The movie
The film was terrific, I really enjoyed both the story and the visual effects. I came in new to Ender's Game , only after seeing the movie did I learn how it was a very successful novel that fans had been eagerly anticipating for some time. The movie moved quickly, fast paced with a lot of action. I liked the casting, with Harrison Ford adding his usual serious sarcasm, and also the main character was brilliantly played by the young Asa Butterfield. Another highlight for me was Moises Arias, of Hannah Montana fame, who played Commander Bonzo Madrid.
The film, set in a future world after a war, focuses on the young Enders, a young military leader who shows his genius early. Recognized and promoted by Ford's character, then by a leader named Mazer Rackham, played by Ben Kingsley, Enders finds himself eventually leading a force to save the world. Enders, with the help of his newly assembled force of other young stand-outs, defeats the enemy in a giant computer simulation, which turns out not to be what it seems.
The experience
I got to roll in style to the premiere in one of Audi's new Clean Diesel TDI cars, a Q7 SUV. Because Audi sponsored the premiere, all the movie's VIPs arrived at the event in Audi vehicles. Audi even got some product placement in the film itself, in the form of the space transporter used by the characters. Audi worked with the film's production team to create a 2135 model car, called an Audi fleet shuttle quattro.
The first part of the premiere experience is the red carpet arrivals, where a very long row of photographers and journalists photograph and interview the stars. The red carpet (in this case black) was quite long, curving back and forth in front of the theater. The stars, including Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Asa Butterfield and Abigail Breslin all arrived to the cheers of the crowd gathered across Hollywood Blvd. from the theater. For added star power, tween stars Jaden Smith and Kylie Kardashian walked the red carpet for the first time as a couple.
The party
A movie premiere consists of three parts: the arrivals, the movie and the afterparty. The Ender's Game afterparty was a big, fun affair, held in the large event space located in the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex. There was a large disco dance floor, where Jaden Smith showed his skills, and multiple food stations serving some delicious items. There were some props and sets from the film also placed throughout the room and also cool little space-related touches like freeze dried astronaut ice cream at the dessert tables. As is the trend with premieres I've been to lately, there was no VIP area and regular guests like me were able to meet and mingle with the film's stars.
