As you probably know already, Battle Royale has some things in common with the Hunger Games, since it's about some children pushed together in a "competition" where they have to kill each other, until only one person remains.
This same topic was kinda overused throughout the history of literature in my opinion - even when the reason behind the "games" is different in all of them.
Battle Royale is first of all a Japanese movie. I don't watch too many of those, and the few ones I watched had some of that typical Japanese weirdness to them - you know, those horror stories that will probably make you laugh like you haven't laughed in quite some while.
And we have to also admit it, that a bunch of great horror movies have their bases in Japanese fiction too.
Now, Battle Royale has forty two students thrust into this sick game. Their teacher decided that he had enough of their bullshit, and with his help every single one of them is kidnapped and taken to a deserted island.
There they are given a bag with a couple of provisions, and a random item that's supposed to be used as a weapon - these items include binoculars, pot lids, hockey sticks, guns, and other items. They also have a collar put on their necks, which tracks them around the island, and trough which the military can listen to their conversations.
This collar also serves as a weapon from the outside, since the rules of the game say that if there is no winner in three days time, the item will self-destruct, killing everyone instantly.
Every person involved in the game has different reactions to it, of course. There are some, who at first fight back - who are killed even before the game starts. There are those who run, those who hide, those who decide to play alone, and those who team up.
There are people who won't play the game at all (these commit suicide at the first moment), those who signed up for it for the fun, and those who kill only to survive.
Some people want to think the situation trough, and act like a civilized human being, while others panic, and let their instincts take over.
The movie, in my opinion is awesome.
It gives a pretty good feel about how the Japanese culture is. I found it kinda nice to see a movie that focuses on different point of views than the American ones - since the Japanese have this weird thing for the young and childish, and maybe even cute.
Battle Royal shows this awesomely with the instructional video they play when the kids are explained what they will have to do.
Also, I have to admit that remembering all the names throughout the movie was a little bit hard for me, since I'm not used to Japanese movies (I'm not trying to be malevolent or anything, I'm just not used to catching all the subtle differences. Yet.) But then again, I don't even know all the names of my "classmates" at Uni after one and a half year, so this might be a moot point.
I also have to tell you guys that while the acting might seem to be a little bad, or over dramatized - you still have to remember that this is Japanese, and not English. They do things differently there. (And I think this is one of those places where the "childish" part comes in once again... which is a pretty interesting topic if you care to look it up).
Anyways, guys - if you have enough time on your hands you should definitely watch this, but until then, just check out the trailer:
