Teacher Kitano: Life is a game. So fight for survival and see if
you're worth it.
First
and foremost, as with my Videodrome review
I must state that this film is not safe for the children or work. Now with that
out of the way, have you ever wondered what Hunger
Games would be like if it were actually an extreme/violent Japanese film?
Well, if you have wondered that, or
if now that I have put such a thought into your mind you’re intrigued, this is
most definitely a flick for you! Kinji Fukasaku’s 2000 adaptation of Koushun Takami’s novel Battle Royale is a multi-layered
masterpiece of modern Japanese cinema. Through the combination of a
multifaceted plot, a multitude of relatable/human characters, beautifully
choreographed violence, and a dash of black humor, Takami and Fukasaku have
created a classic!
At
the heart of it Battle Royale is an
intense psychological thriller that follows 42 middle school students pitted
against each other by the government and forced to fight to the death. In
Takami/Fukasaku’s future, Japan has fallen upon hard times and with an immense
amount of their population unemployed the government passed legislation that
created the “BR” or “Battle Royale” initiative. Through this program, one graduating
middle school class is taken to an island and forced to kill their classmates,
with one strict rule... only one could survive.
Under
the guise of one last class trip the students are knocked out and wake up in a
strange place with metal collars on their necks. As they begin to come to they are
joined by their incredibly sadistic, vindictive, and crazily sarcastic former
teacher, Kitano-sensei (played by Takeshi Kitano). Kitano-sensei proceeds to
explain the facts of the situation and warn that if any of them were to step
out of line, or if more than one person was left after the three days, their
metal collar would explode, instantly killing them. This fact is then quickly
demonstrated on a kid that had wronged the twisted teacher years prior. As the
students’ terrifying introduction to their predicament comes to a close they
are introduced to two mean looking “transfer” students who’ve been chosen to
make the game more interesting, given a random weapon (some as useful as a gun
or GPS tracker, some as useless as a pan lid), and sent out on their own to
fight to survive.
One
of the aspects of Battle Royale that
makes it such a remarkable film is the fact that you quickly find yourself
invested in the stories of all of the students even though you spend relatively
little time with them. Each student has their own back story, told through
flashback, which leads us to fully empathize with them. Additionally,
throughout the film we receive little pieces of the class's collective story
providing us with a better understanding of their group dynamic. In the end you
really feel as if you’ve shared in their experiences, which makes the violent
and casualty-filled journey just that much more impactful. While you empathize
with all of the characters in one way or another, the innocent love story of
Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Noriko Nakagawa (Aki Maeda) aided by the
previous survivor Shôgo Kawada (Tarô Yamamoto) (one of the mean looking
transfer students) provides the incredibly affecting main story arc.
The
truth of the matter is that, while the plot stems from a rather simple concept,
the narrative itself is incredibly complex, and while I attempt to write a
brief synopsis I find myself constantly saying, "Oh don't forget that
part," and "Oh man, that is one of the best parts!" There is
just so much packed into this two-hour flick that you just have to watch it to
fully understand. On top of the fact that this is a glorious and expansive
narrative, the action, gore, and tension are all incredible! After the kids are
released into the wild every turn that they take could lead to a fatal battle,
and as the viewer you feel that sensation. However, even though the plot and
mood of the film is rather severe, the way that it is written and acted adds a
certain natural black comedy to the tragedy that surprisingly enough doesn't
seem forced.
In
summation, if you like complex, brutal thrillers and have always wanted to see
a more realistic and less stylized version of Hunger Games I would
recommend that you check out this extraordinary film! Not only is it incredibly
engaging, with some intense battle sequences, but it is beautiful, touching,
and at parts comical... just like real life. So, if you would allow me, I would
love to turn you on to this film because, well, it's just a killer flick!
-
Edward Hill
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