In 2000, director Kinjo Fukasaku released a controversial little film that would be talked about for decades after its release. Based on the book of the same name written by Japanese author Koushun Takami, Battle Royale is about Forty-two students who are forced to fight and kill each other by legislation to compete in a battle royale. As you can imagine, a film that depicts graphic violence against children wasn’t exactly received well by many, though the foreign movie would go on to reach cult status thanks to the overall themes and messages communicated in the film. Oh, and because of the killing, let’s not forget the killing.
Twelve years later, The Hunger Games would be released for American audiences, which is essentially a Battle Royale remake without it truly being the counterpart of the Japanese film. Based on the book with the same name written by Suzanne Collins, the dystopian film follows Katniss Everdeen and 23 participants, who are forced to compete and kill one another as the citizens of Panem are required to watch. Easily the more successful of the two films, The Hunger Games received positive reviews from fans and critics alike and gained a huge box office total of $694. 4 million worldwide. Obviously, The Hunger Games strongly shares similarities with Battle Royale, but is it the better film? Let’s take a deeper look into both films:
Battle Royale
Behind the murder and mayhem is a deeper message that the film greatly explores. Battle Royale explores a “What If” scenario and the dangers of a totalitarian regime or any political dictatorship. The Japanese film also tackles human nature and their response to the kill or be killed situations and the loyalty and courage that is tested for each of the 42 students.
Smartly, Battle Royale doesn’t beat its audiences over the head with its themes and provides a vastly entertaining film. What’s great about Battle Royale is that it’s not just about senseless violence, as we get a chance to bond with a good majority of the students, and their personalities are clearly defined. Deciding to examine humanity during such a dangerous element keeps the tension high, as the unpredictability of the film relies on the “Who’s next” angle, and director Kinjo Fukasaku does an excellent job of not telegraphing everyone’s next move in advance.
From the cast, the standout is Chiaki Kuriyama (Kill Bill’s Go Go Yubari), who’s perfectly cast as the psychopath Takako Chigusa. You understand why the young girl is the way she is; however, the film wisely doesn’t try to paint her as a sympathetic figure despite her backstory. Leads Tatsuya Fujiwara and Aki Maeda are a likable presence throughout the film as well. Chigusa also does a great job coordinating the action throughout the film. Funny, nerve-racking, and action-packed, Battle Royale is by no means a flawless film; however, the minor problems with 2000 original never slow down the film’s momentum in any way.
The Hunger Games
Despite The Hunger Games‘ identical premise to Battle Royale, the film does a good job of standing on its own two feet as the themes of friendship, family, materialism, and freedom versus oppression are explored seamlessly. Like Battle Royale, the film doesn’t just focus on the action and fighting, giving the audience a chance to explore the world and understand the characters before Katniss and the 23 kids fight to kill. Not surprisingly, Jennifer Lawrence does an excellent job as Katniss, displaying the toughness and bada**ery without her performance ever feeling fake.
The film also showcases the tender moments that help round out Katniss’s character and Lawrence’s acting chops showcase just how talented the actress is. The only drawback is that Katniss and a good majority of the characters are a bit bland when it comes to personality. Not everyone can be a psychopath like Takako Chigusa, but no one other than Rue truly standouts in the cast. The love triangle does slow down the film as well. Peeta and Gale aren’t particularly interesting characters, so seeing two bland guys vying for the affection of Katniss is more so eye-rolling than sweet. The action of the games is handled pretty well, though one of the issues with the movie is that it’s a little too predictable. With Battle Royale not specifically focusing on one student, that bumps up the tension as it’s not exactly clear-cut who will live or die. With The Hunger Games focusing so much attention on Katniss, it’s clear that the lead character will have plot armor and make it until the end, though the twist of having both Peeta and Katniss live was a nice surprise.
So, which film is better? Battle Royale. with a colorful cast of characters and a better-structured and unpredictable story, the 2000 Japanese film is simply better than its 2012 counterpart.The Hunger Games
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