Finally got to see "Battle Royale."

[CB2001]

Yesterday, before I came home, I swung by the Goodwill Bookstore that opened up in Tallahassee not too long ago. While I was there, I went through their DVD collection, and found that someone had apparently gotten rid of a few Blu-Ray movies. When I saw it, in its 4-Disc splendor, I couldn't pass it up. Battle Royale is the Blu-Ray I picked up. I will admit, back in Fall of 2005, I actually read the novel by Koushun Takami when it was released in the states for the first time. Reading it was a trip to say the least. The whole time I was reading it, it reminded me of Stephen King's work, namely The Long Walk and The Running Man (which the film is NOTHING like the novel). After reading the novel, and heard about the film, I've wanted to watch it (but this was before the film was widely available like it is now).

After watching it, it was pretty decent movie. It's not the greatest adaptation, but it's pretty good. Honestly, I have to admit this, but the film adaptation of Battle Royale would have curb-stomp The Hunger Games' ass if it had been released in theaters at the same time (no offense to The Hunger Games fans).

Honestly, I kinda wish that the American adaptation had gone on. But due to the lack of film education, and the fact that most modern film goers don't watch anything older than 2005 (let alone the lack of those who actually don't bother to read anything older than the most recent "fad novels"), all The Hunger Games fans would claim that a new adaptation of BR is attempting to rip-off THG. I have to say that I'm glad that BR finally has gotten a chance to hit the American shores. And I am glad to have been able to watch not just the first film, but the second one as well (honestly, the second one was kinda okay, but it wasn't as good as the first one). For anyone who hasn't seen it, I definitely recommend it over The Hunger Games, anytime.

 

[Apollo]

Glad you finally saw it.

BR has had a cult following here in the states since it was released though.

As I stated before, The Hunger Games is simply a watered down Hollywood version of it

 

[CB2001]

Glad you finally saw it.

BR has had a cult following here in the states since it was released though.

As I stated before, The Hunger Games is simply a watered down Hollywood version of it

True to all of that. I've got the four disc (the 3 Blu-Ray disc, one normal DVD) release of the film, so I've seen the second one as well. Part 2 was kinda okay, but not as good as the first one.

Spoiler

the thing I didn't get is the whole pairing up of the collars where if one teen bites the dust, the teen of the same number and opposite gender bites the dust too. I sort of understand it's meant to make sure that the students continue forward with the assault, but logically, it makes no sense in a military assault, because it cuts down the odds of there still being soldiers who could make it to achieve the goal. I cite the scene where one of the speed boats blew up because one of the male students was killed by a sniper and the female student he was paired with had her collar go off after she fell back onto the fuel tank for the boat.

But I think the reason why Part 2 was done was primarily because it was meant to be a fun movie, if you could consider it one.

 

[infymys]

Spoiler

So, did you wince when Chigusa went all stabby stabby on a certain body part? :wacko

 

[CB2001]

Spoiler

So, did you wince when Chigusa went all stabby stabby on a certain body part? :wacko

Honestly, I've thought up even more of a disturbing assault on that certain spot for one of my stories involving a weapon without a war who goes after a rapist. The only thing that scene got out of me was a chuckle at the fact that it made me recall Kill Bill, Vol. 1.

 

[Apollo]

Did'nt care much for the second either

Part 2 was kinda okay, but not as good as the first one.

 

[xjk5]

Glad you finally saw it.

BR has had a cult following here in the states since it was released though.

in europe too

 

[Rupert_Angier]

Answering a cell-phone call hasn't been as weird since.

 

[Bandit-Jedi]

Watched it on Netflix a few weeks back and thought, "WAY Better than The Hunger Games!" hahah

 

[Solo4114]

Yeah, it's a really well done film, although it's a bit...hectic at times. It's hard to follow who's who outside of a few characters, or at least it was for me. The sequel was kind of interesting, but also a bit odd. I watched it sufficiently far enough distance after 9/11 to avoid some of the political sentiment, so I took it just as a film in and of itself, without the associated controversy. Again, it suffered from sort of random characters, I felt, but the point seemed to be less about connecting with the characters, and more about just killing off high school students in a bloodsport type game.

I actually thought that the Hunger Games film took a bit more time to develop at least some of the characters, but really lacked in the kind of brutality that Battle Royale had, which I thought was important. I mean, if you're engaged in this horrific bloodsport type game, then you'd expect there to be a bit more gruesomeness to the violence. But hey, you can't get the tween girls into the theater if you make it too violent, I guess.

 

[xjk5]

Watched it on Netflix a few weeks back and thought, "WAY Better than The Hunger Games!" hahah

haha

 

[xjk5]

and what about BATTLE ROYALE 2??

 

[Kerr Avon]

Just ignore BR2. It's garbage.

 

[CB2001]

Just ignore BR2. It's garbage.

Honestly, I don't think it's at all bad, but it's not as good as the first one, which was pretty good. But then again, I assume that the reason why it's sub-par is primarily because of the fact that Kinji Fukasaku, who directed the first one, had to leave the project due to his health failing (which shortly after that, his passing away) and his son took over the project. Plus, how does one make a sequel to a film like Battle Royale without retreading over the same material ground (in both plot and characters)? I mean, when it comes to the first film (even more so in the novel), there had been other Battle Royales in the prior to the one we see. Which means that if you did a sequel, or even a prequel, it would be the same exact thing going on. So, I do applaud them for at least trying to take the material in a different direction, though it didn't really help. The only other logical direction, opposite of the one they took, was to show the first American version of Battle Royale (which wouldn't work, as it doesn't involve the Japanese, in addition to the fact that it would be the exact same scenario as presented in the film and novel).

I'm not saying it's great, but I will admit, it could have been way worse.