Battle Royale vs Hunger Games (movie vs movie thoughts)

This comes up a lot with nerds. I figure I’ll put my two cents in since I’ve watched both now, and rewatched BR (finished like 15 minutes ago).

First off I am not into the Japanese movies, manga or anime. I’ve seen some anime and enjoyed some immensely, even though it’s literally a handful. 

I’ve only read one Japanese comic (manga) and that was Akira.

So I don’t look at BR like it’s head and shoulders better then Hunger Games. In fact I don’t look down on Hunger Games because it’s aimed at tweens and is currently popular. I can separate popular stuff from plain crap.

That said, Battle Royale is, in me opinion, better the Hunger Games. Of course both stories deal with   the same premise - teens fight to the death. Both do approach the subject differently.

BR isn’t about set up. It takes roughly 20 minutes before we start the actual games. HG takes the first hour and change to setup the games, and this is where the biggest difference comes to play.

HG is about spectacle, and it’s the setup that is key here and not the games. BR is almost all about the actual game. If you’ve read my HG review (shame on you if you didn’t) you’ll see that I really enjoyed the first half of the Hunger Games and really thought the setup was very well done. It’s that half that separates the movies from being clones. 

Oh and side note: anyone who has ever said the Hunger Games is a ripoff of Battle Royale needs to look up the Running man and the Long Walk. Oh and totally go to hell…

and side, side note: anyone who says that Hunger Games is like Twilight is brain damaged and I hate you :) no but seriously, you’re stupid and need help.

As you may get to know, I have little patience for fanboys, or fangirls. When I like something, I enjoy it, I don’t go door to door to push it on people. I don’t define myself by one property either…in fact I don’t define myself by any property. I can see the good and bad in even the most beloved of franchises of mine.

So, the reason for the Hunger Games is actually very interesting and gets respect when compared to Battle Royale. 

That said, the actual two “games” portion of the movies is one sided, hands down. Battle Royale’s games are much more exciting, realistic (hard to beleive eh) and brutal. Now I won’t take away points from HG for having cleaning or PG killing because that’s the audience. I’ll let my 10 year old watch HG, I’ll wait a few more years before I’d let her watch BR.  Oh and I’m no prude, we’ve watch some questionable for a 10 year old, but BR, to be appreciated, one needs to be a bit more mature then 10.

So overall I enjoy both movies, but have to say that Battle Royale is the better movie. Maybe better is the wrong word. I should say entertaining.