Suzanne Collins’ prequel story to her famous dystopian novel series was finally adapted into a movie titled The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. The movie was released November 17, 2023 and has received many positive reviews and achieved box office success. The story takes place 64 years before the first film, revealing the backstory of tyrannical leader Coriolanus Snow and District 12’s tribute Lucy Gray Baird during the 10th Hunger Games.
As someone who watched the original Hunger Games films when they were being first released, it was thrilling to get to see another installment of the franchise. President Snow’s character was always interesting to me, because there is always a reason as to why a villain becomes a villain. Therefore, his transition into cruelty provided the context that was missing in the original movies and made Snow a more complex character.
Another aspect I enjoyed about the new movie was watching an early Hunger Games take place. In the original movies, the Games were very modern and technologically advanced. The arena it takes place in is huge and meant to replicate the wilderness. However, in this new movie, although still technological, it is much smaller in scale and has a retro-aspect to it that was entertaining.
The performances in the movie were excellent, and the various locations, time jumps, costuming, and high-tension conflicts kept me engaged throughout the film. If you enjoyed The Hunger Games series or just want to watch a well-made dystopian movie, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is definitely one to see.
Article by: Sophia Megahed-Villeda, Junior
