Battle Royale (2000) Dir: Kinji Fukasaku
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I have wanted to watch this Japanese action thriller for years now, particularly thanks to its high ratings and long-lasting popularity. Based on the 1999 novel of the same name by Koushun Takami, this Kinji Fukasaku directed murder-fest is an iconic piece of Japanese cinema.
The extreme violence, the brutal unpredictability and the raw, emotional character arcs are all big reasons why fans adore this film.
The soundtrack is also superb, with some brilliant choices of music to accompany the violence. The film addresses some rather poignant themes that still find relevance today, chiefly a distinct distrust of the government, as well as said government's exploitation.
Beyond that, Fukasaku targets a number of more personal themes, such as personal development, individuality, diversity, conflict and social identity. Each character is emotionally driven in some form, be it for their own gain or detriment.
Tatsuya Fujiwara plays the film's protagonist, and provides a solid performance, although I would say that he was outshone by a couple of his co-stars.
Aki Maeda has one of the other key roles, and, for the most part, she performs very well, and makes for a very endearing character.
Masanobu Ando gives the second best performance of the film in my view. His stern yet caring portrayal of a mysterious character makes him a very intriguing element of the story, particularly in the third act.
My favourite performance however, comes from Ko Shibasaki, who absolutely nails her character's unhinged and troubled persona, particularly in comparison to some of the smaller roles.
Taro Yamamoto may only have a supporting role, but he manages to show a surprising amount of emotion, despite using very little variety in facial expressions.
Finally, I want to give credit to some of the other noteworthy cast members; Chiaki Kuriyama, Takashi Tsukamoto, Sousuke Takaoka, Ai Maeda, Eri Ishikawa, Sayaka Kamiya and Yūko Miyamura.
Overall, this is an excellently driven and violent piece of cinema that draws you in immediately and uses its own brutal premise to provide shocks, gore and a surprising level of emotion.
You could rewatch this a number of times and likely pick up on themes and details you missed before, or, like me, maybe you just enjoy the film that much you want to rewatch it a lot.
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