ENDER'S GAME: the upcoming movie

I read Ender's Shadow first.

I didn't know it was a part of series.

I still think Ender's Shadow is better than Ender's Game... and I just prefer the entire "Shadow" series to the "Ender" series. More on that later.

I first read Ender's Shadow (and then all the rest of the books that were available) in college. One of my high school teachers had recommended it and I absolutely devoured it. I finished reading it in a single afternoon, and then handed it to my best friend (who was staying with us that summer) and said, "You HAVE to read this book."

I have always thought that a movie based on these books would be awesome. They are so well-written, the characters are so believable and human, and yet heroic. The story clips along at an excellent pace. And the "wow" factor of the battle-room and space-station battle-school would just make for some absolutely stellar special effects.

And now they are making the movie. And Harrison Ford is in it! In just a few short months, my dreams of being able to watch Ender as he climbs the ranks of BattleSchool on the big screen will be realized And I am SO excited!

Which, of course, meant I needed to re-read the book. I just finished it a few nights ago (and will be doing a book review shortly). I picked it up now as I don't want it to be TOO fresh in my mind - because then every single deviation from "how it's supposed to be" will leap out of the screen and shout at me. So I'm reading it now, a few months out, so the story is both fresh in my mind, and yet settled enough for me to be able to forgive the inevitable places where the script will not be as true to the original book as I might have liked, or where they will leave out one of my favorite scenes/lines.

As I am reading the book (for the second time, now), however, I am finding myself hoping that they DO deviate from certain aspects of the book... rather a lot.

Kids using foul language, saying/doing crude things, and being unkind to each other is often a deal-breaker for me when it comes to MOVIES. (I don't like it when adults do it either, but with kids it just makes me mad). If that theme is prevalent throughout a movie and it shows no sign of getting better, it is often enough to make me walk out of the theater/turn off the movie.

I had forgotten how much crude language and downright meanness was in Ender's Game amongst the kids. In a book, it can be forgivable. In a movie... well, my apprehension levels are higher now than they were a few weeks ago. Now, knowing the story, and knowing that I love it, I am still planning on seeing Ender's Game in theater (probably on opening day/weekend). I will probably not walk out of the movie, even if it does stay true to the book in this regard.

However, if they do stick with the book on this one... my greatest issue with it is that this is going to be a movie that many, many people are going to look at and think, "Hey! It's a sci-fi movie with kids in it! It might be a great movie to take my kids to!" and, without reading the book, or getting any more background information than that... will take their 6 year olds to see it.

Sigh.

Anyway, I do have great and incredibly high hopes that this movie ends up being fantastic.

Later this week, I'll do a more thorough review of the book, and explain why I like the "Shadow" part of the series better than the "Ender" part of the series.