99 Cent Video FLASHBACK: Battle Royale


Battle Royale also presents a vital, yet disturbing look at human behavior. With their lives literally hanging in the balance, many of the film's protagonists revert to the mentality of: "Every man for himself," a striking departure from Japanese cultural norms which often gravitate toward collectivism. The irony of the characters' decision is that their only chance at survival is to bond together against their common enemy. But even in our own day-to-day lives, how often do we?

Aside from the film's reflections on violence and human psychology, Battle Royale is ultimately a movie about its protagonists - children - and the relationships they forge with each other. However, unlike in America, where twenty-something actors would be deceptively cast as "teens" in such a violent film, Fukasaku relies on real-life children to carry his motion picture. And most of them do so admirably. In addition, despite the plot's inherent limitations -- Forty two students are brought to the island so it is impossible for the camera to focus too long on any one of them -- Fukasaku provides sufficient character development to hook his audience and make them care about the fate of his young cast. The director even provides audiences with an occasional love story - along with a discernible hero and villain - arguably the most (and only) conventional aspects of an otherwise entirely unconventional film.

In all, Battle Royale is an intriguing and startling motion picture well worth going out of the way to see. Of course, until the unspoken "ban" on Battle Royale is lifted, North America's would-be audiences of the film will likely have no other choice.

To learn more about Battle Royale, including access to over 1,000 images from the film, visit: http://www.battleroyaleonline.com.

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The copyright of the article 99 Cent Video FLASHBACK: Battle Royale in Cult Cinema is owned by Paul Armentano. Permission to republish 99 Cent Video FLASHBACK: Battle Royale in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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