And the best movie where kids kill each other for our entertainment is…
April 2, 2012
BATTLE ROYALE!
Granted, The Hunger Games hasn’t exactly had time to simmer over the years like its Japanese counterpart, but the people have spoken. Fanboys and fangirls, argue all you want. Still not sure where I stand on the matter, but it’s a cult classic for a reason, folks.
Swell voting, y’all!
RESULTS:
– Battle Royale: 12 votes
– The Hunger Games: 8 votes
– Lord of the Flies: 3 votes (only read the book, worth seeing the movie?)
10 Comments
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Cut The Crap Movie Reviews 
I still haven’t watched hunger games, but recently watched Battle Royale. I have to say that the premiss (of the youth disrespecting the adults and the tention between them) felt very interesting though the Japanese culture.
Battle Royale was an excellent movie (although gruesome at times) filled with great plot and characters. How was the Hunger Games in comparison? Is it worth seeing?
I’ve read both books and seen both movies, and I think it’s definitely worth seeing, especially as a comparison to Battle Royale. Thought The Hunger Games did a better job of establishing a societal reaction to these kids offing each other, but it really seems like a matter of taste at this point. So give it a go!
I’ve read a lot of hate for the Hunger Games being a rip-off of Battle Royale, but I think it can be argued that the premise isn’t necessarily original, no?
I think the premises of the two movies are extremely similar in execution, but that’s not to say that the premise is original to begin with. Lord of the Flies, Spartacus, yada yada yada.
It’s really just a coin toss between Battle Royale and Hunger Games, I think. Between the two, I’d say that BR is the more entertaining film, one I’d just pop into my DVD player for giggles when I’m bored, while THG is the richer piece of science fiction world building.
I agree. They both have their merits, hard to say which one is better.
I really enjoyed reading Battle Royal, but I’m not sure I want to see the film, it’s such a detailed (not to mention long) novel that I don’t know how it could possibly fit effectively into a movie time frame. Did anyone else read the book first?
I read the book and I agree, there is A LOT going on. The movie does a surprisingly good job of staying on top of things, but like with any adaptation, stuff gets left out. Still suggest checking it out though, folks love that thing.
Battle Royale is the superior movie. It’s more compassionate, it’s more graphic, it’s less dramatic, and it has Takeshi Kitano.
It’s grandiose on a more personal scale, the romances are more down to earth, more heartfelt, and less self-centered.
Battle Royale also works as a satire as an exaggeration of justice, Hunger Games does not. Hunger Games just portray the classical despotic government.
I did not read Battle Royale as a novel, but I did read the manga. Considering how deep it goes into exploring each character’s history, I think Battle Royale the movie managed it particularly well.
Hunger Games’ worldbuilding is the better one, there’s no question there. Hunger Games is impressive visually but it’s unconvincing emotionally. I’m not sorry to say this but Asian just do this sort of movie way better than Hollywood will ever be able to do. I think Hunger Games didn’t dare enough, it wasn’t as misanthropic as I would have liked it to be.
Battle Royale = 9.5/10 – Hunger Games = 7-7.5/10
Cheers.
I say “The Hunger Games” is stronger because it was more balanced. While “Battle Royale” was edgier due to its in-your-face satire and unflinching look at kills, let’s not forget that it was burdened by an unnecessary and extremely plodding romance between Shuya and Noriko. Yawn. Fast-forward.