Battle Royale (2000)

20130720,1:
I'm not sure how the corresponding books compare, but as far as the movies go, I enjoy Battle Royale more than The Hunger Games (2012). Admittedly, this is dominantly due to the film's uncensored portrayal of violence inherent with a contest where the last person standing is allowed to live. In contrast, The Hunger Games is rated PG-13 and leaves most of the violence off-screen. While this is probably great from a business standpoint, it's an artistically upsetting choice, as Battle Royale stands as an example of what The Hunger Games could have been, if not better.

I hope that an American remake of Battle Royale gets made, even though the presence of The Hunger Games provides an obstacle: Americans would think Battle Royale was a rip-off of The Hunger Games, despite both the Battle Royale book and movie precede the Hunger Games book and movie, respectively.

Fortunately, I found out while creating this post that the movie has a sequel, Battle Royale 2 (2003), and like Battle Royale, it is available on Netflix streaming.

If you liked The Hungers Games, but wished it was more violent, then you most definitely have to watch Battle Royale. If, however, you don't like violent movies, then I suggest you do a little more research on the movie before checking it out (see also my instant comments below, which contain spoilers on how some of the contestants die).

[20130902][20181204 Edit]

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20131128:
I understood the movie more from watching it a second time. At the same time, perhaps due to being sleepy, the movie also felt as if it could have been shorter. Furthermore, some of the scenes had lost the thrill and novelty that occurs when seen for the first time.

Ultimately, I still like the movie more than Hunger Games.

[20131129][20181204 Edit][20190309 Edit]

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Instant Comments:
1: Don't grow up to be like him. I wonder how many of them get to survive in the first place. Answer: 1 winner or no winners.
1: Lol: the correct way to fight battle royale.
1: Ha. "I said no whispering!" 41 to go.
1: Oh wow, the one girl just gave up her pack.
1: Wow, some get an early start, making the two from the classroom and the two at the start for 38 to go.
1: [paused at 25 minutes]
1: 33 to go after the transfer student massacres 5 of them
1: 31 after two of them commit suicide.
1: 28 to go after Mitsuko
1: 2 more die, one from his own hatchet

1: 2 from being nieve and calling out to other from on top a mountain, the transfer student from earlier comes and kills them
1: 24 to go
1: I'm not sure why that one student who took the weapons didn't kill Nanahara and Nakagawa.
1: 23 to go after Mitsuko
1: 22 to go. Chigusa kills the creeper.
1: 21 to go. Aww...
1: Suddenly things go beyond just killing when we hear Shogo mention that he was a survivor of the last Battle Royale.
1: Lol... should have played dead for longer. (20 left)
1: After Nanahara wakes up, 16 to go.
1: She repeats, "It's not my fault." Yes, it's your fault. You didn't speak up and let them kill each other. She could have sacrificed herself.

1: Oh shit, and to ultimately commit suicide out of guilt.
1: 10 to go
1: Huh. Why would Mitsuko be afraid to shoot in front of the teacher?
1: Let's see... we have Nanahara, Nakagawa, Shogo together, Mitsuko on her own, the three boys devising a plan...
1: Sugimura, the one with the GPS, just got killed by Kotohiki and he told her to run, but she didn't. So Mitsuko came and indeed has her killed.
1: Mitsuko vs. Transfer Student. Transfer student wins.
1: 7 to go.
1: Okay, now we have the team of three, the transfer student, and the three boys devising a plan.
1: Damn, way to ruin everything crazy transfer student.

1: 3 to go.
1=20130720, 20130721, 2=20131128

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Watched first third 20130720 (Netflix, Instant) (Japanese audio, English subtitles)
Watched remaining two-thirds 20130721 (Netflix, Instant) (Japanese audio, English subtitles) 113 min
Watched 20131128 (Netflix, Instant)
Battle Royale (2000) Kinji Fukasaku. 114 min [botnotsn (1999) by Koushun Takami]

Relevant Links:
Battle Royale (IMDb.com)
Battle Royale (Wikipedia.org)
Battle Royale (film) (Wikipedia.org)
Battle Royale (RottenTomatoes.com)