I just rewatched Battle Royale. And then, purely by coincidence of all the Titanic buzz, Titanic. Again.
I’ve seen both multiple times but not in recent years.

This was originally a Battle Royale VS Hunger Games post, having just rewatched Battle Royale. But after watching Titanic, I found there is something they all have in common. But I will write about that later.

Battle Royale VS The Hunger Games
Battle Royale moves quicker than Hunger Games, especially at the start and the set up.
It’s also a bit more realistic…in some ways, unrealistic in others.

I enjoy the of concept of Battle Royale more: that a group of unsuspecting (this is very important) students suddenly emerge on an island and have to kill each other to survive.
In contrast, The Hunger Games has participants that are trained to win the Hunger Games.
Um…doesn’t it kinda defeat the purpose of these games to have some members train their whole lives for them? As I wrote that, I realize that this is actually similar to most reality shows (ex. American Idol/The Voice). That someone with trained musical background could compete with someone who’s never really training a day in his/her life. But I don’t like it like that. It’s not fair. But I guess the Hunger Games isn’t about fair, it’s about gambling and entertainment. I suppose in this scenario, it’s more fun if things aren’t fair.

Damn, I was all set to say that Battle Royale was better from this perspective, but it’s actually accurate to how each backstory and environment is set up. I will still admit that if I were to watch either first, I’d like to have watched Battle Royale first simply to show how the situation affects those completely unwilling to fight, as well as those who are not physically or mentally fit to fight. The Hunger Games does too good a job training people about the battle before it begins. I don’t like that.

What I really liked about Battle Royale was that…it was very accurate to how I believe a similar situation would occur. There are really scared students, students that die easily, students that trust too easily, students that are arrogant. And also, there are students who are pretty powerful. I’ll always remember watching that crazy guy on a cliff, surrounded by people and carrying only a fan…only to get the jump of like 6 people and kill them. So pro. I mean, realistically he should have died to them but it’s well played that the group, in it’s numbers, is arrogant. Like people would be in such groups. And I really believe that kind of arrogance can be taken advantage of.

There was one thing that immediately was shocking to me in the Hunger Games. When they first start the battle and a bloodbath occurs, near the weapons and supplies. Surely the participants have seen previous years and know it’s a ridiculous bloodbath. In all the chaos, it’s very likely even a skilled person can die at the hands of another skilled individual. You don’t win a battle royale (no pun intended) by attacking everyone. You pick people off one at a time using your wit, intelligence, and patience. You strike when people are weak. Like Katniss. But I mean, shouldn’t EVERYONE be doing that? The only way you’d wanna rush in is if you’re SO FAST that you can get a weapon and kill other people before they have a chance. But I doubt, with all these trained members, that any single one member could be that much faster than the rest.

I also dislike the idea of the environment forcibly attacking the participants in the Hunger Games due to the administrator’s pleasure. Who wants to gamble on a rigged game. Katniss is close to the edge. LETS THROW FIRE AND FIREBALLS AT HER. Oh yes, the other contestants don’t have to deal with that simply cuz they didn’t happen to be near the edge? Um. BULLSHIT. If I was betting on someone and a FAKE FIRE killed them, I’d be pissed.

And what’s with the sponsors sending shit to help them. UM. THAT NOISE WILL GIVE AWAY MY POSITION YOU IDIOTS. “Oh good, hear comes my medic—” *dead*. Cuz the guy with the gun heard the noise and capped me.

AM I TREATING THIS GAME OF SURVIVAL TOO SERIOUSLY?

Okay, I think I’m done with THAT rant.

Now, To Compare Battle Royale. The Hunger Games. Titanic.
It seemed a bit strange that I’d find something similar between Titanic and a Battle Royale situation…but let me get to my point.
All 3 movies primarily feature a love story (at it’s core) where the main couple tries to survive, amid a battle of other people’s survival.
In Battle Royale and the Hunger Games, Shuya and Noriko & Katniss and Peeta try to survive while the people around the main characters are trying to survive. That’s the basic premise.
In Titanic, after the ship begins to sink, Jack and Ross try to survive while the people around the main characters are trying to survive. That’s also the basic premise….
How coincidentally alike these movies are. You’d almost think there’d be no similarities.

OMG I just realized that I also watched Scott Pilgrim VS the World and…
It’s about Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers (a love story) as Scott tries to SURVIVE the battles of Ramona’s Exes. YEAH?! ALSO SIMILAR? Except the other characters aren’t really trying to survive, it’s just Scott….but 1/2 the premises is true.

What’s with all these love stories wrapped up in action that I’m watching?
*Thinks about what I plan to watch the rest of this week*
The Walking Dead – main characters trying to survive, rest of the world also trying to survive the zombie apocalypse
Dawson’s Creek – hmm..not much survival here.

I think I’ve been watching too many things regarding survival. Or maybe it’s just that many movies like that concept…
Most video games are about survival (things trying to kill you). Love stories are about a couple’s survival through hardships.

…okay, I’ve written enough about this…for now.
Kinda tired, I should sleep soon.