The Hunger Games VS Battle Royale

When a big blockbuster movie is at least 30 days from release, a huge advertising campaign begins. Since The Hunger Games media blitz kicked off, there has been nonstop talk about how The Hunger Games is a rip off of Battle Royale. I don't know why people are making this comparison. Maybe it's because they both take place during a dystopian future. Maybe its because they are both about kids killing each other. Whatever the reason, it needs to stop. Both are movies based on books. Both have similarities no doubt, but they are hardly original concepts.

I believe Hunger Games author Suzanne Collins, when she says that she never heard of Battle Royale while creating her trilogy. I believe her because, from the examples I've listed below, I'll demonstrate just how long this subject matter has been around.

For those who may not know. A dystopian future is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state.

Spartacus and Roman Gladiators: While Spartacus has found popularity recently with a tv show, it's hardly fiction. Spartacus was a real person forced to fight to the death in an arena for the amusement of citizens. While some gladiators may have volunteered to compete in the arena, Spartacus was a captured slave and had no choice.

Death Race 2000: This 1975 film staring Sylvester Stallone, takes place in a dystopian future where an annual road race occurs, in which the participants kill each for the entertainment of others.

The Long Walk: This is a 1979 Stephen King novel, in which 100 teenage boys are forced to walk in a marathon. They are required to maintain an average speed of 4 miles per hour. If at anytime they fall below that speed, they are shot and killed.

The Running Man: Another Stephen King novel published in 1982. It takes place during a dystopian future, in which a game show has people being hunted and killed by "Hunters". This spawned a movie with the same name in 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Marvel Comics Mojo: This character created in 1985 as an X-Men super villain. He is a slaver who rules the Mojoverse, a dystopian future dimension where all beings are addicted to his gladiator television programs, in which he forces slaves to kill each other. He kidnaps the X-Men and forces them to play the game in an attempt to boost ratings.

Hard Target: A 1993 film directed by Chinese director John Woo and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. In the movie, Van Damme must stop a man who holds a private hunting game in which the hunters pay $500,000 to hunt and kill people.

The Condemned: A 2007 film where 10 convicts fight to the death in a tournament broadcasted on the Internet.

Those are just a few examples. There a many more books and movies that are much older than these listed, that also have the same subject matter. Battle Royale is not even close to being an original concept. Which is why I don't understand this Hunger Games-Battle Royale rip off talk.

Both movies are great! The examples I listed are great as well! Instead of comparing these films, watch and enjoy them. While these two films are hardly original, (what movie is these days?) they both deserved to be watched. They both add something new to the table.