Not since the aspect ratio change during the dramatic unveiling of the arena in Catching Fire (2013) has a film in The Hunger Games (2012-2023) franchise elicited as many genuine thrills and conversations about the nature of spectacle and entertainment as The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023).

A prequel following the release of Mockingjay — Part 2 (2015) always seemed inevitable with the overarching success of the franchise in the craze of YA. Even for those of us who excitedly read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes when it hit shelves in 2020, though, there was doubt that a film adaptation could successfully capture such a dense and packed story. Leave it up to returning director Francis Lawrence to do so in style.

Taking place 64 years before the events of the first film, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes follows the rise of eventual series villain Cornelius Snow (Tom Blyth), who must train the District 12 tribute, Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), for the 10th annual Hunger Games. This year, Snow and his fellow top-ranked academy classmates are entrusted by the creator of the Hunger Games, Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage), and Head Gamemaker Dr. Gaul (Viola Davis), to regain district-wide interest in watching The Hunger Games. As Snow falls head-over-heels for Lucy, he finds himself shaping the future of the games and setting up his legacy as Panem’s future ruler.

Taking into consideration the Hunger Games franchise as a whole, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes falls somewhere in between the ruthlessness of the original installment and the political themes explored in the Mockingjay films. With a knack for expanding this dystopian landscape in exciting new directions, Lawrence has created an impressive and thought-provoking story about how tyrannical leaders are bred and shaped into place.

It cannot be overstated how perfect the casting is, most notably Davis’ turn as the conniving screen presence found in Dr. Gaul. While Highbottom is credited for starting the games in the first place, it’s clear that Dr. Gaul is truly in charge of the whole operation. Her diabolical laughter is one of the many haunting parts of this story, and every scene with her is deliciously enticing as she chews up each and every line.

As the sly up-and-coming leader, Blyth portrays a young Snow with a kind of complexity and intrigue that makes him utterly captivating to watch. Whereas the novel was able to use Snow’s narration to show his growing obsession for  Lucy, Blyth portrays the same kind of lust via his squirming facial expressions and contradictory conversations. The charming and charismatic parts of his performance are key to unlocking Snow’s ability to manipulate to get ahead.

Hunter Schafer’s turn as Snow’s cousin, Tigris, brings a necessary bright light to the film. Jason Schwartzman brings great, unexpected comedic relief as the amateur magician and anchor Lucky Flickerman. The other biggest standout, though, has to be Zegler, whose live singing brings a heavenly star quality. 

Lucy and Snow’s relationship is fascinating, as both understand the power of performance in getting people on their side. Lucy’s upbringing as a musician in The Coven, traveling from district to district and performing all over Panem, is crucial in how she sees the potential good in everybody she meets. The two characters serve as distinct foils to each other despite their growing connection, especially as Snow’s true loyalty comes into question.

From a visual standpoint, this is one of the most impressive-looking films in the entire franchise. Lawrence uses wide lenses and long takes that bring the elaborate sets and costumes to life. This is most notably seen in the scenes within the arena.

This time, there are no trained leaders or careers as the later Hunger Games saw, only a group of starving and scared kids lazily thrown together into a truck. There is no elaborate arena — simply an abandoned scrap from the previous war. Through this setting, Lawrence strips the games themselves to their bare bones and, in the process of doing so, makes for an even more intense and chilling viewing experience.

Another of the most striking framing choices is the way Lawrence films many of the conversations between Lucy and Snow, often making them look like they are in two different rooms despite being right beside each other. One key moment comes early on when Snow visits Lucy, where she and the rest of the tributes are locked up like animals in a zoo. The bars not only represent the contrasting sectors of society that have brought the two together but literally separate them into two frames.

With such an ambitious story, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes does falter at times with pacing. While the first two sections move at a fairly solid pace, the third part (titled “The Peacekeeper”) feels the most hurried despite featuring the most significant change in Snow’s relationship with both Lucy and Sejanus (Josh Andrés Rivera). Even with a long runtime of 158 minutes, the film could have been longer to allow the most crucial turning points in the story to have a greater impact. Some detractors have suggested that the film be split into two different films entirely, which would’ve just dragged the story out too thin.

Through this prequel, Lawrence builds on the visual language previously established in the series to tell a unique story that gives insight into how The Hunger Games became the demented fixture of betting and amusement in The Capitol. While the film falls just slightly short of fully capturing the arc of Snow and Lucy’s relationship, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes makes for another worthwhile chapter to the ever-growing Hunger Games canon. It almost lands on top.

Review Courtesy of Matt Minton

Feature Image Credit to Lionsgate via IMDb