MovieChat Forums > The Hunger Games (2012) Discussion > The Hollywood BATTLE ROYALE shakedown

The Hollywood BATTLE ROYALE shakedown

posted 10 years ago by turdbadge
20 replies | jump to latest

Unfortunately I cannot rate a 0 for this film, but needless to say I'm missing about 2 hours of my life. If you have nothing else to do and contemplating watching, consider doing housework as that's how much joy this films going to bring. It's seems as though it's a case of how do we copy Battle Royale and sell it to the masses... oh yes release a book trilogy and 'pow' here's the film to match a four years later for the kids.

As for the special effects there really wasn't nothing 'great' to shout about - unless you think that the fireballs which were thrown in for something for the CGI staff to work on. As for plot, there was no character building and the most that was built up was boy likes girl, girl doesn't know, she finds out, a quick kiss and end.

There is also nothing statement why the Hunger Games still exist (apparently this is the seventy-something or other game), just a quick thing about something about war. You'd pretty much think that they would have revolted by now, but yet the main character uses her weapon about once.

Quick summary comparison though.

HG - Kids killing each other PG and no real background

BR - Kids killing each other rather brutally with backgrounds

HG - That bloke who comes out of nowhere to save the main character

BR - The teacher who looks out for the main girl and gives her a brolly

HG - Boy has crush on girl

BR - Girl has crush on boy

HG - Both survive

BR - Both survive

HG - They are cheered back into society

BR - They become fugitives

Seems like there's quite a bit of stuff there to not even consider a copy cat there...

[–] boudicea1967 10 years ago

So, what is your point? Sorry, but I am sick of the whole BR thing because it is STUPID. One can read any number of dysopian fiction books and find the same premiss in every story. I think the BR people are going to realize that they stole the idea from someone else. Doesn't any one read anymore? No wonder aliens don't want to invade us.

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[–] clirby 9 years ago

The case between The Hunger Gamess and the rights to the Battle Royale story has gone on for years. When you are dealing with an American corporate bully you have little chance. I wish Takami Kosen's estate the best of luck but when it comes to millions of dollars at stake here its the big boys that win every time.

It is after all just a 100% original story about a deathmatch in todays world of stupid Intellectual Property rules its all about power, one day wars will be fought over copyright disputes.

[–] riekondoh-116-326404 9 years ago

So.. do I think she has seen it? Well.. yeah. She either saw the film, read the novel, or saw the manga--it's physically impossible for this many similarities to exist between two films. (I haven't read The Hunger Games--if she admits that it's a ripoff or homage or retelling of BR, I'll sit down and read it, no problem, no frustration) Many defended it by saying "BUT THESE ARE ALL GENERIC TROPES!"

...I'm going to rebut that in a simple way: side by side, these films have similar scenes, similar characters, a VERY similar sequence of events, and the only real difference is that one is set in an alternate future, while another is set in an alternate ... oh. I'm joking, obviously--the alt-future narrative I'll give you; if I knock off points for that, then I'm going to have to start hating most of my favorite films and novels, and it's not worth the effort.

Overall though, I still don't think either film is bad. I think that The Hunger Games has the most obnoxious fans I have ever seen in my entire life, who SCREAM at you if you disagree and don't bow, praying to the east, shrieking HAIL KATNISS! ...I'm exaggerating, but I did have several girls scream at me for making a smartass comment, along the lines of, "Yeah, I like the original Hunger Games, Battle Royale, more." I don't regret my actions, either; watching them scream themselves blue because--GASP--SOMEONE DISAGREED WITH THEIR OPINION! OH, THE HORROR!

Anyway, I'm getting off-topic; as I said before, both films are actually fairly good. Put Woody Harrelson in anything, and I'll watch it. (Personally, I'd rather watch A Scanner Darkly than either film, but that's just me, and I'm apparently insane for liking a film version of a Philip K. Dick story.) Would I rather watch the original? Yes. Do I prefer the original? Yes. Do I think the author was aware of the story and at the very least checked Wikipedia before writing her story? That's a big 'yes.'

In closing though, I have to ask--so what if she did? People adore the franchise--yeah, it's not the first to do the story, and Battle Royale wasn't either. I do think she should fess up and admit that she at the very least borrowed a couple ideas, and most of the plot.. but.. I can deal with it. Just don't make me watch them, please--they aren't bad movies, but if I have to hear more screaming tweens, I'm going to probably light myself on fire while viewing the film. Maybe take a few tweens out in the process. That'd be nice.

(It's a joke.)

(That seriously is the problem that most people are having though--it isn't so much the plagiarism, it's the fanbase being obnoxious.)

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[–] turdbadge 9 years ago

In the battle royale/battle royale 2, the game itself was only a small fraction of the plot. It was used to paint the larger picture. In fact, in both the book and the Battle Royale 2 film, the games didn't start until about 1/2 or 2/3 in. There were a lot of more going on outside of the games. Overall, the hunger battle royale (book) was about a boy navigate himself through a series of event that revolutionized the world she lives in (Japen). The love triangle and the games were merely subplots of the larger picture. There were other equally (or more) important subplots such as political propaganda, the famine, detailed descriptions of the world...etc.

[–] riekondoh-116-326404 8 years ago

Why did they rebrand the new Battle Royale 2: Requiem as "The Mockingjay", though?

[–] yusef-ghanima 9 years ago

you fricking republicans will never be able to kill this movie, revolution is coming.

[–] yusef-ghanima 9 years ago

alright he's just a fricking asian.

[–] Mahmood-Buttrumps 8 years ago

Well I never did see Battle Royale, Im just pointing out some similarities to Hunger Games and Lord Of The Flies. Im not saying that Hunger Games ripped it off, Im just saying theres some similarities. And as for people who find the brutality in HG disturbing, Lord Of The Flies is even more violent, particularly Piggy's death scene.

[–] ikissedaguru 8 years ago

is there any fear of potential copyright infringement/likeness from The Hunger Games? The overall theme of the game somewhat fits (minus the fairy tale characters part), along with pretty similar logos/fonts used. And the whole "_____ Games." Like with the Disney thing, I don't want you guys to get hosed on this project.

[–] Mahmood-Buttrumps 8 years ago

This is a great example of a Hollywood budget that was utterly wasted. The reason you go to a movie like this is not to have the pivotal action scenes left up to the imagination. The acting is atrocious. It seems to be making fun of itself at times, which is just sad. Is it SNL or is it a 15 dollar per ticket Hollywood feature? It's odd because this movie cost 125 million dollars and yet it has all the special effects of a made for TV movie...

[–] riekondoh-116-326404 9 years ago

I have learned not to trust western media when it comes to entertainment news. For example, the new Seth Rogan comedy, the Interview has been recieving lots of press about North Korea's reacting to Kim Jong Un's protrayal in the movie. Bottom line is that NK would never stoop to comment on something so trivial as a movie, propaganda or not. These articles are just PR stunts designed to create hype around the movie for the most part, paid for by the film studios themselves. Hunger Games is no different.

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[–] Mahmood-Buttrumps 8 years ago

I think, hmmm, semi-kind of plagiarism is really lucrative in the entertainment business. Borrow, rewrite a few things, get casting right, proceed with marketing and you have yourself a potential revenue-profiting mega-hit on the table.

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