Don't we love when I post 101/1001 instead of fun stories of my love for unobtainable men? Or my narcissism? We do? GREAT! Because here's another one!
13. Watch 26 movies I’ve never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet (3/26)
13. Watch 26 movies I’ve never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet (3/26)
Battle Royale (2000, Kinji Fukasaku)
Oh my God. This film.
It was first introduced to me by a friend... the concept sounded intriguing, and he gave good reviews, so I added it to the top of my Netflix queue, and promptly forgot about it. 3 months later, I finally watch The Wild One, send it in, and this film is delivered to my door.
The basic premise is simple: A class of delinquent students is drugged and put on an island where they have to kill each other to survive. There can only be one winner, and after 3 days, if there isn't a winner, everyone dies via bomb-infused necklace/collar they're forced to wear. These also go off if you find yourself in a "danger zone," created to force interaction between the students.
Based on a book by Koushun Takami, the film "is being touted as a Clockwork Orange for the 21st century". It's horrific, gory, and incredible. A social commentary on the youth of Japan and the generation gap, Battle Royale uses the B R Act as a means to teach the youth of Japan a lesson, as well as deal with overpopulation. Though in the movie, only one class is randomly chosen a year, the book enforces this rule 50 times over, for the past 50 years.
Some students embrace this no-rules, extreme-survivor game, while others try to make peace, figure out ways of escape, or commit suicide. One student spends his time searching for his best friend and his love, saying goodbye.
The film centers around the characters of Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nakagawa, who's heartbreaking naivete, compassion, and protectiveness of each other has the viewer hoping and reeling with them. But just as interesting are the two "transfer students": volunteers; one of whom befriends and protects Shuya and Noriko, the other is responsible for the largest number of murders.
A film for the video game generation, the characters root their recently killed and collect their weapons (each student was given a survival bag, complete with a random weapon... some of which being extremely dangerous a la machine gun, others completely useless a la pot lid), much like a disturbing edition of your favorite killing game.
I'm not one for a lot of gore or violence, but I really enjoyed this movie. (I gave it 4 stars on Netflix). It's haunting, interesting, and I found myself gripping my covers for a good majority of the film.
- Could you kill your best friend?
- One dead. 41 To Go.
- 42 Students, Three Days, One Survivor, No Rules.
The students, as they find out their fate
photos belong to amazon.com and Fight 4 Survival
Great movie! As is anything with Takeshi Kitano. However don't bother with the sequel.
ReplyDeleteI've come to find sequels not originally planned (and some that are) tend to never be worth it (and Netflix projected I'd give it 2.5 stars, so I didn't add it to the queue), but thanks for the advice!
ReplyDeleteI haven't checked anything else out with Takeshi Kitano yet though, suggestions?
Either Brother or Zatoichi are good starting points.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds awesome but gore, ew, I'm not a fan.
ReplyDelete