Almost eight years have passed since the final movie from the original Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay Part 2, was released. Last November, a movie adaptation of The Hunger Games prequel novel “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” was released. This novel, published in 2020, follows Coriolanus Snow as a young man playing a big role in the 10th annual Hunger Games- and as some may know, preparing for an even larger role as President Snow which follows in the future.

Given the popularity of the Hunger Games series, this movie was met with high expectations. While I was very familiar with the original series, I had not read the prequel novel, and had no idea of the plot of the book. Going into the movie completely oblivious, I found myself pleasantly surprised with the adaptation.

The movie begins with a flashback of one year before the very first Hunger Games-  a time called “The Dark Age”. A young boy and girl, who we come to learn are Coriolanus Snow and his older cousin Tigris, search for food in a destroyed area full of ruins. Their home country of Panem is left starving due to many years of war, with Coriolanus and Tigris forced to bring whatever scraps they can find home to feed their family. When the pair return home, Coriolanus is informed by his grandmother that his father has died, rendering him an orphan.

The movie flashes forward to Coriolanus (Tom Blyth) as a student and young adult, preparing for school. His family clearly does not have much money, as they are behind on bills and have little food to eat, while at Coriolanus’ school, he is surrounded by very wealthy peers. He keeps up an image of well-being and superiority despite his family’s low income status, and his peers suspect nothing.

Coriolanus is one of the top 24 students at his school, competing for a monetary reward called “The Plinth Prize.” While each student desires the prize for a different reason, Coriolanus desires it particularly so that his family can be supported. However, in an unexpected turn of events, it is announced that a different challenge will be implemented for the students competing for the prize. In light of the upcoming Hunger Games, each student will be tasked with mentoring a tribute from one of the country’s 12 districts. With the The Hunger Games losing popularity, it is hoped that the brilliant students can change that. The mentor whose tribute has the best performance before and during the games would be rewarded with the Prize. Coriolanus finds himself paired with a young woman called Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) from District 12. Although her chances of winning are deemed low due to District 12’s poor conditions and her lack of strength, Coriolanus immediately throws himself into his assigned mentor role, determined to win. He goes so far as to meet Lucy Gray when she is arriving at the Capital city, and sneaks into a truck so that he is thrown into a cage along with the other tributes. Lucy Gray is taken back at how intent Coriolanus is with helping her from the beginning- realizing his dedication sets him apart from the other mentors. Such begins an interesting relationship between Coriolanus and Lucy Gray, bringing out a new side of him that had not been seen before. They make an unlikely pair- a seemingly posh boy with a rural, uncivilized girl. Despite their obvious differences, they grow closer together while depending on one another for both success and survival.

Lucy Gray’s true talent is singing, and Coriolanus is determined to utilize her charm- and whatever else needed- in order to earn the Plinth prize. He promises Lucy Gray he will get her out of the games alive at all costs, and submits certain designs to Game Master Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) in order to enhance the entertainment aspect of the games. As the 10th annual Hunger Games begin, the audience is reminded of the brutality of the games, and how no mercy is exerted upon anyone. While one may expect the movie to end after the winner of the games is decided, that is truly only the beginning of Coriolanus' story. As he learns of secrets and undergoes many shocking events, his use of manipulation only grows and we clearly see the development of the man who will one day become the ruthless President Snow.

Once again, the Hunger Games secures its spot as one of the best dystopian series of all time. The gripping stakes and intensity of the games combined with the clear parallels to our current society are why this series is so intriguing, and why one can not take their eyes 0ff the screen while watching.

It was very interesting to note comparisons between this movie’s Hunger Games and the Games featured in the original movies. The style choices reflect the fact that this was an earlier time period in this dystopian world. The design of a movie is one of the most important aspects, and can mean the difference between maintaining interest or losing it. The Hunger Games was able to wonderfully blend both futuristic and archaic elements, and the development of the games is clear on screen. The ambiance of the original movies is present, but this movie also adds some much needed background information to the series.

Tom Blyth, who played Coriolanus Snow, was nothing short of fantastic. Coriolanus was written out to be a very complex character, and Blyth portrayed his emotional conflicts well. It was easy to understand how Coriolanus would eventually come to power despite his corrupt tendencies because of how charming Tom Blyth was. He was extremely convincing in all of his actions, and one is unable to take their eyes off the screen when he is the focus of a scene. President Snow is known to be a very cold, unemotional man in the original movies. While his younger self has not yet embraced this behavior, Tom Blyth still contains a similar cunning personality, and hints at cruelty that explains how this young boy would become a mass murderer.

Lucy Gray Baird is another character who was truly brought to life through her actress, Rachel Zegler. Lucy Gray is a character with a lot of personality, while also being very clever, and her musicality is a large part of her character. The music from this movie is a highlight mainly because of Zegler- who has a unique and impressive voice. Additionally, every song from her featured in the movie was sung live, which is rare for an actor to implement this strategy as it is difficult to sing songs both consistently and perfectly for many takes. Zegler was able to convey emotion through her singing beautifully, and it adds so much to Lucy Gray’s character. Overall, Zegler and Blyth had undeniable chemistry, and they are a pair I would love to see acting together again in a future film.

While the movie takes place 65 years before the time of Katniss and Peeta, a few clever references to the original trilogy are made through the movie such as the inclusion of a quote,  “it’s too early for katniss.” Additionally, familiar names appear, the ancestors of characters who performed important roles in the trilogy. Fans of the series can appreciate details such as these incorporated within the movie that hint towards what is to come in this world’s future. 

For obvious reasons, it is difficult to adapt a book into a movie perfectly. However, I felt the writer’s did an excellent job with the transition of many scenes and keeping the excitement of the games alive. At no point did I know what would happen next in the movie- I was kept on my toes the entire time.

This is a movie that has done justice to the original Hunger Games series, and I would invite all to go see it.

8/10 stars