“Battle Royale” to “Squid Game”
Here’s what to binge next.
By Cahaya Ratomo
Most can assume that Koushun Takami did not know he would begin a sub-genre when writing Battle Royale in 1999.
In it, a group of Japanese students are kidnapped annually and brought to a deserted wilderness to compete in a distressing and violent game of “Battle Royale.”
To win, they must hunt each other until there is only one survivor left. If more than one lives, then all of them will die.
Two decades later, global sensation Squid Game became the most-viewed Netflix show to date. It is no doubt that its Battle-Royale-inspired survival game helped the show achieve this commendable feat, considering that its premise proved distinctive and maybe even refresh- ing to most viewers of mainstream television.
Yet, there are still many productions under the battle royale subgenre that are not as often explored. Here are four survival games that will leave you questioning your moral code in between each kill.
Warning: The following titles include violent or disturbing content.
The Hunger Games (2012, 13+)
Although The Hunger Games is already well-known in mainstream media, it still deserves an honorable mention for its exceptionally striking similarities to Battle Royale (some even accuse it of being a blatant copy of the film).
The film trilogy is set in an impoverished nation ruled by the wealthy Capitol that forces its citizens to participate in an annual survival game called “The Hunger Games”. Just as the games were created for the Capitol’s entertainment, it can also cater to yours through a multitude of streaming services, including iTunes, Hulu, and more.
From left to right: The Hunger Games, Squid Game, and Battle Royale.
Brenda C.
The Belko Experiment (2016, R)
If you could ask them, the employees at Belko would never agree to murder their co-workers; surely not Adria, the assistant, Melonie, the new hire, or Barry, the man in charge. If they even laid a hand on him, they would all lose their jobs.
But the seemingly harmless thought quickly becomes reality when the employees get locked in the Belko building with no outside aid that could possibly come to their rescue.
Soon enough, collaboration and all moral codes are thrown out the window as they discover that only one person can exit the building alive. After all, what value does another’s life hold if it threatens your own?
Did you know: Although the creator of Squid Game has announced a second season, Netflix has not confirmed the statement.
3% (2016, 18+)
In Inland city, poverty rates are at their peak as people ache for even the tiniest slice of economic stability. The Brazilian government arranges the selective yet effective Process, an annual competition for these cash-strapped 20-year-olds willing to fight for residency on the utopian Offshore island.
Throughout the three-day test, contestants will be safely eliminated, others will remain, and an unfortunate few will even lose their lives; the only guarantee is that 3% of them will succeed. Watch the Process unfold exclusively on Netflix.
Alice in Borderland (2020, 16+)
Luring 18 million viewers during the pandemic, this Netflix battle royale, set in a desolate version of Tokyo, circles an engrossed gamer who must take on the courage of his in-game characters when he and his friends are suddenly forced to compete for their survival in a chilling game.
The catch? He cannot leave unless he becomes the winner; to do that, he must unleash his inner hostility and heartlessly do the unfathomable. A second season is expected to premiere in December of 2022.
Although these productions may not feature trendy green tracksuits, they have the potential to become your next binge-worthy fixation. We all know too well the dangers of getting attached to the characters, but still do it anyway, don’t we?
Volume 32, Issue 2 - December 16, 2021 - Timeout - Page 21