Super Lucky (Battle Royale (DVD))

Member Name: SlyClone2k

Product:	Battle Royale (DVD)
Date:	07/04/03 (372 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Not Hollywood, Dark and noirish

Disadvantages: Subtitles

Could you kill your best friend?

Battle Royale, actually pronounced Battle Royal by the actor Takeshi Kitano, is a film, taken from Koshun Takami's novel that only Japan could have produced. It's a weirdly surrealistic and ultra-violent portrayal of a world that has had to resort to the Battle Royale Act; an act passed by parliament, to try and contain the youth as they spiral out of control.

In a bid to control the kids in a near future world (the dawn of the millennium (or now!)) a law is passed that throws a random class of 9th grade children onto a deserted island. Each is armed with "weapons" (you'll see why thats in inverted commas when you watch the film!)and given some provisions. From there they continue on the understanding that in 72 hours only one will survive.

Battle Royale opens with a chilling prologue, as we share the media frenzy surrounding the "game", one Battle Royale ends and the victor, a blood encrusted girl, smiles with a fixed and glazed expression into the camera, the unspeakable acts she has witnessed having unhinged her from reality.

The film itself portrays a class-room that could be Japan today, high levels of delinquency and needless violence are rife, and the class that is plucked is not so out of the ordinary. As a girl enters her 7th grade class to see the teacher, Professor Kitano (Takeshi Kitano) looking forlornly at a message left by his pupils, "we didn't want to come in today" he gets up and leaves only to have his legged slashed by another pupil. From here the class believe that everything is normal, until they awaken, having been drugged and kidnapped lying on the floor of a desolate school class room. But as the Battle Royale begins they are reintroduced to their 7th grade teacher, with his anger intact and he orchestrates the little time these pupils have left, introducing them to the game, later providing them with clues that may keep them al
ive and confering the darkest of humour all the way though.

The film does occasionally lack depth, there are 42 children in all so it would seem unreasonable for each to be given their own story but for the most part we see them all reach their demise in some form, the final acts of murder are rarely off camera. Each death is neatly catalogued on screen, stating name and number and this regimentation provides another twisted offset to the mayhem on screen.

As the story progresses some characters are given a larger portrayal than others. Occasionally causing a conflict of emotion, where the hunter can become the hunted or following a vilifying part of the story line we are treated to the reason a character has become so evil. The central characters of Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Noriko Nakagawa (Aki Maeda) manage to enamour more than most, providing the core of the "away" from the killing story line it is these two (one boy and one girl) we follow during their fight for survival.

The movie also has something of a coming of age feel about it. These kids would still have been growing up, developing their emotions and widening their circles. They still bully each other, run in cliques and have crushes. Battle Royale touches upon a few of these blossoming relationships in flashbacks that provide insight into the characters. Occasionally a relationship, or failure of a possible relationship, runs in flash forward. Boy looks for girl, boy professes an unrequited love, girl shoots boy. The boy would never have had the courage to speak of his love, but in such a sudden and dangerous environment he can quickly over come his fear.

Battle Royale is undoubtedly a learning experience for these children. The jealousy and paranoia they suffer in the class spills in to their existence in a manner multiplied beyond recognition. The friendships they have a soon swallowed up by a will to survive and suddenly those who look sane
are on the razors edge of blowing you away.

Interestingly, in Japan, films are rated in quite a different way to here or the U.S, violence, though condemned, is taken a whole lot more lightly. You want an R18 in Japan and you have to fill it with sex too! As such this film was only R-15 and one should note that this film is decidedly gory with such scenes as throwing knives to the head, throats being slit and a particularly notable scene where a decapitated head is used as the vehicle for a grenade. The violence has caused controversy, only slightly embellishing (as it does) the times that Japan is living in today.

The seventy two year old director (Kinji Fukasaku) would appear to have issues with adults in the film he makes. Apparently disturbed by the carnage he witnessed as a child of 14 or 15 (the same age as our class here) during the Second World War. His attitude to childhood and the bizarre way that children are raised permeates the violence to provide a thought provoking message. Reflection on the insurmountable pressure that is thrown at them by their parents and their teachers provides the hidden backdrop the film is trying to convey as children are taught to trust nothing and no-one.

Both Quentin Tarantino and John Woo are said to take Fukasaku as an influence on their directorial work and this might give you insight in to the style. Though both Tarantino and Woo, for all their independent style, still have a much greater Hollywood feel then you can expect here. Fukasaku is decidedly more unflinching, how many western films have you watched that feature the slaughter of children so young? Perhaps it is this aspect that makes the film that much more enigmatic.

As I mentioned the humour is dark and rife, this little part in particular is taken from the "welcome" video shown to the children before they are thrust on to the island

Oneesan: You'll leave the room one by one, but first you get a kit!
Inside is food and water, a map and compass, a flashlight and a weapon. So check it out later, ok? The girls might use personal item
s so you can all take them. Each weapon is different. Not just guns and knives either. It's random, so maybe you'll get lucky, maybe not. It eliminates natural advantages. Oh! This one's super lucky! (As she wields a hatchet!)

The dialogue here is amusing, but not nearly as amusing as the presenter, who seems to have stepped straight of a childs' entertainment programme with no apparent grasp of the severity of the situation. It's just this level of absurdity that prevails throughout.

This film isn't just for people looking for a brutality though the gore is there, but it is delivered in short disturbing bursts that sit between lengthy sections of peace and normality where the children explore their relationships with each other in surprisingly compassionate scenarios.

It is no trouble to begin drawing comparisons between films that might be more commonly known. Much of the film (including scenes where Kitano addresses the students and during killings) is accompanied by stirring renditions from Bach, Verdi and Strauss. The obvious comparison to A Clockwork Orange being that Beethoven was used as the music Alex had to "learn" by. Does the idea of an island full of teenagers who become slightly insane sound familiar? Perhaps you've seen (or read) The Lord Of The Flies. Finally perhaps The Running Man lends itself to the cooking pot with its "fight to survive" thematic. There was another film that struck me as I watched as well, but I can't remember what it was.

Presentation of the Special, limited, Edition is spectacular. The whole kit comes in a silver metal case that contains the Battle Royale map and a limited edition cell from the movie (though I doubt it's the original reel, probably a theatre reel!). The disks are further presented in a
delightful plastic box, should the presentation case become too cumbersome.

Disc One: Features 8 minutes extra footage and an alternate ending. The special edition features several extended scenes that provide succinct but deeper looks at the relationships and lives of the children allowing us to better understand the social hierarchy and the friendships they have for each other. CG has been added to certain aspects to, incredibly, heighten the destruction and improve the original opening sequences. Also and of notable mention is that the improvements made on this special edition version provide a distinct clean up of the video and sound that hampered the original release.

Widescreen 1.85:1 Anamorphic. The picture is clear, though occasionally by setting a little dark, I'm not much of a noticer of those little cigarette burns and things, but I didn't notice them? errr?
Dolby Digital 5.1: Japanese with English Subtitles. For those dissuaded by subtitling I found the dialogue slow, and as such the titles were easy to read and didn't distract too greatly from watching the film. One often wonders how much is lost in translation and the film is suitably weird enough for you feel as though you may have missed the point, but I rather think that's a Japanese thing!

Disc Two: Special Edition TV spot. Special Edition TV spot featuring Quentin Tarantino. The Making of Battle Royale (50 mins). Battle Royale press conference (9 mins). Instructional video: birthday version. Audition and rehearsal footage. Special effects comparison featurette. Tokyo International Film Festival 2000. Battle Royale documentary (12 mins). Basketball scene rehearsals. Behind-the-scenes featurette (10 mins). Filming on-set (10 mins). Original theatrical trailer. Director's statement. Kinji Fukasaku filmography. 'Beat' Takeshi filmography. Asia Extreme trailer reel.

Given the volume of extras there is small amount of repetition, but fo
r the die hard fan I have no doubt that this offers a wealth of extra (and that's what its all about) information.

Summary: