12 replies to this topic

[Forzare!]

Topic for general discussion really, pertaining to the books and/or film.

I was apprehensive about reading the books initially after hearing the premise was similar to battle royale - I was put off slightly because I love Battle Royale and the inner hipster inside me has an aversion to anything popular. However curiosity got the better of me so I downloaded the first and then ended up downloading the other two before i'd even finished the first. I was pretty surprised, whilst it isn't really written in an amazing way it managed to draw me in quite well and the simplicity allowed more for my imagination to wander, the themes were conveyed quite effectively and I was quite riveted to the story. I\ll admit I was pretty disappointed with the third books ending, which seemed rushed and pointless after everything that had happened but enjoyed it nontheless. There are obviously similar themes to Battle Royale here - fighting to the death in a 'game' controlled by the government being the main one, but it wasn't so obvious that it put me off whilst reading, the whole story is quite rich and entirely different.

Tonight we went to see the film version and I was really looking forward to it after hearing how true to the book it was and all the positive reviews, but left rather disappointed really... but not really disappointed so much with the actors or content or the actual visuals but from the directing and camera work which I felt let the film down loads. The whole shaky camera work techniques really looked stupid for a lot of it and ended up detracting from a lot of t he scenes, it was just used far too much and the technique itself was too much - TOO shaky. The director said he wanted to convey disorientation or confusion but I think it went far overboard trying to achieve that, there are plenty of other methods to do it with. The film lacked pace which could have been helped greatly by better directing and I found myself a bit bored through a lot of it... but maybe that's because i knew what was going to happen and was anticipating each plot development, i'm not sure. So whilst it was true to the book in terms of storytelling, it could have been executed so much more effectively, which is kinda sad. I hope the same guy doesn't direct the other two tbh.

So yeah, anyone else a fan?

[Gangsta Fag]

Heard it was pretty much a more PG version of Battle Royale.
Actress with no tits /10

[ ᠎]

Heard it was pretty much a more PG version of Battle Royale.

Also, I think BR portrayed 14 year olds much better. IE the ones who killed themselves or refused to fight.

[Destoroyah!]

I hadn't heard of the books until i had seen the movie and i have yet to read them so i am not sure how well the movie portrayed them but i did enjoy it. It had a very interesting setting that they seemed to do a lot with, the acting wasn't bad either. It wasn't the best but it wasn't bad. Comparing the hunger games to battle royal is to me like comparing an orange and an apple, they are both fruits but they are different in their own rights. Both battle royal and the hunger games operate on very similar ideas but execute them in very different ways and they both work to their own strengths.

[Nereus]

The premise of the two films is the same: an oppressive government forces a group of selected teenagers and adolescents to fight to the death.

We've seen a similar concept in dozens of short stories and films: one of a Government or some kind of malevolent or controlling force making people fight to the death and/or to be hunted down. What draws the comparison between Battlle Royale and the Hunger Games is having those people be children and having them being forced to fight. Battle Royale wasn't original using that concept. One that comes the closest and one that Suzanne Collins drew the most inspiration to was Theseus and the Minotaur. Now it doesn't have the core concept of kids fighting each other to death, but the story features adults who are forced to send their children off as a sacrifice, regardless of what or who kills them.

Also others I can bring in with similar concepts: The Running Man, The Lottery, and even The Lord of the Flies though it doesn't have an external force telling the children on the island to kill. Though the idea of children becoming ugly and primal has some impact.

[LionJess]

I haven't read the books, and I'm not going to pretend to be some sort of film expert - of all people, I'm definitely the least qualified for that

The film I saw ridiculously hungover on a trip with my university class. It was enjoyable, but the cheesyness definitely irritated me, and it wasn't hugely original either. For me, there was too little time on the game itself and more time spent on the bits before that. It was alright to watch to pass a couple of hours though. I'd consider going to see the second one, out of curiousity.

[Mindy Simmons]

I went to see the movie a few weeks back with my mum. It was decent enough, and I'd consider reading the book if only to compare. It wasn't mind blowing by any means, but there could certainly be worse things that could become so popular.

[Anne-Marie]

I quite like Battle Royale but I didn't think it would bother me while watching The Hunger Games. And it didn't.

What did, though, was that right at the end, when they were told only one person could win, the movie just blacked out completely. We had to watch the last 10 minutes with only sound but no picture, which was kind of difficult since every couple of seconds someone would scream out "I want my money back", "This is bullshit" or "What the fuck is going on?". After the movie ended we were given the choice to get a new ticket (the ticket cost 11€) and leave or watch the rest of the movie.

I did stay and I enjoyed the last few minutes even though I was just about to piss myself, but that kind of ruined it. Obviously not the movie's or the book's fault, but still.

I liked it though. Not the best thing ever but I liked it.

[The Wardrobe]

I walked out of the cinemas 10 minutes into the movie.

[Forzare!]

Heard it was pretty much a more PG version of Battle Royale.
Actress with no tits /10

Also, I think BR portrayed 14 year olds much better. IE the ones who killed themselves or refused to fight.

Did you actually read what I put? It isn't anything like Battle Royale, the idea is almost completely different, I think it's unfair to compare them both. Also the actress does have tits, trolling 0/10 please don't try again

the competitors weren't all 14, they were aged 12-18. However more time could have been spent on the game itself, it was focused more on Katniss but that's just because it's really true to the book. Battle Royale focused more about the injustice really, whilst that was mentioned in the book (and explored slightly more there too) it wasn't really concentrated on in the film.

[Lightning.]

I walked out of the cinemas 10 minutes into the movie.

So you saw the intro and a forest, you totally know the jist of the film then

[Staton]

I walked out of the cinemas 10 minutes into the movie.

You realize this is a testament to your stupidity and not a testament to the movie being bad, right?

[Azrael.]

Ehhh, I've read the first two books but I got bored reading the third (every time I've tried reading it), that I actually gave up.