The hunger of those wanting to return to the world of Panem will be satisfied with the newest installment in “The Hunger Games” franchise: “The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” In terms of adapting the novel by Suzanne Collins, the filmmaking team behind the film shot their arrow and hit the bullseye.
The prequal, directed by Frances Lawerance, takes place 64 years before the story of Katniss Everdeen and follows, the young man who will change Panem, Coriolanus Snow played by Tom Blyth.
Going back to a time where the Capitol is still in power allows the audience to see another Hunger Games. The film plays more like the early entries in the franchise “The Hunger Games” and “Catching Fire.”
It does a great job of showing who Snow was before he became the feared President of the Capital.
Blyth plays a younger version of President Snow, previously played by Donald Sutherland, who is trying to provide for his family in the Capitol. This Coriolanus is still learning to navigate the Capital and uses his cunning intellect to his advantage.
As the Capital turns the Games into a must-see event, Snow mentors his District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird, played by Rachel Zegler, in the hopes that her winning wins him a prize, while she hopes to win her survival.
Blyth and Zegler have great chemistry together that pulls the audience in and makes them care for the characters.
A standout in the film is Viola Davis as the villainous Gamemaker Dr. Volumnia Gaul. Davis plays her character with gusto and gives a phenomenal performance.
Jason Schwartzman received several laughs from the audience as the host of the Games, Lucky Flickerman.
Rounding out the cast are Hunter Schafer as Snow’s cousin Tigris Snow, Josh Andrés Rivera as Snow’s friend Sejanus Plinth and Peter Dinklage as the creator of the Hunger Games, Casca Highbottom.
With a runtime of 2 hours, 38 minutes, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes constantly keeps the audience on the edge of their seat even after the Hunger Games end. The film is very well paced, shot, and edited.
The songs have a folk song feel to them. While not the most exciting, they are considerably made more interesting by Zegler’s performance of them with Zegler’s haunting rendition of The Hanging Tree being a standout.
The film was so captivating, surely there will be several people volunteering as tributes to see it again.