As fears of an alien invasion grow, Earth’s International Fleet recruits an unlikely leader — a young and brilliant boy — to command its forces and fight for the future of the human race. Based on the worldwide bestseller and featuring an all-star cast, Ender’s Game bursts with epic adventure and stunning visual effects.

For thoughts on Ender’s Game, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/17tejdPYFEY?si=8AZL6E5Ug22q9WKf&t=297]

Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Ender’s Game from Lionsgate comes in its original 2.40:1 in 2160p HDR10 which should theoretically be the exact same disc that was released over seven years ago in 2016, only this time in new exclusive packaging. We say “theoretically” since that was early in the format’s life cycle and there has been discussion that the gamma was incorrectly set or at least was not presenting well for some users. There have been some reports that this new disc quietly “fixes” some of those issues with a new pressing of the disc, but we do not have access nor have ever seen the previous 4K UHD release. What we can say is that this disc is pretty excellent, and if this is due in part to a quiet correction then we are very glad to have it.

When compared to the old Blu-Ray that is included, this disc offers notable improvements in all respects. The boost in texture and detail that this transfer delivers really impresses such as nuances in the suits that were too unclear to capture before. Elements within the space station are also given much more depth, especially in the training dome, which makes for a much more rewarding experience. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are terrific, especially when dealing with any darker environment. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a great amount of facial detail including perspiration and some cuts from altercations.

The HDR presentation allows the film to appear more robust than ever. The UHD disc contains very deep, bold colors throughout which stay natural to the aesthetic intention rather than amping up the vividness. Highlights are brighter and offer a greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels are very deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. There are only some traces of raised blacks that make things skew slightly gray. This transfer is a real treat for fans of the film. Lionsgate has done nice work here.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray release boasts a Dolby Atmos track that is an improvement over the already excellent DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio track on the previous Blu-Ray. This disc is a force throughout with combat training always at the forefront of the narrative. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting overshadowed by the score or any sound effects. As you move throughout the corridors or float in the training arena, the sounds of the environment flow out of your side, rear and overhead speakers. Each sound is carefully placed with pinpoint spatial awareness.

The track utilizes all of the channels with panning effects and sounds of kinetic moments that really makes you feel like you are in the midst of the conflict. Every sequence features some unbelievable sound design that comes through flawlessly. The environmental effects such as the jetpacks and laser fire come through in a natural way. There is a significant amount of activity in the low end when the scenes call for it, as it often does. The terrific score utilized in the film comes through with a rich fidelity. Lionsgate killed it with this track, so those with a good surround sound setup should have a blast with this one. There are English, English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided.

Special Features

Lionsgate has provided Ender’s Game with an optional sleek new SteelBook available exclusively at Best Buy that is truly lovely in person. The case comes with a removable clear slipcase with an animated depiction of Ender in which his suit slides off. The artwork underneath is Ender surrounded by space and ships, and the rear features an animated depiction of a desolate planet surface and Ender walking up to a special entrance. The interior sports an animated depiction of one of the aliens. You can see full video of the SteelBook above. The on-disc content is as follows:

Audio Commentary #1: Director Gavin Hood provides a terrific audio commentary in which he discusses how his background of getting drafted into the military at a young age in South Africa drew him to this story, the themes of the story, the contributions of the different performers, discuss how the script evolved, working with CGI and more that is worth a listen if you enjoyed the movie.

Audio Commentary #2: Producers Gigi Pritzker and Roberto Orci provide a very genial commentary track in which they discuss the challenges of condensing and realizing the novel on screen, why they changed certain moments or characters, working with director Gavin Hood, the complexities of the characters and more.

Ender’s World – The Making of Ender’s Game: A pretty great eight-part, 49-minute making-of featurette which explores the process of bringing the book to the big screen, the casting, the stunt work and special effects, and much more that is worth a watch.

- Journey To The Big Screen (6:35)

- Recruiting The Troops (11:04)

- Ender In Zero-G (4:19)

- Battle School Revealed (4:21)

- The Mind Game (2:38)

- Behind Enemy Lines (6:51)

- The Alien World (8:46)

- Ender’s Mission Complete (5:02)

Deleted/Extended Scenes: There are six unused scenes totaling 11 minutes provided here in which Ender says goodbye to his family, an earlier introduction to Bonzo, more conversations between Graff and Anderson and more. These scenes are provided with optional commentary from director Gavin Hood.

Inside The Mind Games: A four-minute piece which takes a look at the creation of the games that Ender plays on his tablet.

Theatrical Trailers: This disc provides Trailer A (1:55) and Trailer B (1:57).

Final Thoughts

Ender’s Game seems to have gotten caught in the backlash against the uptick in young adult novel adaptations, along with some baggage from the book’s author, yet if you judge the film itself it works pretty well even today. The narrative is juggling some pretty heavy themes about war, what constitutes an acceptable loss and how far you are willing to push your morals in the name of safety. The adaptation of the source material is far from perfect as they clumsily condense some elements and cut out some of the nuance, but it keeps the core of what makes it such a compelling experience. The build-up to the potential sequel does not age well, but this narrative is contained enough to be satisfying. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a great array of supplemental features all in a beautiful new SteelBook. If you do not own this one yet, this is the way to go. Recommended

Ender’s Game is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook exclusively at Best Buy.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.