The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes
Starring: Tom Blythe, Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis, Josh Rivera
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
It’s time to return to Panem. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is a prequel to the wildly popular Hunger Games franchise following the origin story of the evil President Snow. Long before he was president, Coriolanus Snow was an 18 year old Capitol citizen mentoring the young and charismatic songstress Lucy Grey Baird (Rachel Zegler) from District 12 as she prepared to enter the Hunger Games. The two are from different worlds, Snow from the capitol and Lucy Grey from District 12. Yet, he is intrigued by the songstress. Can he help keep her alive during the games and win the Plinth Prize at the end of the Games to get his family enough money to stay in their Capitol apartment? Or will Dr. Gaul (Viola Davis) manage to get in his way?
I finished reading the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes a few days before watching the movie which led to pros and cons in my viewing experience. Director Francis Lawrence (Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part I, II) returns for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to immerse the audience back in the world of the Hunger Games. Lawrence recaptures some of the very impressive world building of Panem. It was a spectacle to see the film jumping to life off the page. The movie makes Panem look retro and futuristic at the same time. While the Hunger Games with Katniss and Peeta look futuristic beyond belief, the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes makes Panem look like a relic. Even the games (just in their 10th year here) look to be stripped to the bare bones.
It’s also cool to see so many winks and nods to the Hunger Games trilogy in the prequel. From spirited host Lucky Flickerman (a wonderfully charismatic Jason Schwartzman) to the origin of Snow’s obsession with roses, to the first performance of the rebel ballad “The Hanging Tree.” The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes provides a lot of context for things that appear later in the world of The Hunger Games.
While there is much to admire, I do think this movie falters in its pacing. The first two acts move at a good pace balancing the plot in a normal way, but the third act moves way too fast. Scenes that need to hit harder emotionally fall flat because they don’t have enough time to land. I’m not one to suggest this often but it’s a book that probably needed to be broken up into two movies.
The lead performance by Tom Blythe is a standout in the movie. While the novel portrays Snow’s constant thought process, the movie does not have a way of doing so. Blythe has the difficult task of getting Snow’s thoughts across through facial expressions. It takes a lot to keep a viewer invested in a character we know is going to turn evil and still care about their origin story. Snow’s cousin Tigris (Hunter Schaefer, who doesn’t get enough screentime), Lucy Grey, and Sejanus try to show Snow the importance of being a good man who helps the districts while the evil Dr. Gaul (Viola Davis) shows him what he can achieve with unlimited power. He spends the movie grappling with his obsession with power. Blyth delivers a great leading performance that keeps the viewer intrigued.
Rachel Zegler is a great co-lead in the film. If you saw the recent West Side Story, then you know she has a beautiful voice. Lucy Grey is a wildly charismatic tribute, charming the citizens with her charm and singing talent. Zegler gets to sing plenty in the movie and it leads to some really great scenes. At times, her southern accent is a little over the top though. The dynamic between Lucy Grey and Coriolanus is one of the most interesting aspects here. Is Snow only interested in her because she can help him win a prize? Do they actually have feelings for each other? The two are fascinating to watch.
Unfortunately since I did just finish the book, there are several elements fresh in my mind that left me frustrated with the movie adaptation. So many characters were diminished or completely taken out of the story. It’s a strange choice, the strangest being the character of “Ma” Plinth, Sejanus’ mom. Her plotline is pivotal to Sejanus and Snow’s character arch’s. To remove her from the story makes no sense.
Building on that, Sejanus (played convincingly by Josh Andrés Rivera) has a massive in the book as a boy who feels out of place in the Capitol. His heart belongs in the districts, fighting for the people. Unfortunately because so many characters are diminished and plot details are omitted, his storyline loses a lot of its impact.
If you have read the book, I’m really curious how you felt about the overall changes in this movie. If you haven’t read it, how did you like this as a Hunger Games movie?
I found the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes to be an entertaining movie but the pacing issues and changes from the novel left me disappointed.
My Rating: 6/10