“Enjoy the show!” are the first words uttered when the 24 unlucky tributes of Panem step into the horror-soaked arena.
“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes”, the prequel to Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” series, made its debut in theaters on Nov. 17, 2023. The film was originally a novel written by Collins, which came out on May 19, 2020. Divided into three sections, “The Mentor”, “The Prize,” and “The Peacekeeper”, the story follows a young Coriolanus Snow’s rise to presidency, as well as the 10th annual Hunger Games and the tribute that changed the future of Panem, Lucy Gray Baird. Snow is portrayed by British actor Tom Blyth and Baird is played by “West Side Story” actress Rachel Zegler.
Though it’s easy to hate Snow in the later movies, the audience could be enthralled by Blyth’s effortless talent in portraying a charismatic student whose family had fallen on hard times. An incentive is offered for all students studying at the Capitol’s Academy: a cash prize if their tribute wins the Hunger Games. A one-way ticket to restore his family’s previous richness and fame guides Snow’s ambitions to make his tribute, Baird, dominate. With a twisted love story between Snow and Baird, this ticket offers a moral dilemma: stay on the Capitol’s side or revolt?
“Songbirds and Snakes” is significantly more gory than the previous “The Hunger Games” movies, and offers insight into just how much the Capitol looked down on the districts. Unlike the other Games, in which the tributes were offered training beforehand and “nicer” living quarters, these tributes are treated like zoo animals, living in quite literally a cage and stared at by anyone who came to visit. This is all before they were forced into the arena, which resembled more of a musty, broken-down amphitheater, with shabby weapons wielded by untrained hands. So, what else would you expect other than an intense bloodbath?
With enormous callbacks to previous callbacks to previous movies, such as the presence of Mockingjays, or the ever-elusive use of the word “katniss”, it is easy to see how effortlessly Collins intertwined past and present stories. Even though I don’t normally like prequels, I quickly fell in love with the characters of “Songbirds and Snakes”, comparing Baird to the innocent, sweet Peeta Mellark, or crafty Sejanus Plinth as revolutionary Katniss Everdeen. Collins crafted a world that smoothly unnerved the audience, with its stark political affairs and endless bloodshed, while simultaneously making us believe in something greater.
Blyth’s performance was outstanding. While somehow feeling sorry for him, you can’t help but see his underlying maniacal tendencies and ulterior motives towards the Games, and his grab for glory. The film serves as a prelude to the intense villainy of later Snow, offering a look into his descent into madness and wrath. Zegler’s performance completely shocked me as well. The film is full of songs, as Baird is from District 12 – presumably somewhere in Appalachia – and creates a folksy culture amongst the citizens there. Though I don’t particularly enjoy movies with songs in them (except for musicals), there was something different about Zegler’s crooning voice. Each song was deliberately calculated and had a purpose, foreshadowing and weaving its way through the film. Baird was loveable and easy to root for.
Another favorite character of mine, and I expect a fan favorite as well, was Lucky Flickerman, portrayed by Jason Schwartzman. Flickerman, a predecessor to the infamous Caesar Flickerman in the later movies, is full of quips and energy, designed to both make the audience of the Games and the movie audience more cheerful. My personal favorite remark of his was when he called a tribute “tuberculosis on legs.” Flickerman offered a lighter mood to the movie, though dark undertones still existed.
To fit a 500-page novel into a movie, some adjustments had to be made to the story. I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I read the novel– I read it immediately when it came out in 2020 and haven’t picked it up since. However, from what I can remember, I believe director Francis Lawrence was able to pick up on most key plot points that Collins created. Though over two and a half hours long, the movie still felt quick-paced, and I was never bored.
“The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” immediately took me back to a simpler time in my life. A time when all my friends wanted to dress up as Katniss Everdeen for Halloween, and braids were the latest fashion. I slowly find myself slipping back into my “The Hunger Games” era, but I’m honestly here for it. The movie was enthralling, with twists and turns from everywhere you looked, and characters that will make you fall deeper in love with the franchise. So, my best recommendation for “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” is to go into it with an open mind and a bucket full of popcorn. May the odds be ever in your favor!