Movie Review: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Second Opinion)
Plot: Set sixty-four years before the events of the first Hunger Games film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (TBOSAS) chronicles the early life of Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth). The last surviving son of a once great house, the Snow family has fallen on hard times since the war. Determined to restore his family to greatness, Coriolanus sets his eyes on the Plinth Prize, a scholarship to the Capitol’s prestigious university. One final obstacle stands in his way: the 10th annual Hunger Games. With the public growing disinterested, co-creator of the Hunger Games, Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) tasks twenty-four Academy students to mentor the twenty-four district tributes. Vindictively, Highbottom assigns Coriolanus the “worst” tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). As Coriolanus sets out to make Lucy Gray not just a spectacle but a victor, he finds himself developing feelings for Lucy Gray and a once certain future becomes perilously ambiguous.
Review: Almost eleven years ago, The Hunger Games film series debuted to critical and commercial success, catapulting the career of Jennifer Lawrence, and filling the void left by the Harry Potter franchise. Unfortunately, the series didn’t conclude as fortuitously as it began, with fans and critics questioning the decision to split the final film into two movies and the box office returns not as strong. Although Suzanne Collins’s prequel novel proved successful, you wouldn’t be wrong to question whether the world needed another Hunger Games film—especially when society seems to be sliding into an actual dystopia. So, believe me when I tell you this:
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes has no business being this good.
Impeccably acted and directed with whip-smart alacrity by Francis Lawrence, TBOSAS presents a familiar world to fans while simultaneously delivering a fresh story that doesn’t feel derivative. Indeed, screenwriters Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt flesh out the early days of Panem. Set merely a decade after the civil war between the Capitol and the Districts, most of the population doesn’t care about the Hunger Games. Ratings are at an all-time low and the tradition is on the verge of being mothballed. What’s fascinating and fresh about Lesslie and Arndt’s script is how TBOSAS examines the games from the Capitol perspective. We see the otherization of the Districts by the wealthy elites. No one seems particularly disturbed by this ghoulish endeavor, with the exception of its drug addled co-creator Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) and Snow’s classmate Sejanus Plinth, played superbly by Josh Andres Rivera.
While Rachel Zegler gets top billing as Lucy Gray Baird (I’ll get to her performance momentarily), this is 100% Tom Blyth’s film. I fully believe Blyth is a star in the making. The character of Coriolanus Snow has already been fully established as the villain due to the brilliant work of Donald Sutherland in the original films. He’s diabolical, manipulative, vengeful, ruthless, and cruel. It seems impossible to take that person and make him into the protagonist. Yet, Blyth pulls this off effortlessly. We feel true empathy for him and the plight of his family. The light of humanity still shines within despite the environment and the people surrounding him. Lucy Gray’s spirit seeks to fan this flame, so when Snow’s humanity succumbs to ambition and avarice it’s that much more devastating. You could call this movie The Tragedy of Coriolanus Snow. It feels like a Sophoclean play crossed with Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side.
Meanwhile, it’s nice to see Rachel Zegler in a role that’s not relegated to girlfriend status (West Side Story, Shazam: Fury of the Gods). If you were expecting a Katniss clone you are in for disappointment. As one of the Covey (think gypsies) Zegler’s Lucy Gray possesses a grit, vivacity, and authenticity I wasn’t expecting. She’s tenacious but also incredibly vulnerable. Zegler imbues Lucy Gray with true agency and has excellent chemistry with Blyth. That their relationship is ultimately doomed doesn’t make it any less captivating or tragic. And if you need any further proof of the pipes on Zegler, look no further. Her musical rendition of “The Hanging Tree” as well as her impromptu performance at the reaping had me almost in tears. Zegler’s musical numbers pair nicely with James Newton Howard’s somewhat subtle and haunting score. At only twenty-two, Zegler’s future looks exceedingly bright, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
TBOSAS also boasts an incredible supporting cast as well. Peter Dinklage delivers an atypical performance. His drug-addicted, morose, and apathetic Casca Highbottom is unlike anything you’ve ever seen from him before. Highbottom is vindicative, harboring an unknown grudge against Coriolanus. When the reasoning is revealed towards the end of the movie it completely recontextualizes the actions of the character. Hunter Schafer also delivers as Coriolanus’ cousin and confidante Tigris. She roots for Coriolanus but also wants him to retain his humanity. When that ultimately fails, it makes her final line that much more chilling.
Jason Schwartzman is also having the time of his life hamming it up as Lucky Flickerman, the first host of the Hunger Games and the ancestor to Stanley Tucci’s Caesar Flickerman. Josh Andres Rivera really impressed me as Sejanus Plinth. He seems to be the only one fully self-aware of how diabolical the Hunger Games actually are. He’s so torn up inside I just wanted to give him a hug. However, it’s Viola Davis’ Dr. Volumnia Gaul and head gamemaker who stands head and shoulders above the rest of the cast. She devours scenes with a malicious glee. Her Gaul is diabolical, psychotic, and truly terrifying.
On the whole, I only had a few minor quibbles with TBOSAS. At 157 minutes it’s slightly too long and could have been a little tighter. Additionally, despite some excellent costumes and set design, some of the CGI (particularly the scenes with snakes) is noticeable and takes you out of the movie. Lastly, while I enjoyed most of the third act, it was occasionally stiff and at odds when juxtaposed against the first two-thirds of the film.
Nevertheless, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes proves to be a delightful return to Panem and one that will entertain fans of the original series and newcomers.
As our titular protagonist would say:
Snow lands on top.
1 God Awful Blind Yourself With Acid Bad
2 Straight Garbage
3 Bad
4 Sub Par
5 Average
6 Ok
7 Good
8 Great
9 Excellent
10 A Must See
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: 8/10
