The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Review

Gemma Nettle

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The Hunger Games has reclaimed its box office dominance after releasing The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. For a franchise that etched itself into audiences’ hearts over a decade ago, the latest instalment has challenged viewers with a new story — but has it succeeded in winning the hearts of fans and newcomers alike? 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes unfolds 64 years before the saga of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the pivotal characters that fuelled the popularity of the young adult dystopian genre. This time, we follow the journey of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), the cunning antagonist from the original movies, portrayed here as a young, optimistic student aspiring to win the Plinth Prize. This accolade promises university attendance and financial stability for his struggling family.

“a bloodbath wrapped in the guise of entertainment”

The people of Panem are no longer tuning in to the Hunger Games, which forces children to fight to the death to remind the public of a historic rebellion. The Capitol bids to get them watching again by challenging its top students, or the Capitol Rouge, to mentor the tributes selected from each district.

Snow must mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a resolved singer from District 12. She is part of the Covey, a nomadic people known for their musical talent. As Snow strives to save Lucy Gray from the brutal games and secure the coveted Plinth Prize, he unwittingly recreates the gruesome spectacle that audiences witnessed in the existing stories – a bloodbath wrapped in the guise of entertainment.

Turning Back the Clock

“Audiences entered cinemas across the world with trepidation, as prequels are historically tricky to accomplish”

At the heart of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is the transformation of Snow from a privileged Capitol teenager to a disdained and calculating leader. Audiences entered cinemas worldwide with trepidation, as prequels are historically tricky to accomplish. To centre the narrative on a character we already know the fate of is risky, but here, it made for some brilliant character acting on Tom Blyth’s part. 

Also, author Suzanne Collins challenged the filmmakers to create a regressed version of the games. Opting for a small arena vividly illustrated the evolution of the deadly spectacle over 74 iterations. Snow, forced to reinvent the games, introduces familiar elements like pre-game interviews, betting, and tribute supplies, offering a riveting glimpse into the games’ development over two intense days.

Stellar performance

Like his character’s persona in the book, Blyth possesses effortless charm, which Snow employs as a shield from others in his class. Though he may share their social standing, his family is poor and unable to pay for the roof over their heads. Blyth keeps us captivated throughout the narrative, which can only be described as a mammoth task considering the film’s length. But he does a stellar job at keeping viewers grounded in the story in this pressure cooker of a universe. 

“Seeing his morals slowly warped by those around him is one of the most intriguing aspects of the story”

The unexpected arc of Snow’s character, transitioning from an innocent bystander to the ruthless dictator seen in the original films, defies expectations. The plot still has its way of twisting and turning to surpass our expectations. Seeing his morals slowly warped by those around him is one of the most intriguing aspects of the story. Blyth hits his stride in the third act, portraying Snow’s descent into inhumanity with gripping intensity.

Palpable chemistry

“these two were perfectly matched for the film“

Blyth is accompanied by Rachel Zegler, of West Side Story fame, who also stood out — not just because of her rainbow dress. Director Francis Lawrence cleverly exploits their connection, often relying on subtle exchanges of looks to convey emotions. Even limiting it down to Blyth’s gaze when he watches Zegler sing is enough to see these two were perfectly matched for the film. 

Viola Davis (Volumnia Gaul) had lots of fun on this set, and it shows. Taking the opportunity to chew the scenery wherever possible, Davis portrayed a mad hatter-type figure as Dr Gaul, the head game maker in the war department. Peter Dinklage (Dean Highbottom) also worked his usual wonders, playing the plagued creator of the games. Other fantastic performances came from Josh Andrés Rivera as the kindhearted Sejanus, Hunter Schafer as gentle cousin Tigris, and Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, the Games’ host and often comedic relief. 

Exposition-heavy

While the film boasts magnificent performances, some dialogue feels exposition-heavy, detracting from the narrative’s subtlety. Viewers quickly grasp Snow’s financial struggles through throwaway comments and visual cues, but a more nuanced approach could have enhanced the storytelling. The film’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime occasionally suffers from pacing issues, especially in the middle acts, creating a sense of weariness despite the impending climax.

“What set the last act apart was the space for real character development”

Split into three acts and labelled as such, we begin to feel tiresome by the end of the games, despite knowing another story is left to tell — arguably the most interesting one. What set the last act apart was the space for real character development and uncomfortable choices being made. Seeing Snow’s virtues finally ground into the dirt is scintillating and makes for the best character acting throughout the film. 

Era-defining costumes and triumphant score

The costuming department impresses with stunning designs for the Capitol Rouge, effectively conveying social class distinctions. Though the story is based in a time when money in the Capitol is low, a way is still found to denote who is higher in the pecking order. Meanwhile, the costumes for each of the tributes perfectly represent their districts and what we saw of their personalities. 

James Newton Howard’s score and Zegler’s enchanting vocals create a captivating backdrop for the unfolding events. In the third act, a loved-up Lucy Gray comes up with her song, Pure As The Driven Snow, to perform to her new beau and a room full of drunkards. Its haunting melody creates a treat for the ear, but listening more carefully is to hear its harsh messaging. While depicting Coriolanus in a favourable light, laid bare, it is a warning not to betray Lucy Gray’s trust. To be pure as the driven snow can be associated with dirt penetrating the pure white snow or the breeze driving through freshly fallen snow. These images only serve to warn of what is to come. 

Humanity undressed

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes expands the rich tapestry of the original instalments. It provides a compelling exploration of the narrative canvas. It continues its character development, social commentary and world-building, delivering a thought-provoking prequel that adds depth to the overarching story. While there were problems with pacing, the choices Lawrence takes forward from the source material are the right ones, analysing the human condition and the power of the need for survival. 

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The featured image is courtesy of Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.