After a series of trailers and TV spots, most of which have emphasized the alien invasion and war aspect of Summit's sci-fi thriller Ender's Game, we now have six new clips to add to the pile, the above video included, most of which focus on the story's lead character Ender Wiggin. Is he the one who will save mankind from the next "eminent" invasion? Harrison Ford's Colonel Graff seems to think so, but others aren't so sure.
Six clips is kind of a lot all at once, and those who think they might want to save something for the film should take that into consideration before watching these. I say that as someone who occasionally overindulges in promotional content for an anticipated film and then wishes I hadn't when I actually see the movie and half of it feels really familiar. With that said, most are in the 30-40 second range and appear to be extended segments from snippets we've seen in the trailers, with minor spoilers, especially if you've read the book.
Ender's Game is set in the future in the aftermath of a war against an alien race called the Formics. While the global government -- called the International Fleet -- prepares for the next invasion, they're training kids in an orbiting Battle School, in the hopes that one of them will be the one to lead humanity to victory this time around. In the above clip, we see Colonel Graff welcoming the launches to Battle School. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is among the new recruits, and he appears to take great interest in Graff's mention of Mazer Rackham, a soldier from the first war.
But let's step back a minute, as this next clip shows Graff as he recruits Ender:
Ender notes that this is what he was born for. He means that quite literally. If you've read Orson Scott Card's book, you know that Ender is a "third," or the third child produced in his family. As the modern law only allows for two children per family, Ender is a rare exception to that law, and being a "third" is part of what makes him something of an outcast, or at the very least, an underdog on earth.
So Ender's a "Third" but is he "The One"? Watch the clips after the jump and see for yourself…
The clip above shows Ender demonstrating his abilities in Command School, while Graff and Viola Davis' Major Gwen Anderson watch on, and the clip below shows Graff and Anderson having a disagreement over the tactics being used and the affect they might have on Ender...
Graff's clearly an "Ends justify the means" kind of guy, that much is clear by his words. Though I'm curious to know what happened before this clip that has Anderson upset enough to resign.
See Ben Kingsley as Major Rackham in the next two clips after the jump!
Rackham doesn't think Ender's ready, while Graff appears to think "ready enough" is enough. Once again, it's a demonstration of Graff's confidence and determination to stay the course. Rackham has his doubts, and by this next clip, it seems he's willing to express them to -- or in -- Ender's face.
There's a previously released clip that shows Graff giving Ender some additional responsibility. Check that out here. Ender's Game arrives in theaters November 1. There's still time to read the book if you haven't already.
