A great work of art ought to be able to stand alone. This is a universal truism that’s been common knowledge for as long as man has had the ability to define a notion of “art,” but the monetization of this ancient ideal in modern day capitalism has given birth to a newer, yet no less widely known view of art: “if it’s great, replicate.” The desire to recapture and harness the general nostalgic fetishism of the 90’s and 00’s has led to prequels, sequels and remakes en masse. Too numerous to even list examples.
Because of this commodification of the Hollywood sequel and/or remake, it has become unique and refreshing if and when independent films break from this tradition, in an attempt to distinguish themselves as unique works of art, as opposed to cogs in a money-making machine.
The Japanese film Battle Royale, based on the novel of the same name, has ascended to the heights of ubiquitous notoriety among film-buffs and Japanophiles alike—even achieving the highest form of flattery by being imitated and plagiarized by the novel and film series The Hunger Games.
Almost whoever you ask, those in the know love Battle Royale and can’t get enough—the movie’s international acclaim even spawning a gorgeously illustrated Manga series—and now, perhaps inevitably, over fifteen years since the original film’s 2000 release, a sequel has been made.
Now, before you cringe and sob, Battle Royale II: Requiem is a direct sequel to the first film, starring or at least featuring all of the two surviving students from the original survival contest. It also features legacy characters and updated teenaged archetypes from Ganguro girls to punk rock rebels. Aside from the cast, the game itself has evolved from a culling project to discourage youthful rebellion to an active (but never explicitly named) suicide squad to combat the “terrorist” forces that have rallied around the survivors of the previous BR experiment.
The terrorist cell, known as The Wild 7, are led by none other than Shuya Nanahara and the only way that the new crop of BR combatants to survive and “win” their game is to infiltrate the Wild 7 headquarters and kill the notorious terrorist Shuya with their own hands.
Requiem also steps up the production value from the first iteration, no doubt bolstered by a much higher studio film budget, and they invest heavily in realistic squibs, blanks and effects; as opposed to the first film, which was still iffy on depicting bullet-riddled children, the second film has certainly made up its mind on that issue.
While the original 2000 film remains an absolute must on any film lover’s watch list, Battle Royale II is an entertaining popcorn flick, almost like a Japanese version of a Michael Bay film. The sequel even takes measures to stay true to its independent roots, even veering into a 4thwall breaking diatribe criticizing the United States’ foreign policy under the guise of “that country.”
In the end, the rules of the universe remain absolute. The Mona Lisa would not be improved by a sequel and neither would The Deer Hunter. The original Battle Royale never needed a sequel, but hey, it has one anyway and it could be worse, I guess.
