The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
64 years before he becomes the tyrannical president of Panem, Coriolanus Snow sees a chance for a change in fortunes when he mentors Lucy Gray Baird, the female tribute from District 12.
- Released: 2023-11-15
- Runtime: 158 minutes
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Stars: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jerome Lance, Ashley Liao, Knox Gibson, Mackenzie Lansing, Aamer Husain, Hunter Schafer, Laurel Marsden, Lilly Cooper, Luna Steeples, Hiroki Berrecloth, Jason Schwartzman, Max Raphael, Zoe Renee, Ayomide Adegun, Kaitlyn Akinpelumi, Sofia Sanchez, Amélie Hoeferle
- Director: Francis Lawrence
Comments
- tkmpymqg - 1 July 2024
read the book instead
The movie really disappointed me. The book had me hooked, all the struggles Snow faced. But the movie didn't show much of it. You could hardly tell that Snow and Lucy Grey loved/trusted each other. It did not tell how about half the tributes and some mentors had died before the hunger games had started. Not showing the parades that were held for the dead mentors followed by the tributes. That the hunger games were delayed due to the explosion. Showing where Lucy Grey and Jessup were when in the arena although in the book they didn't have cameras in the tunnels. The way Lucy grey won in the hunger games in the movie was not near how she won in the book. I could go on and on about all that was missed. It felt very rushed and wasn't quite as in detail as the original hunger games trilogy. At least those movies were more close to the books than this was. It was just very disappointing considering how amazing the book is. - taunotooming - 15 June 2024
A great prologue to the Hunger Games series.
I reccommend watching the original Hunger Games series before watching the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Without knowing the wider context around Coriolanus Snow, the Hunger Games and Panem, the Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes can be confusing to watch. Although it is briefly explained what the Hunger Games are and why they are anually organized and why some think they should be cancelled, for someone with no prior knowledge of the Hunger Games universe, these explanations are not enough. I think that is the main reason behind the low rating and negative reviews. It becomes just another mediocore adventure film.
I always have found the character of Coriolanus Snow fascinating and the best part of Hunger Games universe. We know him from the original series as charismatic, intelligent, authoritative, cunning and merciless president of Panem. His confrotation with Katniss Everdeen and his failure to eliminate her in one way or another is the centerpiece of the original series.
In The ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, we see young Coriolanus in his late teens or early twenties. Coriolanus is very handsome, intelligent, cunning and ambitious young man. Eager to better his and his families position through winning the annual Hunger Games with his assigned tribute from District 12, Lucy Gray Baird, he develops a bond with Lucy Gray and creates a plan to win the games. In the process, he also unintentionally develops feelings for Lucy Gray and falls for her. Blinded by his love for Lucy and his eagerness to win the games, Coriolanus breaks the rules and buts his own future and the future of his family into danger.
Lucy Gray, whos only goal is to stay alive, happily accepts Coriolanuses help and uses him to stay alive. Although she is intially open and friendly aganist Coriolanus, she later learns, that Coriolanus is ready to do everything to geat ahead and actually only loves himself, and abandons him. Coriolanus, feeling betrayed and abandoned by Lucy Cray and yet reeling for more power and success, returns to Capital and starts his career which will eventually lead to the presidency of Panem.
This film really is about Coriolanus Snow and how he develops into the man who later develops in the ruhtless president of Panem. Years later, Katniss Everdeen reminds him of Lucy Gray, only one who has ever managed to use Coriolanus for her own purposes. Focusing on eliminating Katniss, he makes the same mistake he did with Lucy Gray and ignores the real dangers.
