American remake of Battle Royale in first stages*

[IfIWereAnAsian]

[Check the thread date, everyone. This is two years old.]

Various other Japanese horror films have fairly successfully been remade by American film artists~~ but I just don't know how well Battle Royale would do!

Apparently, New Line Cinemas has Neal Moritz and Roy Lee producing it! There's not even a script or a director yet.. but who knows what crazy Americanized film they'll end up making!

[Tenshi no Ai]

Interesting... the movie had shock-factor to me, just how it was done. The storyline (well, plot of the game) has a quite -_- irony to it... I hope they don't follow with the manga though since it's ALOT worse than the movie!

One thing I never got though: it was never licensed here cause of the idea involving kids killing each other, yet I've seen on tv a part of Lord of the Flies and I'm pretty sure those kids were younger -_-... Actually, since I only ended up watching the worst parts of it, it had shock-factor to me too^^ (Didn't read the book in school yet at the time).

[Cap'n Nick]

This movie could benefit from a slick Hollywood repackaging. The original was interesting, but it had a low budget feel and a solid helping of cheese. My only concern is that they might make a straightforward action movie and downplay the characterization and complexity that made this work stand out.

[Puritan]

Hmm. I've never seen the movie (although my sister said it was extremely violent but good), but I have read the book, which was extremely violent but very interesting and well-written. From that perspective I second Cap'n Nick's sentiments. The only reason I liked the book was the depth of the characters, the interesting anti-utopian society it portrayed, and the complexity of the plot, the story was extremely violent and terribly bloody. If the American version turns it into an action movie without the complexity, I doubt I would want to see it.

[Cap'n Nick]

Say, what do you all think are the chances that a remake would thematically link the tyrannical government in the story with the current political administration, like V for Vendetta or the last Star Wars movie?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I also wonder about the second one. If I recall, Battle Royale 2 was pretty anti-american in many aspects. (I don't remember why)

[Puritan]

I hope not. The book was (from what I understood as an American with limited knowledge of Japanese politics) partially a critique of the isolationist Japanese culture pre-Perry combined with the terrible ideals of the WWII militarists and Fascism. It was a "what-if" book set in a parallel world, not an actual critique of any movement. Changing that would just cheapen the story, in my opinion. Besides, the book was actually very pro-American in many ways, portraying the US as a place of freedom and the only place to escape the terrors of the evil regime, turning that on its head wouldn't make any sense to me.

[Arnobius]

I hope not. The book was (from what I understood as an American with limited knowledge of Japanese politics) partially a critique of the isolationist Japanese culture pre-Perry combined with the terrible ideals of the WWII militarists and Fascism. It was a "what-if" book set in a parallel world, not an actual critique of any movement. Changing that would just cheapen the story, in my opinion. Besides, the book was actually very pro-American in many ways, portraying the US as a place of freedom and the only place to escape the terrors of the evil regime, turning that on its head wouldn't make any sense to me.

Well unfortunately the movie cut that out and instead focussed on "Alienation of youth." It destroyed the meaning of much of the character motivations and the whole idea of trust as a major theme

The sequel was even worse being deliberately anti-American and pro-terrorist (post-9/11) in tone with no real plot except the anti-Americanism

[IfIWereAnAsian]

There was a lot of downtime in the original, but it's kind of a style~~ I imagine it would be much more fast paced done here. But I disagree with Cap'n Nick about the characterization~~ because that's one of my draws to the film.* It manages to give us an attachment/picture of almost each student!

Mr. Smarty Pants:

Battle Royale 2 was pretty anti-american in many aspects.

It was very much a political statement... that didn't have the same feeling as the first, nor all the original actors..

( >_- I don't know how to put the person's name in the quote box lol;; )

I think they're just redoing the first one for now though* I would actually like it if someone redid the second one in a way that highlights the ending of the first!

[Cap'n Nick]

I stated that characterization was one of the film's strengths. Precisely how are you disagreeing with me?

[Arnobius]

[quote="IfIWereAnAsian"]( >_- I don't know how to put the person's name in the quote box lol]
In the opening quote box put an equal sign followed by the person's name: example

[quote="IfIWereAnAsian"]

[IfIWereAnAsian]

oh;; I'm sorry Cap'n Nick* I read it wrong~~~ I read your concern the opposite way that it was intended!! In that case, I have the same concern! It's rare to find that kind of characterization nowadays.. everything has to be bam bam, because of our suppossed short attention spans.

[Quote=AnimeHeretic]In the opening quote box put an equal sign followed by the person's name[/quote]
Yay lol;; Thank you AnimeHeretic!!
I don't know how long I've avoided using that because of the name thing.. lol; nice to know*

Which things do you think they'd have to change for it to make sense to Americans? I mean.. it'd be our military lol; .. sending them where? and would it really be an uprising of the youth vs the adults? would it be a political issue? lol; which govn't people would they pick fun at?

[Bobtheduck]

I don't know much about Japanese politics, so I was able to watch Battle Royalle detatched from the political specifics of the satire, but I can pick up on it more when it's here... I'm not making any political statements, but instead voicing my opinion about political satire in the US these days... If it were made here:


Bush would be the villain, though they wouldn't call him Bush... He'd be the president ordering this... it would be a vaguely bush-like figure being afraid of the youth who could vote him out of office, or perhaps were standing in the way of him getting oil or money in some other way, so he sends them off to their deaths in the battle royalle match...

It would be also made analogous to sending soldiers to Iraq.

The system would be changed, but it would link back to things like the patriot act as the beginning of the slippery slope that leads to the system they'd have to have in a BR scenario...

That's just my predictions, anyhow... It seems people either don't pick up on analogy and symbolism, or see it where it isn't... Even if it's exactly what I said, some people would probably deny it. That's my prediction, though.

Oh, and for the comparisons drawn between battle royalle and Lord of the Flies, BR is to LotF what Full Metal Jacket is to Operation Dumbo Drop... It takes the idea (survival of the fittest among kids) and pumps it with steroids, meth, and a little bit of mescaline for good measure...

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I watched Battle Royale 1 and 2 straight in a row in one sitting XD

MAN WAS IT AWESOME. The second was good, not as good as the first. The first had a lot of unpredictable moments, and good character development.

Jeez... it was just... really good o.o

The second reminded me of Full Metal Panic, with Sagara Souske and stuff. And it was kind of unrealistic

[spoiler]A small group of kids, many whom had no prior experience with firearms (The BR II soldiers) versus a horde of soldiers? Yeah right XD[/spoiler]

[IchiTone]

I'm a big, big fan of the manga, so when it came time to sit down and watch the live action film, it certainly disappointed...to no surprise on my part. With all the character development and story spread throughout several volumes of manga, it's not going to be easy making the transition to a 2-hour flick. They did certainly try, and I have to respect that. Takeshi Kitano's performance impressed me the most...you really hated him for what he was doing, yet couldn't help but laugh at some of his wackiness (like during the introduction video all the kids were made to watch).

An American remake, though? Hmm. There's potential, certainly. But, going along with what some of the previous posters have said....if Hollywood can succeed in capturing that element of complexity and deep character traits/flaws, without turning it into an action movie for the sake of an action movie...there might be something there.

[Rocketshipper]

How recent is this information? The news that New Line wanted to make a remake was announced quit awhile ago, but I heard the project got "put on hold" because of the Virgina Tech shootings.

I'm a little worried about how this movie would be recieved, especially after the performance of "The Condemned" which had a very similar premise.

One thing I never got though: it was never licensed here cause of the idea involving kids killing each other,

Thats not why it is not licenced. Toei won't sell the licence to anyone, even thought there have been offers. I heard that one of the requirments they've put on it is that anyone who buys it has to give it a wide release in theaters, which will probably never happen in a million years. So we'll probably never see it outside of chinese bootlegs in the US.

[uc pseudonym]

How recent is this information?

Not very - look at the date of the start of the thread.

I'm a big, big fan of the manga, so when it came time to sit down and watch the live action film, it certainly disappointed...to no surprise on my part. With all the character development and story spread throughout several volumes of manga, it's not going to be easy making the transition to a 2-hour flick. They did certainly try, and I have to respect that. Takeshi Kitano's performance impressed me the most...you really hated him for what he was doing, yet couldn't help but laugh at some of his wackiness (like during the introduction video all the kids were made to watch).

An American remake, though? Hmm. There's potential, certainly. But, going along with what some of the previous posters have said....if Hollywood can succeed in capturing that element of complexity and deep character traits/flaws, without turning it into an action movie for the sake of an action movie...there might be something there.

Welcome to the forums; always glad to have new members who want to discuss things. However, I'd also ask that you be careful when posting in threads you find via searching. This one is close to two years old and not very timely, but its appearance may confuse people.

[Rocketshipper]

Like me...


I'm surprised it didn't get very many posts the first time though. That's another reason why I thought it was a newer topic.

I read that the "hidden meaning" behind Battle Royal is that its a criticism of Japan's ultra competitive school system.