When even schoolchildren begin to abuse a system on the verge of social collapse, the Japanese government introduces a strict new punishment whereby randomly chosen students are taken to a deserted island and forced to fight each other to the death. Renowned Japanese auteur and actor Takeshi "Beat" Kitano stars in this explosive, violent drama from director Kinji Fukasaku, based on Koushun Takami's novel.
and you thought 9th grade was hard.
It almost makes me feel shameful but I really enjoyed this movie. Its unlike anything I have ever watched. The premise, each year a randomly-selected rotten apple 9th grade class is kidnapped and sent to a deserted island where they are equipped with weapons and are forced to kill each other until one survivor is left. Thats right, 9th graders. Can you say, extreme Lord of the Flies. Its amamzing to see what people, in this case children, would do in life and death situations. Who runs and hides, who kills their best friends, who just becomes a complete psycho and gets a thrill out of all the mayhem.
Teacher of the year
Great acting all around
I had been hearing about this flick for a long time, with its copious blood shed and over-the-top violence, and with the inevitable comparisons to fellow extreme Asian flicks like Ichi and Suicide Club. Though I went into BR with high expectations I was still blown away. It not only satiated my gore and shock quota, but it also impressed the need for some well versed commentary. Infused in all the high octane action is a well-oiled and sincere tale of friendship and loyalty which battles to survive in the shadows of social and governmental corruption. The characters and relationships are so well drawn out and brought to life with some great performances and a brilliant musical score (especially the haunting innocence of the choral themes). BR is not only a fun and energetic splatter action flick, it's a highly provocative statement on modern society with all its hypocrisy and beauty.
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