"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" Review
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was officially released in U.S. movie theaters on November 17th, 2023. Based on the original book by Suzanne Collins, it is a prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy, centered around the story of young Coriolanus Snow before he eventually becomes the tyrannical president of Panem. Though the movie had a relatively slow start in comparison to its predecessors, it has grossed over $245 million worldwide largely due to the growing popularity of Tom Blyth, the 28-year-old British actor playing young Coriolanus Snow.
On social media, specifically TikTok, many fans have expressed their feelings towards Tom Blyth, specifically referencing the iconic quote, “Snow lands on top.” This “snow” may have rescued Tom Blyth’s fellow co-star Rachel Zegler’s career. Just months before the movie was released, she was under fire for speaking poorly about the original Snow White after being confirmed to play the princess in Disney’s upcoming live-action Snow White film. However, after The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, many have overlooked the controversy and fallen in love with Zegler’s powerful voice. Though her performance in the 2021 remake of West Side Story was enough proof of her skill, Zegler reminded everyone that she deserves the opportunities that she receives through her songs from this film, “Pure as the Driven Snow” and “Nothing You Can Take From Me”.
Although I didn’t go into AMC Burlington Cinema 10 with high expectations, I left the theater shocked at the subtle details, comedic lines, and amazing songs (I even made a playlist when I got home). I loved the references to the original films, specifically the line, “it’s too early for katniss,” and the katniss plants on Lucy Gray’s dress—a reference to Katniss Everdeen, the main protagonist in the Hunger Games trilogy which takes place 64 years later. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes proved itself as not only a dystopian thriller, but surprisingly also as a comedy, thanks to Lucretius “Lucky” Flickerman, the host of the 10th Hunger Games. His lines did an amazing job making the gruesome scenes bearable, with quotes such as, “Wouldn’t it be fun if it was candy? Down goes Wovey,” “Ill Dill, tuberculosis on legs,” and my personal favorite: “To the children watching. That was violent, horrific, and disgusting. Ms. Tips, please, if you're going to vomit please do it off-camera.” Many people were disappointed by the changes the movie made to the original book, specifically Clemensia’s fate after getting bitten by the snake, characters’ deaths, and Snow and Lucy Gray’s confrontation. Although I did think the book did a better job portraying Coriolanus Snow, I didn’t mind the liberties the movie took to condense the plot.
Overall, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes was a worthwhile 2 hours and 22 minutes spent. I laughed, I jumped from my seat, I (almost) cried. I was particularly amazed by the costuming, specifically Tigris’s pink dress during the games and Coriolanus’s red suit as he oversees the capitol. Until the movie’s on streaming platforms, I will fill my void of emptiness by dancing in my pajamas to “Can’t Catch Me Now” by Olivia Rodrigo.
by VIVIAN LIN