Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Year: 2000
Language: Japanese (English Subtitles)
Length: 1 hour 57 minutes (117 minutes)
Staring: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Taro Yamamoto, Takeshi Kitano, Sousuke Takaoka, Takeshi Tsukamoto, Yukihiro Kotani, Eri Ishikawa, Sayaka Kamiya, Aki Inoue, Takyo Mimura, Yutaka Shimada, Ren Matsuzawa, Hirohito Honda, Ryou Nitta
Plot: Set in Japan at the start of a new millennium when unemployment is at a serious high and violence amongst the nation's youth is spiralling out of control. With school children boycotting their lessons and physically attacking their teachers (at the start of the film one boy sticks a knife in a teachers leg), a near-defeated and beleaguered government. decides to introduce a new and completely radical measure: The Battle Royale Act.
Overseen by a former teacher, a randomly chosen school class is alluded into thinking they're going on a school trip and is actually taken to a deserted island then forced to fight each other to the death. The act dictates that only one pupil will be allowed to survive the punishment. He or she will return, not as the victor, but as the ultimate threat and proof of the lengths to which the government are prepare to go to put a stop of the youths disobedience. The winner then goes on to join another class in their battle (as shown by the two students that join in the beginning)
It has to be one of the most controversial film ever, it manages to be clever, creepy and ultra violent at all the same time. Battle Royale is a jewel in the crown of Japanese cinema.
Review: Okay, first off, Tatsuya Fukiwara is so freaking beautiful. This film is so fucking fantastic! The island its shot on is beautiful and the camera man really knows what he's doing, they know exactly when sweeping wide shots or close shots are relevant. I think the serenity of the island really adds to the creepiness of the whole thing though, the director really knew what he was doing with this film.
The film itself is super amazing! Its gore at its best and is super creepy. It really shows 'the human condition' at its best, and shows the lengths to which people will truly go just to save themselves. Even when they try to ban together, it fails and they turn on each other.
I find the ending a little obvious and a bit like the film just kind of... fizzles out.
I find the ending a little obvious and a bit like the film just kind of... fizzles out.
Quotes: "I saw a tampon in the toilet and [name] wasn't on her period... but didn't you come on just a few days ago?" I don't why but it just made me laugh.
Overall Rating: 4.9/5 (would be a 5 if the ending was better...XD)
