Squid Game & Hunger Games Owe It All to This Mind-Blowing Masterpiece Loved by Tarantino!

Based on Koshun Takami’s 1999 novel, “Battle Royale” features ninth graders from a randomly selected school who are given various weapons in a highly unequal distribution.

Dropped on an island cleared of its inhabitants and supervised by a former school teacher and the military, the students have one goal: to kill each other over three days until only one survivor remains. If they fail, the collars fitted to each player will explode…

The final film from renowned director Kinji Fukasaku, who delivered powerful (and violent) crime dramas in the 1970s like “Battles Without Honor and Humanity,” “Cops vs. Thugs,” and “Graveyard of Honor,” “Battle Royale” is a true shock to the system. It’s a gleefully bloody affair, filled with dark humor and brilliant writing. Yet, it’s also terrifying, depicting a country that has abandoned and fears its youth, seen as violent and unruly.

Add to this a stellar performance by Takeshi Kitano, a teacher who can be as gentle and caring as he is cruel and violent, and you have a testament to the filmmaker’s legacy, an ultra-violent, cult classic that has significantly influenced both “The Hunger Games” saga and “Squid Game” in undeniable ways.

It’s not surprising that this gem—and its director—have been adored by none other than Quentin Tarantino, to the extent that he cast actress Chiaki Kuriyama, who played the deadly Gogo Yubari in his “Kill Bill,” in a major role.

For a bit of backstory, “Battle Royale” spawned a direct sequel in 2003, “Battle Royale II – Requiem.” Set one year after the original, this follow-up, significantly inferior to its predecessor, was partially directed by Kinji Fukasaku before his death, after which his son, Kenta Fukasaku, completed it. Unfortunately, the sequel lacked the subtlety and intelligence of the first film.

“Battle Royale” is available for streaming on La Cinetek, Mubi, Capuseen, or Sooner.

At AlloCiné, you can find over 40 daily articles covering the latest in movies and TV series, interviews, streaming recommendations, quirky and cinephile anecdotes about your favorite films and series. Subscribing to AlloCiné on Google Discover means exploring every day the riches of a site designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.