The classic battle royale game is back in theaters

Before there was Hunger Games And popularity Video game genrethe term “battle royale” applies to Popular film 2000. Director Kenji Fukusaku’s dystopian thriller is casting a large shadow over the media these days, and celebrating its 25th birthday in December, it returns to the big screen once again.

Lionsgate and Iconic Events are showing the film in select Japanese-language theaters with English subtitles and an additional interview with the film’s screenwriter (and Fukusaku’s son), Kenta, about his late father’s career and the historical context in Japan that inspired the film’s screenplay. Like the bloodsport in the movie, these shows only last three days: today, October 12; Monday, October 13; And Wednesday, October 15. You can check here To see if a theater is showing it near you.

Based on Koshun Takami’s 1999 novel of the same name, Battle Royale is all about… The film revolves around a group of Japanese high school students living under a totalitarian government that enacts an annual game where the students fight each other to the death over the course of three days, and anyone who refuses has their head blown off. At the time, it was controversial enough to be banned or excluded from distribution in some countries, and it could not be sold to American distributors for more than a decade due to concern about lawsuits. (It eventually happened in 2010, albeit via live video.)

However, the film continued to earn critical acclaim and grossed $30.6 million worldwide, prompting several actors to become stars. Fukusaku briefly worked on a sequel before his death, which was completed by his son Kenta and received negative reception. The real impact of Battle Royale It can be felt throughout the media that attempts to imitate or replicate it, including… The Purge, Deadman’s Wonderland, Call of Duty: Warzone, and The world ends with you.

If you’ve never seen it Battle Royale Before or want it again, now is a good time to watch the show and be glad Hollywood managed not to remake it.

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