If you haven't read the book they did an excellent job with the special effects and graphics. Things very much reflect the current American viewpoint on military behavior and the representative mix of races and gender at the battle school.

If you like the book, the mutation of fundamental points of the story makes this movie a complete waste of time. It has been warped into basically an action movie with only a shell of meaning. After loving the book for so many years I found myself repeatedly saying outloud, "WTF!".

!Spoilers! I have no idea why they moved the entire formic invasion into the atmosphere instead of leaving it spread throughout the solar system. I have no idea why Dap got changed into a drill sergeant instead of being a substitute mother figure. I have no idea why they wussied out on Bonzo's death scene. I have no idea why Bernard lost his french accent and his broken arm and became a supporter of Ender. I have no idea why they allowed Ender to contact Valentine while in school. I have no idea why they erased the colonization movement after the war and had Ender find the cocoon in walking distance of the military base. I have no idea why a key part of general training in the book, the mind game, became something specifically authorized for Ender instead of everyone. I don't know why in the giant's drink game they made all the drinks look the same instead of having the variety described in the book. At least they didn't have Ender getting romantic.