Ever since I heard about Battle Royale, I've wanted to see the film … Quentin Tarantino has called it "the best movie since 1992," so it's probably not surprising that it's both extremely bloody and very darkly funny. The premise: Adults fear the rise of youth, and each year they put the most badly behaved kids on an island and force them to battle each other to the death.
Like Tarantino's movies, the setup is quick and effective.
The humor darkens: A baby-voiced Japanese teen explains the rules of the game, including the fact that the collar worn by contestants goes "boom" under certain circumstances.
Each "player" gets their own weapon. As the plot unfolds, the "players" learn who has what, and figure out how to work with what they have.
Finally, there are liberal amounts of blood, and much killing. Mixed with the sardonic dialogue, it's easy to see why Tarantino loves it so much.Despite the nihilistic milieu, the story focused on traditional stuff — loyalty, trust and friendship; and in the end, it was actually sort of sweet, much sweeter than bleak 60's and 70's films like McCabe & Mrs. Miller or The Wild Bunch. Worth seeing, just for that weird juxtaposition.