Hollywood adaptations of best-selling sci-fi novels are no longer reason enough to attract moviegoers. But Ender’s Game, which is an adaptation of the 1985 novel of the same title, is a bit different.
对影迷来说,畅销科幻小说改编的好莱坞电影已不复从前那样具有吸引力。但《安德的游戏》这部改编自1985年同名小说的电影却稍有不同。
From US author Orson Scott Card’s refusal to sign the film deal for years, to the film’s pre-release controversy thanks to Card’s anti-gay views, there are plenty of reasons to watch it. At least you should be curious about what all the fuss is about.
从美籍作者奥森•斯科特•卡德数年来拒绝翻拍小说的态度,到新片上映前卡德因反同言论而引发的争端,该片可谓噱头十足。起码你会好奇,想知道这些争议从何而来。
Generally, it’s a polished sci-fi epic with stunning visual effects that will appeal to mainstream audiences. While it fails to reach the height it aspires to —namely the novel’s moral complexity — it’s quite an entertaining experience with some timely issues on its mind.
大体上讲,这是一部精心打造的科幻史诗——出色的视觉效果足以赢得主流观众的青睐。但它并未触及原作中道德的复杂性,没有达到预期的高度,而沦为一次将争议问题一带而过的娱乐体验。
Asa Butterfield plays the 12-year-old Ender Wiggin, a student soldier in a military facility that is training children to fight the Formics. The Formics are the alien species that attacked Earth half a century prior to the film’s story, killing millions before being driven back to their home planet.
12岁的安德•维京(阿沙•巴特菲尔德 饰)是战斗学校里的一名学员,该校负责训练少年战士以抵抗虫族的再次攻击。故事发生半个世纪前,外星“虫族”曾入侵地球,造成生灵涂炭,之后才被赶回自己的星球。
Why children? As the film explains, because of their youth, these military prodigies can absorb complex battle information and develop attack strategies more quickly and easily than adults — the same skill that makes them so good at video games.
为什么是孩子?正如片中解释的那样,因为他们年轻,相比成年人,这些军事天才可以更迅速、更轻而易举地掌握复杂的作战信息并制定出进攻策略——同样的技能也使得他们打电玩时游刃有余。
And as the title suggests, gaming is critical to the story and its visuals.
如片名所示,游戏对剧情发展和视觉效果来说都十分关键。
For example, several scenes feature a high-tech version of laser tag played in a weightless arena, while others show Ender playing a video game on an iPad-like device that he controls with his mind.
例如,片中有好几个高科技场景展示的是在失重条件下的激光枪战游戏,而另一些镜头则是安德通过一个类似iPad的装置,用意念操控电子游戏。
The film’s touch of current issues becomes evident in Ender’s attempt to end all future battles, and when he is confronted by bullies. It talks about everything from the morality of using children in battle to the consequences of violent video games. But they’re only fleetingly addressed, without becoming a large conversation.
片中,当安德尝试结束未来战争或惨遭欺凌时,影片明显触及了一些现实问题。从利用孩子进行战争的道德问题,到暴力电子游戏对孩子的影响,影片探讨了方方面面。但这些问题都只被轻描淡写一笔带过。
Another shortfall is the film’s character development. In the film, everything seems too easy for Ender. While to some extent that’s the point because he’s supposed to be a military genius, it makes him hard to relate to as a character.
该片另一不足之处便是片中角色的成长。电影中的安德似乎无所不能。也许这是因为他生来就是位军事天才,但这样就很难将他和一个有血有肉的人物角色联系起来。
Certainly, the film is much better than I expected, given all the buzz beforehand. If you want an out-of-this-world experience before Spring Festival, Ender’s Game is an excellent choice.
当然,考虑到影片上映前的种种噱头,该片已经大大超出我的预期。如果你想在春节前体验一次逃离地球的冒险,《安德的游戏》无疑是上上之选。