8. Timeframe
Just as the pacing of The Hunger Games is slower, so is the timeframe within each story. Battle Royales rules establish that a winner must be decided upon in three days. There is a sense of tension knowing that in the space of only a few days, so many characters must die. In screenwriting jargon, this is the films ticking clock. The Hunger Games has no such ticking clock or tension, because of the games seemingly stretching out as long as need be. The film feels like a long-distance marathon rather than a heart-pounding sprint. At one point, its lead character passes out for a couple of days because she is stung by a wasp. Essentially, she takes a nap for the length of the entire Battle Royale. Perhaps she was just bored of her own movie. Despite focusing on many more characters, Battle Royale is a shorter film than The Hunger Games that feels shorter still because of its pacing and timeframe. Another point to Battle Royale.