A classic that will be remembered for a long time (Battle Royale (DVD))

Member Name: shuttlex

Product:	Battle Royale (DVD)
Date:	26/08/06 (355 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Insight into Japanese culture & values, good story & acting

Disadvantages: Some viewers may find too violent

Upon first watching the film, it is difficult to understand the theme behind Battle Royale. The idea being that the youth of Japan are no longer respectful of their elders. School children are disruptive, violent and the teachers and parents can't control them. To tackle this problem, the government passes the Battle Royale act. Every year one class within the country is selected at random and sent to an island where they are given no option but to kill each other until there is only one student remaining. The last remaining student who wins is allowed to return home.

Although Battle Royale is based on the original novel by Koushun Takami (1999), the idea of unruly students that must be brought to control is a common theme in Japan. This theme is seen in mangas such as GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) and live action TV series such as the GTO adaptation, Gokusen, and Jyoou no Kyoushitsu (Queen of the Classroom). Commonly each presents a rather extreme way of tackling the problem of uncontrollable students. Despite the constant poor behaviour and nasty pranks, classroom teachers feel it is their duty to help, protect, and to reform their students. The Japanese have a tendency to introduce extreme scenarios such as teachers who are ex gang members or from a family of Yakuza.

However, unlike the examples above, Battle Royale does not attempt to find a resolve in this way, instead it goes one step further beyond the normal comfort zones that one would expect, and we are given a situation where all the classmates must kill each other until one remaining student is alive. If more than one student is still remaining after 3 days they all die. Japan has reached a point where there simply isn't any other choice. Battle Royale has a strange theme that is difficult for the viewer to accept or understand despite the fact that these students may have misbehaved.

Unlike his classmates, the main character, Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara), is quite well behaved and a victim himself of poor parenting with a history of being let down by his parents. It seems rather unfair that he should be thrust in such a position.

Upon arrival at the island, the children wake up after having been knocked unconscious, surrounded by military and presented with a video that details the rules of Battle Royale. On screen a training video girl (Yûko Miyamura) wearing trendy styled clothing with a military cap and shorts explains the rules. She explains it with a sense of enthusiasm and excitement as if they are about to have fun and play laser quest. Except that this specially selected class have the complete opposite expression on their faces, fearful, shocked and angry. No longer do they have the comfort in knowing that they can talk down to their teachers and still be looked after, it's too late and now they are on their own.

The school teacher, Kitano (Takeshi Kitano) takes pleasure in explaining the rules and finally being given the opportunity to take revenge on the class that gave him a hard time. Their parents are strangely happy as it seems to be quite an honour if their child is selected for Battle Royale. The film is weird but at the same time intriguing as it presents the idea of Battle Royale completely seriously.

Part of the reason why this film works is the acting is good and the environments look real. Beat Takeshi and Tatsuya Fujiwara, both immensely popular in Japan, play their roles convincingly.

Watching a student die instantly from a knife thrown into the forehead or the sight of panic on a student’s face as their neck is about to be shredded is just a bit too unnerving. BR may seem excessively violent in this regard but it also portrays the true shock and reality of violence.

Although understandably some will find the violence distasteful, this film gives a certain insight into Japanese culture and values. There is a collective belief and unity whereby students from the same class tend to feel friendship and affiliation with one another. They share memories and friends which they cherish. However, at times these scenes can seem overly sentimental.

Indeed, Battle Royale is a classic that will be remembered for a long time. If you enjoy Battle Royale, then you should also see Queen of the Classroom and then GTO (Both have been fan subbed and easily available on the net.). Battle Royale is only the starting point into a fresh and interesting cultural insight.

---------------------------------
Also known as: Batoru rowaiaru
Released: 2000
Runtime: 114 mins
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese

----------------------------------
CAST:

Tatsuya Fujiwara .... Shuya Nanahara - Boys #15
Aki Maeda .... Noriko Nakagawa - Girls #15
Taro Yamamoto .... Shougo Kawada - Boys #5
Chiaki Kuriyama .... Takako Chigusa - Girls #13
Sousuke Takaoka .... Hiroki Sugimura - Boys #11
Takashi Tsukamoto .... Shinji Mimura - Boys #19
Yukihiro Kotani .... Yoshitoki Kuninobu - Boys #7
Eri Ishikawa .... Yukie Utsumi - Girls #2
Sayaka Kamiya .... Satomi Noda - Girls #17
Aki Inoue .... Fumiyo Fujiyoshi - Girls #18
Takayo Mimura .... Kayoko Kotohiki - Girls #8
Yutaka Shimada .... Yutaka Seto - Boys #12
Ren Matsuzawa .... Keita Iijima - Boys #2
Hirohito Honda .... Kazushi Niida - Boys #16
Ryou Nitta .... Kyouichi Motobuchi - Boys #20

Available from:

Play.com £7.99 delivered

Summary: Insight into Japanese culture & values, good story & acting, violent