender lining an entire fleet up… then taking it out in one shot.)
The brilliance of this straightforward approach is that it presents a different reality to you depending on your age and how much you know about the source material.
In the trailer, Ender is portrayed as A Very Special Boy. He’s the most gifted kid in a group of gifted kids that have to use their smarts and skills to save the planet. I’m not sure it’s even possible to set someone up for a more heroic role, and if I was a kid I’d undoubtedly see myself as Ender in a heartbeat. The trailer assists this reaction by having Ender say very little, keeping any specific characterization at bay and making Ender more of a template to insert yourself into.
Seeing the trailer as an adult evokes all the usual excited pulse-quickening reactions that these kinds of trailer do, but it’s overlaid with the unsettling realization that you’re getting excited about seeing children go to war. It leaves you tense and distinctly uneasy, which is a perfect evocation of what the plot of Ender’s Game ultimately ends up doing.
And if you’ve read the book and know what Ender is actually doing in this trailer then that unease ratchets up even more.
The ability to convey a myriad of different stories with one trailer gives you a lot of hope that the Ender’s Game movie is going to be an adaptation that does a great job at staying true to the themes and overall message of the book, even if a few of the details may be different. So far, that’s proving to be the case.
Here are some shots from the trailer. Click for larger versions!
it may be a nit pick, but doesn’t them knowing they are commanding and fighting the actual war, not practicing simulations change the entire tone of the story?
Hey William, I wasn’t led to believe they were changing that based on the trailer. Did I miss something?
[highlight to read spoilery goodness]:
Isn’t it a spoiler to show the MD device used against a planet right at the end of the trailer? People who haven’t read the book won’t know Ender thinks it’s a training exercise.
I loved this book as a kid, but since Orson Scott Card starting writing homophobic Op-Eds and versions of Hamlet that claim homosexuals reproduce by raping children I just feel like I can’t see this film. I can’t in good conscience do anything to support him.
@WilliamP It’s been a while since I read the book, but it always seemed fairly obvious they’d employ their training *eventually.* The great part of the story is twist on how it all unfolds.
Joseph Kony’s movie pick of the year.
@Think About it Kony probably still prefers Now and Then, Here and There. On another note, I really wish they hadn’t shown the ending in this trailer. Even people who have never read the book will not know it’s supposed to be “training” or a similuation when they watch this trailer—because they’ve never read the book. So to them the end will seem real when they go into the movie. Which….well. There you go. No surprise for them; they’ll be expecting it.
@Morgan johnson, not seeing the movie is a completely legitimate course of action, but your comment made me think of an article I read a while back that recommends several options for people who hate OSC’s beliefs but like Ender’s Game and want to see the movie:
http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2013/02/21/1619481/an-ethical-guide-to-consuming-content-created-by-awful-people-like-orson-scott-card/?mobile=nc
It seems to me that when moviegoers are actually in the theater, they will know Ender is in a simulator, so the aftermath of that scene will still surprise.
Here’s the beauty of it – if someone hasn’t read the book, they wont even know that brief flash of a weapon firing is important unless everyone keeps raising a stink over it. Basically, the trailer didn’t spoil anything, because without context it’s just another action shot. You, however, may be spoiling everything.
I taught this book for 10 years, met Card at a book signing and spoke with him for some 20 minutes, plus he signed 2 bags of books, but have to agree with Morgan. And thanks for the link Bittersweet.
Come on people. I agree with ZetaStriker. Let’s keep spoilers out of the comments, please.
That’s a great link, thanks for that Bittersweet. I think I’m going to see the film, but do what the author of the article suggests and make a big fat donation to Freedom to Marry as well, to kind of off set the ickiness of possibly giving someone like Card my dollars. It’s probably overdue since I had purchased his books before knowing about his beliefs. It is one of my favorite books of all time. Such a shame Card is a real life douche bag.
They’re in a simulator?
No, I’ve not read the book, so.. yes, you’ve spoiled it for me.
Come on people.
There’s a great interview with OSC on the audiobook version. He discusses previous attempts at a movie deal. I’m very interested to see how much the movie lines up with his wishes.
I for one am 100% waiting to see what the buggers look like. I hope they are super xenomorphy.
I’m normally violently anti-spoiler… but you’ve had almost thirty years to read this book. Get thee to a library!
As much as OSC is King of the Douchebags in the world of SFF, Ender was such an important part of my childhood. After learning of his rampant douchebaggery, I was horrified that the story I loved so much reflected his worldview and I somehow missed that as a naive young man. This was a major concern for me, because I recommend it all the time. But after a reread, I had one question: when was the last time OSC read his own book? What I took away as the overarching theme of the whole series was “really shitty, terrible things are done when we demonize the ‘other’ and maybe we shouldn’t do that.” Which is, of course, what OSC spends most of his free time doing now, soooo…. Anyway, I wouldn’t NOT see it because OSC is the KotDB’s, but maybe wait for the cheapseats? Or for it to pop up at your local library? Or spend some time/money advocating for equal rights?
Ah, another Zelazny fan.
Then you’ll appreciate it when I tell you read Starship Troopers to get Ender’s Game out of your system. Then read The Forever War to get Starship Troopers out of your system. Then read Ender’s Game to get The Forever War out of your system. And so on…
Actually, I can’t say Zelazny was ever my favorite, but it’s what my mother was reading while she was pregnant, and consequently I was named after the protagonist.
Surely Dickson’s Naked to the Stars should be in the sequence somewhere?
All I could think as I watched Ender direct the MD against the planet was. Xenocide!
Wow – we have numerous highly intolerant people posting here. It sounds like their thinking is “Everyone has a right to their opinion, but if their opinion is different than mine, they are scum of the earth and should be put out of their misery.”
Very classy. Way to teach your fellow men to succumb to group-think.
The trailer looks very fun. I’m impressed they were able to get Harrison Ford!
@18: Ah, just shortcut the whole rigmarole and read Old Man’s War. Yay, senior citizens! Boo, snot-nosed kids.
Remember, gang: NEVER trust anyone under 30.
@23 – I don’t see how anything anybody has said in this thread can really be considered highly intolerant. The facts are these: OSC is homophobic. Some of the people commenting in this thread (myself included) don’t agree with him. And we’re demonstrating that disagreement by not paying money to see the movie based on that book, or perhaps we’re donating money to a charitable organization to offset that. That, in fact, is quite tolerable. We’re not planning a massive boycott of the movie, or picketting the opening like the Westboro Baptist Church would if it was something they didn’t like. From what I gather, OSC seems to think that people like me (gay) are in fact the scum of the earth but I’m turning the other cheek. I’m not going to get mad at him, what would be the point? Can I express disappointment? Yes, and I do so. Can I decide to not watch his movie and pay at least 10 bucks to do so? Yes, and I will. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t feel very intolerant. But what do I know?
I would have liked if they would’ve included “The enemy gate is down,” in here, but oh well. : ) I did like the visuals for that part of the training though; the training room is much more detailed than I imagined (though I tend to underimagine scope while reading books).
@Lucius and @lilalbatross, you’re welcome. Ender’s Game is my favorite book of all time and has been since long before I knew anything about Orscon Scott Card as a person. I totally understand when people have trouble giving money or reading his stuff when they learn about him, but for me the book has had such a huge impact on my life that there is no way I could try to pretend it was anything other than my favorite book. And there is no way I’m going to miss seeing this movie. So it’s nice to have other options than just the straight up boycott.
I generally divorce my consumption of media from media creators’ personal beliefs, and I do that with the theory “ignorance is bliss”. I don’t want to know anything about the author/writer/director’s personal opinions. But this is one of those rare cases where the person is so…outspoken…that you can’t avoid it. I still recommend Ender’s Game since it’s a book that has shaped who I am and a phenomonal story, but I understand why some people now won’t.
So yes, it can be a conundrum. You don’t want someone using money to purposes you disagree with. But that’s why I think the donatation tact is such a nice way to offset it.
Hmm. I don’t use the word “hypocrisy” lightly, but in this case it’s very tempting.
Mr. Card, apparently, is willing to risk his reputation and his livelihood to be forthright about his convictions. I neither know, nor particularly care, what he has written in this regard, but he has clearly written it in the full knowledge that it will certainly make him very unpopular in some circles. He stands by his convictions, whatever they are.
Many people here, on the other hand, are perfectly willing to call him names and vilify him for his convictions – but they are not willing to sacrifice their entertainment to stand by whatever their convictions might be. If you feel strongly that he is terribly wrong and offensive, why not stand by your convictions and actually refuse to support him? All you risk is a couple of hours entertainment – but rather than sacrifice it, you’ll rationalize it away by contributing to him and to his opposition.
I have to say that I think he deserves more respect for his integrity than many here deserve, whatever I might think about his beliefs.
@@@@@ 5. enderFTW
That’s actually the reason Enders Game falls flat for me. Card trys to portray Ender as innocent but I always wondered, What does Ender THINK he’s training to do?
@@@@@ 14. Andrew Peacock
The fact that they’re in a simulator is not really a spoiler. That’s known in the first 5 minutes, this is a story about a group of children training to be fleet commanders and the trials and tribbulations they go through. The simulator part is why it’s called Enders GAME.
Wow, a lot of hate for OSC. Because he doesn’t agree with the current Thought Police and that he has actual beliefs and opinions of his own make him what?
I’m not a big fan of his Mormonism. But it’s easy to rip on Mormonism and those that practice it. Mostly white, mostly don’t give a darn if you care for their faith/belief or not. I’m sure you’d be just as vocal and against OSC if he were let’s say a Muslim, right?s You think Mormon’s are intolerant?
Let’s be clear here. This is not a defense of Orson Scott Card. If you think OSC is a jerk because of his beliefs, let me tell you a little secret, most of the books or music a person reads or listens to is created by people magnitudes greater jerks than OSC has ever been. At least OSC actually has the courage to write/say what he believes in. Most just hide behind their books and say what is acceptable to the current Thought Police so everyone can nod and smile.
Good job sheep.
I’ll be reading the book again. I haven’t read it since it was first released. In fact I might just go out and buy a few copies for friends and hand them out to support OSC. Yep, I am a horrible person.
I can’t wait to see this movie.
Squall Thrawn @26
Phobia is an irrational fear. It is quite plainly NOT a fact that the author is afraid of anyone. Having an opinion regarding the validity of a behavioral choice is not evidence of fear of same. Homophobia is an ignorant, inaccurate term meant to shame someone for a belief. That is intolerant. Card is not intolerant of homosexuals, he is disapproving. There is a massive difference between the two. But the haters and the clingers-on will never understand that.
Just call me a sheep. Because I believe in gay marriage and equality for all, disagree with OSC’s beliefs, and wish the world was a better place.
Baaaaaaaaaa.
Why yes, I do think Kenny’s statement is bordering on the silly. You don’t have to be brainwashed by the Thought Police (wasn’t that a Philip K. Dick story?) in order to believe in something.
That said, I’m still debating about seeing the movie, just to see how they translate story into film.
Agreed. I look forward to seeing the movie and hope it is honest to the spirit of the book.
As for peoples’ problems with OSC and witch hunting him with the “homophobic” label, i have to say that i watch movies and read books by liberals and still enjoy them. I dont let the fact that i dont think they would know reality and common sense if it walked up and kicked them in the rear sway me from enjoying a well done book/movie, so try not to be as intolerant as the left is famous for. Cheers! :D
@34 Calling liberals idiots (paraphrasing) because they disagree with you is pretty intolerent. Just saying…
Can someone enlighten me by posting a link to something Card has actually written about homosexuality? I find it rather hard to reconcile the books I have read with a truly intolerant and/or fanatical person. Either he has changed a lot since he has written them or there is a lot of hyper sensitivity at work here.
Never liked the book in the first place. Even before Card went publicly round the bend.
Basically, the book is a power fantasy. Every time Ender is pushed into a real moral crisis, Colonel Graff marches in and explains to him why Everything Is Really Okay. The story keeps contriving to get Ender off the hook.
Even the moral message of Ender’s guilt about wiping out the enemy can basically be summarized as, “It’s okay to commit genocide — as long as you feel real bad about yourself afterwards.”
The Peter/Valentine subplot is more of the same — an adolescent’s wet dream about being more special and having more power than anybody. Plot and subplot hook right into each other. (“You can control or destroy everything.” / “But that’s okay when Big Daddy says it is.”)
Not really very far from Card’s current message.
Oh, and here’s an article which really lays out what’s wrong with the book in great detail:
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~tenshi/Killer_000.htm
Movie trailers that reveal too much.
Hollywood has forgot the art of concealment.
Happens with almost every movie. Who hasn’t been in a movie theater waiting on the big climatic end, but suddenly realize, “wait, I haven’t seen such-in-such from the trailer!” There goes that surprise or tension.
I’ve not read the books. I’d never even heard of the stories until the movie hype started. But to me the trailer never made it clear it was supposed to be a “Game or Simulation.” The way the press realizes have been written did not lead me to see simulation.
Thus I would go in thinking “these kids are trained for real war.”
So the movie would have a really hard time overcoming that mindset for the “big reveal” which has already been spoiled for me.
@lorq
The author of the article you link grossly oversteps his own point. The article tries to maintain a scientific style but through its single minded focus loses any right to claim that attribute. In the 2009 postscript he tries to soften this up a little but in the end this looks like a strawman. The comparison with the Bush administration points at the political motivation behind the whole piece.
@37 I’m not sure I agree with you there. Where do you get the idea from the book that committing genocide is ok? Humanity committed xenocide against the Buggers because they felt that the Buggers were an aggressive species bent on the destruction of the human race. They felt it was justified at the time, but when Ender finally realizes what he has done he sets them straight and he and his actions are then universally condemned.
I may have a different perspective on the series than most since I read Ender’s Shadow first, but in my mind Graff is always portrayed as a morally grey character. Graff does questionable things which he justifies in his mind because he believes they are the only way to save humanity. One of the major plot points in the story is how Graff and other cadre manipulate Ender into doing what they want him to do without having Ender’s best interests in mind. I don’t believe we’re supposed to think it’s ok just because “Big Daddy” says so. We’re supposed to question Graff’s motives and wonder why he is putting Ender and all the students in general in danger with his decisions.
I will grant to you that the Locke/Demosthenes subplot is a bit grating to me now as an adult and a realist when it comes to the internet and its influence. As a kid though, I ate it up. It’s a typical plot of children’s programming everywhere: “We kids know what’s best, if only the adults would let us show them.” And so far as I know, kids age 10-14 or so were the target audience of the book.
Just as a reminder to everyone, this is directed by the same guy who did X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Soooo, yeah. I hope it’s good as Ender’s Game is one of the 2 books I give to people to help them break into Sci-Fi (Dune is the other). But, I’m not holding my breath.
@ALL re: Xenocide/Genocide:
I don’ know how anyone who has taken the series through the third book, much less all the way to the end of the main 6 book arc, can possibly say that OSC or Ender’s Game in anyway attempts to justify genocide/xenocide. Ender’s complete storyline is literally about trying to make ammends for, and undo, what he was manipulated into doing as a child.
And the Locke/Demosthenes subplot is simply set up for future books. The conclusions the reader is led to draw in the first book are intentionally wrong. I’ve heard others claim that OSC retrofitted that, but if he did change his mind, he did it awfully quickly, since the next two stories were published within a year of each other.
@41:
Oiy! You try to break people into genre novels with Dune? :) That’s brave!
Yes, its a masterpeice, but it’s one of the densest and most layered stories in existence. And the world building has a really steep learning curve. It also somewhat defies classification as a fantasy or scifi novel. Its not really space opera either.
That being said, its my second favorite book of all time, so…
Yeah, I have no point, I guess :)
I just started a blog with a few thoughts on the Ender’s Game movie and book. Take a look and leave comments on what you think about the book, movie, and trailer! http://incrediblyordinarythoughts.blogspot.com/
@Anthony Pero:
…yeah, it is a little dense, but it was one of the first sci-fi books that I read and I loved it. Maybe I have more faith in people than I should? :) I think it’s worth it. Sci-fi really isn’t the easiest genre to break into in general. Ender’s Game is a pretty easy read, I guess I would add Ready Player One, All You Need is Kill, and Old Man’s War into intro to science fiction. Though All You Need is Kill is a little more obtuse to start with. But that’s kind of the point to a story that’s Groundhog Day meets Starship Troopers.
Old Man’s War would be my current starting point, or maybe Bujold, depending on whom I’m recommending to.
For someone who has never read any fantasy, I amost always start with Storm Front, by Jim Butcher. Urban fantasy seems to go down easier then full-on epic fantasy.
Out of the three Dresden books I’ve read (the first three), I really didn’t like it compared to the other two. I’ve used Mistborn to introduce people to fantasy. You can read it as a stand-alone, but if you want to finish it, it’s only a trilogy vs. all the massive series that are out there. I haven’t read any Bujold, and from what you’re saying, it would be recommended? I have some other classics that are higher on the list like Hyperion, Rendezvous with Rama, and The Mote in God’s Eye.
Enders Game was a great book and despite OSC’s beliefs you need to take it for what it is , GREAT SCI-FI!! What a lot of people seem to lose track of is the fact that Ender spent the rest of his life trying to make right the wrong that he did and Speaker for the Dead was the best follow up that could have been.
Bujold’s Vorkosigan saga is fantastic. Its space opera, not hard Sci Fi. Imagine Tyrion Lannister with a better family life. And space ships.
I suggest Storm Front because its easy to digest, well-written, fast-paced and self-contained. The first person narrative structure, and modern, contained setting make the learning curve easy. Then you get all kinds of fantasy goodies thrown at you, so its sort of a good way to ease into fantasy. I agree that later books are better.
@53 – The later books are *better*? Woohoo! I just started reading these and REALLY liked the first ones. If they only get better from here … that rocks.
As for the whole thing on OSC and his unpopular views, could we dial down the hatred here just a bit? I disagree with Card and his views on gays and gay marriage, but the personal attacks here are just as repulsive. Believe it or not, it IS possible to disagree (strongly) with someone and still get along with them and be respectful.
Given the fact that the story is sci-fi, I think it paints as real a picture of how humans in authority try to do things. Is Ender an idealized protagonist? Yes. He represents the best of humanity, someone who never wants to pick a fight, and who only wants to win a fight to avoid either destruction, or having to face the same enemy more than once. Graff is a man who knows his own limitations, and knows how to use other people to get a job done. He never hides from the fact that he’s using more capable people to accomplish the goals for which he is responsible. He never ducks accountability. He does tell everyone who tries, to stay out of his way.
As for how to introduce someone to sci-fi, Ender’s Game is a terrific choice because of the direct, simple prose. Dune is also a very good choice, as long as you don’t mention any of the volumes past Children. Fahrenheit 451, The Illustrated Man, Slaughterhouse Five, Foundation, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, The Weapon Shops of Isher, War of the Worlds, are all outstanding classic sci-fi works which should be recommended to anyone.
Free@55: I think you just mentioned all the books that introduced me to SciFi in college, plus Sirens of Titan….and I passed them on to my son. ;-)
I loved Ender….I hope they stick to the book and don’t give things away too early.
Vorkosigan – yes! Three ways in: (1) the excellent novella Mountains of Mourning – Hugo and Nebula winner and recently named 11th best novella of all time by Locus – if you want to dip toes in for 50-60 pages before committing; (2) the novel Warrior’s Apprentice, which I believe is free on the Baen publisher site if you want a deeper dive into the early life of the main character before deciding to commit; and (3) start at the beginning with Shards of Honor and Barrayar (Hugo winner) with the story of the main character’s parents and circle if you intend to tackle the 14 or 15 book series as a whole. (The books are not lengthy and you can read them quickly – no Wheel of Time or GRRM length books here.)
I agree with Ender’s Game, Dune and Ready Player One as good sci-fi entry points, among the others noted above.
Edit – I should note that Ender’s Game was my re-entry drug to sci-fi and fantasy. Read a ton during elementary, teen and college years, shifted to novels and non-fiction during work, marriage and child rearing years. Was visiting good friends out of state for an extended vacation 5 or 6 years ago, was bored and saw EG on their son’s bookshelf, polished it off in a day, and remembered how much fun there is in this genre. Then came Wheel of Time (with Leigh’s re-read starting up a month or two after I completed my initial read of the cycle), and I was off and running.
@43 Yeah, even though far fewer people have read Speaker for the Dead, judging the message of Ender’s Game without reading it is pretty unfair. Card expanded Ender’s Game from a short story to a full novel to write the Speaker books. And from the first chapter everyone treats Ender, left as a hero at the end of the first book, as history’s greatest monster.
Free @55, first paragraph. Strongly agree – nicely said.
@40 Nowhere to do you make a specific rebuttal to any of Kessel’s points. You have not made a counterargument.
@41 You give a solid description of how Graff *seems* to be, but it appears to me that his seeming moral greyness is there precisely to take the heat off Ender. Every time Ender has a violent confrontation, Graff marches in and explains to Ender (or someone else) Why It Was All Necessary. Also, precisely because of the war conditions you mention, Graff isn’t “really” morally grey because saving the human race trumps everything. In a sense, if the function of Graff is to justify Ender, the function of the war as a whole is to justify Graff.
@55 You’re close to articulating exactly why I think the game is rigged. It doesn’t matter how self-aware Graff is, because again, the war situation *automatically* justifies his actions, and by extension Ender’s. No moral problem arises in the book that’s even close to challenging the overarching goal of winning the war itself. Since the rightness of that larger cause is a foregone conclusion, all the dilemmas that do occur feel fake, like straw men.
In addition to the link I gave above to the essay by Kessel, this one also captures nicely — and more informally — the problematic “adolescent wish-fulfillment” qualities of the book:
http://waxbanks.typepad.com/blog/2006/08/enders_game_fas.html
An excellent analysis of the trailer. And I appreciate the diversity of the comments – both those who struggle with OSC’s views, those who disagree but don’t struggle, and those who agree with him. I hope the movie does as well as any other movie that is produced by someone who has beliefs I don’t agree with – and I plan on seeing it at least twice, if not many, many times. I have been waiting for this movie for 13 years, having eagerly bought and read every book in the series . I’m planning to do a reread of all the books (and really happy about Earth Afire coming out in June!) in preparation for the film, even though the promotional website makes it clear things are already changing. :)
And Wagner was an appalling person and a rabid anti-semite; but he did compose some subllime operas. I’ve not read Ender’s Game (and never will do), but I might just sit down and watch this film. That still doesn’t change my opinion of Orson Scott Card.
I LOVED this book! Finally I have been waiting forever for this to happen! I hope this movie rocks the socks off of the teens of today and encourages them to read the books. I love the look of the kid/actor they chose to play Ender.
Please be wonderful!! It sounds amazing, but not so sure about the trailer. It’s a difficult book to crack, but with luck it’ll still be amazing! I love Ender and Asa looks like he’ll do a great job.
I loved Ender’s Game and am so looking forward to seeing the movie version. I hope it can live up to the greatness of the book. Having Harrison Ford in it sounds promising. My hook into fantasy/sf was, of course, The Hobbit and LOTR. Masterpieces! Dune was fantastic too and I have even enjoyed all of the sequels by Herbert’s son. The Dune movie was awful, however. Another example of an author dying at a terrible time with respect to finishing his story! I tried to get my children interested in Wheel of Time but they took one look at the entire shelf that it takes to hold the series and decided it was too daunting. Two of my sons have always “hated reading”; which is totally incomprehensible to me. Then my oldest son read Ender’s Game a couple of years ago and finally found a book that he couldn’t put down. My second son has become enthralled by, of all things, Game of Thrones! My husband accused me recently of turning them all into Trekkies. We have been enjoying a giant Trek re-watch. They much prefer TNG and even Voyager over TOS. The re-watch blogs on theviewscreen.com have been great fun. So…coming back from the tangent. I am hoping for greatness from the Ender’s Game movie. And, next week!! the JJ Abrams Trek movie. Benedict Cumberbatch will be busy in sf/fantasy movies for a while with this Trek movie and the up-coming Hobbit #2.
morgan johnson: OSC has an opinion on gay issues. He has every right to that opinion, and YOUR opinion doesn’t negate his.
For the moment, HIS opinion is the Law Of The Land.
Tolerance, my friend.
@10
It’s not just the final sequence, the entire trailer seems to be implying that Ender has far greater knowledge of the situation and his training than he does in the book. The trailer is either one big spoiler or they are abandoning the major plot subtlety of the book and replacing it as a full-on action flick.
Both options are disappointing.
I don’t really give a crap about what OSC thinks about sexual orientation, religion, or cheese burgers. I love the book and will be excited for AND see the movie. I figure that the hair metal I listened to in the 80s was created by the biggest DBs on the planet who objectified women, but I still love it and will listen to it until I’m gray haired. Why is that any more acceptable? Why is OSC on the chopping block, because he wrote something that made you feel something and now you feel dirty because you know his personal beliefs? If you aren’t going to see the movie, no one cares about your opinion of the trailer or OSC. Why are you even spending time posting about it? Sheesh. I’m here because I think the trailer looks AWESOME and my money will be well spent entertaining myself on 11.1.13!
Freelancer @32 and Jannisar @34;
Card is both homophobic and intolerant. Disapproving of someone else’s morals and saying so is one thing. Taking action against that person’s legal rights is something else and at this level is intolerance.
To give an example, declaring that someone who gambles is a sinner is taking a moral stance. Choosing not to associate with that person is following through on your own opinion. Funding and being part of an organization that makes it illegal for gamblers to own money or sell property would be to take an intolerant stance toward gamblers in society.
Actively pursuing and promoting an agenda that makes it illegal for gay people to have sex with each other and get married – not only in your own community, but across the country, is to be intolerant of homosexuals in society. That is something that Card does.
As someone mentioned upthread, Card has also promoted the idea that people can and do make other people gay through rape. To those of us who believe the scientific evidence that gay people are born that way, and that gay children are no more common in gay-friendly communities than in viciously anti-gay communities, this stance is patently ridiculous. But whether it is ridiculous or not, it is also phobic. When used as an argument against homosexuals, it is promoting the fear that if you allow the gay lifestyle to be legal in your community, it will also spread – that Teh Gay is catching. (Which it is not.)
That specific argument, that being gay is spread through rape, also promotes the fear of gay people raping others, especially children, despite the fact that the VAST majority of rape and pedophilia is committed by heterosexuals, even beyond what you would expect based on the percentage of gay people in the population. In other words, it is promoting an irrational fear, or phobia.
Specifically, homophobia.
I seriously doubt Card would be promoting these fears if he did not also share them. Ergo, he is homophobic.
It is in no way a “witch hunt” to say so.
I tell you what really makes me mad!…
…I gotta wait til 11.1.13 to see this awesome movie!! You go OSC.. Loved your books (except the newer fantasy ones), and don’t care about your opinions, and won’t post about them on a blog that SHOULD be related to your SF stories…
Uh, FYI…Example of what tolerance and common sense looks like above.
Moderator stepping in here to ask everyone to keep the discussion to Ender’s Game at this point. We’ve had a chance to discuss other issues and should bring the focus back to the movie and book. Thanks!
Gristleborn, the trailer audio has Ender saying “I’ll do everything I can to win this war.” This certainly suggests that he & and least the top level of commanders know it’s real & not a simulation. Very much screwing up the book’s scenario. I suppose I’ll see the flick, but I’ll be getting my hopes down between now & then.
The movie looks awesome from the trailer. Ford as Graff is excellent casting as is Kingsly portraying Rackham. For those who have not read the book it is excellent science fiction. Card does deal with the genocide issue in later novels and Ender spends the rest of his years trying to atone for his sins. My question is does Ender know subconsciously that the war is for real? We know that Bean knows it is for real and does it anyway. I enjoy Bean as a character more after he explains the war ethos to Achilles. Soldiers want to win and come home and will use any advantage to achieve that end. Only bad part is we have to wait till November to see it.
It’s impossible to tell from the trailer, of course (isn’t it, usually?) but in the book, IIRC Ender always knew he was preparing for war; everyone knew that’s what Battle School was about. When he went to Command school, it was presented as more of the same, but more intense. He didn’t know he was actually waging war until it was over. So the trailer statement that he would do everything he could to end the war doesn’t prove anything one way or the other; depending on the context, it could mean he knew exactly what he was doing, or it could mean that he would train as hard as he could and work with people he’d rather not, in preparation for their turn at fighting.
Ok I loved the book and I am looking forward to the movie. I do want to say one thing about OSC and his views on GLT, the truth is I don’t care! I am tired of celebrities personal lives and opinions making news! I don’t care. I go to a movie or read a book to escape or learn something new. Don’t get me wrong I am strong advocate for GLT rights and have done a lot to help the movement that I feel is inevitable with time but celebrities of all types personal opinions and beliefs, or really what drama they are having interest me none! I want celebrities to play their sports well or act well or sing well or write well! The point is if a book gets people interested in sci-fi or even broadens their perspective then I am all for it. It is a form of art! Why not enjoy the art that has caused so many people to read more or inspire people to do bigger things or get involved in science especially if you enjoyed the book before finding this info out regardless if it was written by a homophobic. News flash there are a lot out there. Look at all the states that passed laws forbidding gay marriage. The good news for me is that that is changing but as for the book he doesn’t convey that message in the book. If the message was in the book or movie then I would not go see the movie as that doesn’t interest me in entertainment. This book didn’t and I loved it ergo I go to see the movie and look forward to being transported to Ender’s world. PS the trailer looks great and does convey several messages! Love it! Can’t wait to watch!
Netmouse,
That’s a very articulate and nearly eloquent bunch of straw there. Speaking against something with which you disagree is the exact OPPOSITE of fear. It is declaring that you will stand upon your convictions, and damn the torpedoes. Do you think that someone able to write the brilliance of Ender’s Game doesn’t understand the likely outcome of his public statements? It isn’t fear, it is determination, that drives him to take action against something he feels convicted to be against. You disagree with that conviction. You may or may not choose to take action likewise.
But remember this. Lobbying for laws in favor of how you believe the land should behave, is absolutely a cherished and protected behavior in this land. So go and lobby against him, make him fail, and if the extent of your opposition to him is faint-hearted rants on blogs, guess who loses?
@78: Ah, tolerance in all its glory.
@78 (Noting that the comment @78 is likely to disappear very soon)
I have said not one word supporting nor defending Card’s personal opinions. Nothing I have written in this space speaks to whether I agree or disagree with him. I have pointed out the hypocrisy and intolerance of the method in opposition to his opinions. What I have defended is his right to those opinions, and the stupidity, yes, STUPIDITY, of using the term homophobia. In nearly every case of its use, it is a hyperbolic untruth, and is used to pretend that intolerance of an opinion is justifiable.
Suppose all those opposed to the Constitutionally guaranteed right to keep and bear arms were called gunophobes? That’s actually a bit more honest, since it is indeed fear of guns that those people usually use in their promotion of their opinion.
@17, @26, @69, and others, I’m a lesbian who knew nothing of OSC’s attitude toward homosexuality when I read Ender’s Game, it’s sequels, Shadow sequels, and much more that he’s written in sci fi/fantasy fiction, save only a few novels in which I remain uninterested (i.e.: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel & Leah, and the like). I learned of his attitude only a couple of years ago through a relative of his that was a member of an unrelated fan site to which we both belonged at the time. Most of the time, I boycott persons with such attitudes in media. However, since I’d already read a great deal of OSC’s writing, much of which I enjoyed (though not all), I’d registered my attitude toward OSC the person, as in some way aside from OSC the author. Assuredly, I abhor the person’s and the author’s attitude (and his efforts aimed against individuals of my orientation), but I’m also atheist and, as such, pity the person for his misguided beliefs, yet respect the author for his brilliant fantastical mind. This is a paradox to be sure because I’m also a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson’s writing (yet another Mormon author, but one far more open to and expressive of an immense array of diversity within his novels). That said, it’s not my intent to sway this conversation toward another author. I simply reference him as an example and alternative to the hardcore homophobe that we all know OSC to be. That said as well, I’m going to the movie theater just as soon as Ender’s Game is released! The trailer is awesome and as far as what Ender knew beforehand is concerned, rely on the book! Ender knew NOTHING other than a training in Battle School and a game simulation! Remember that Bean knew NOTHING as well but was still … [spoiler alert] … Ender’s replacement if he failed. So, we know the story behind the film, we know the attitude of the novel’s author, we know the end game (if we’ve read the entire series); what’s left is the portrayal and I don’t think (based on the trailer) that Asa Butterfield (as Ender) has a clue [spoiler alert], just as Ender did not in the reality of that which he accomplished until later, as was revealed to the reader in the novel. [spoiler alert] Just why else would he have, in his regret, written The Hive Queen afterward? He didn’t know. Only his superiors did (i.e.: Graff, etc.). [spoiler alert] The reveal to the reader after the “wipe-out” of the Formics (and the way in which it happened) was a “blow-me-away” kind of revelation when I read what happened.
It makes me sad to hear that Card hates homosexuals–I knew about some of his writing on that but not about the homophobic version of Hamlet. However, none of that changes the value of Ender’s Game, which has nothing about homosexuality in it as far as I can remember and is one of the great works of SF literature. I will go see the movie.
@17: It doesn’t matter how much time has passed since a book has been written. New people are getting born all the time, and it takes more than a lifetime to work your way through all the good books. Unfortunately, spoiling endings is something the Internet excels at. Used to be we just had Time Magazine to worry about.
William Shunn has an interesting perspective on Ender’s Game:
http://shunn.livejournal.com/232264.html
ok 83 comments i’m sure this has degenerated into homosexual discussion by now but in regards to the first comment
it may be a nit pick, but doesn’t them knowing they are commanding and fighting the actual war, not practicing simulations change the entire tone of the story?
This is actually ok with me. Because in the book they are trained knowing they will be the future leaders of the war. By the time those battle scenes are ready everyone but Ender knows they’re fighting the real war.
I think this works for the ignorant because they’ll walk in expecting the kids to know they’re fighting the real war but it’s never explicitly said in the trailer that they’re fighting the war. (S)So when they go to school and you start seeing the simulations they might think it’s all simulated. Especially when Ender goes to the final stages (S)thinking it’s still a simulation. So to will the audience expect Ender to conquer those simulations only to go on to the war. (S)Like us they’ll feel the end of the movie and wonder if it will turn out like The Matrix and maybe the movie will end on BattleSchool to be continued inthe sequels. The twist that (S)there was no battleschool simulation still works.
There’s so much here that you don’t normally see in a standard Sci-Fi movie. I mean the very fact that (S)the war is the reveal wouldn’t happen. Normally they would (S) reveal it half way thru and he’d finish knowing what was going on. The fact that it’s a movie not about making the strongest soldier by better training but by crafting an individual to be a maverick to be so different from what humanity was. These are all things we loved about the book, heck about most decent sci-fi books, that never translate to the screen. The fact that the later is translated faithfully (even in the trailer) is a good sign that the former will translate as well. Given all that the movie should still hold up in spite of the reveals in the trailer. Honestly us the book reader are the most hurt. I would have liked to experience (S) that final flight on screen. I’m sure when designing the trailer they thought about showing it so us readers would stop anticipating what it would look like. It’s a way of emphasizing the other more pertinant emotional scenes etc etc etc.
I have to admit to not reading through everyone’s comments beyond the first several. I’ve known all about OSC’s views for many years now and it hasn’t stopped me from reading his novels – almost every one of them, except the most recent. Ender’s Game and it’s sequels (not the Bean novels) are amongst some of my most favorite scifi novels ever. I’m totally excited for this movie! It’s been so long in coming and, thus far, the casting is perfect. I’m going to plop my butt down in a theater seat with a salty, hot pretzel covered in mustard in hand and thoroughly enjoy this film just as soon as it opens!
I think this will be a great film, and I ahve a great deal of respect for author Orson Scott Card. I missed a chance to meet him in February due to an accident. As for the young going into battle, I am a military historian and know a great deal about the young girls, 17, 18 and 19 years old that flew combat missions for the USSR in WW 2. If you read the real history of the Nazi invasion of Eastern Europe, you’ll see they fought an enemy worse than the Buggers. The Buggers did not undersand what we were. The Nazis couldn’t make that excuse. I can’t wait to see the film.
As a gay man I have no problems with seeing this movie or reading the book (Actually I have the audio books for listening in my car) Nor do I feel that I am betraying my sexuality by enjoying what is essentially a good read. To quip – Tesla gave us the AC electric motor – yet he finished his days talking to pigeons, and yet we still acknowledge his great works. OSC may have his views and he as any other person on this plant is entitled to them (however misguided they might be) – and he is also the product of an even more misguided line of thinking. To that I can see a lot of pararrels between Ender Wiggins and OSC.
By paying to see this movie, you will be “virtually” supporting Mr. Card and his Mormon/Scientological goals.
Don’t play his “game”.
The trailer dosent spoil anything by showing the simulator!! people who have read the book would agree if they payed any attention to the ending. i honestly cant wait for the move to come out. im obbsesed with the book. So far im inpressed with what i have seen and i hope that the movie shows everything and dosent ruin it. i would cry if they did. So please people stop comlaing about the so called “spoiler” that dosent exist, and just enjoy it!!!
This was a really good series when it first came out in 1994. It’s just a shame that you have to play the game “1 month of toutore” while waiting for it to come out in the U.S.A. Youth who have read this book (espally me, as I am 13) will grow impaintant for this movie. I’m allready to get tickets to see it, but since my movie theater closed, I don’t know how much to spend just to down to Charlate just to see this!!
there’s been talk of a sequel “Speaker for the Dead” theres is no way they could make that if they change the ending, the rest of the books are based on that one event.