"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is a Captivating Addition to "The Hunger Games" Franchise

By Taylor Landau

Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow (left) and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird (right) in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" (photo via PEOPLE).

While I wasn’t considered press, I was invited to an advanced screening for press and preview audiences to see The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes on November 14th.

When I first heard Suzanne Collins was releasing a prequel about the most hated character in the Hunger Games franchise, I remember being a little hesitant. With Panem being such an extensive world, it felt silly to write an entire book about President Snow instead of focusing on one of the more interesting, likable characters from the trilogy. But upon reading it, I was enthralled again by Collins’ storytelling and the way she expertly crafted a story about one of the best book villain’s rise to power. The same can be said about the new movie adaptation of the novel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow (left) and Ashley Liao as Clemensia Dovecote (right) in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" (photo via GQ).

An excelling student at the Capitol’s Academy, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) seeks to win the coveted Plinth Prize to fund his college education. In order to do that, he must successfully mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), the District 12 tribute in The 10th Annual Hunger Games, while also helping head gamemaker Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) entice audiences to keep watching. Caught between helping Lucy Gray for his own gain and the growing feelings he has for her, Coriolanus must navigate the trials and tribulations of the world of Panem in order to get what he wants. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes shows not only how the Games become what they are in the original trilogy, but also President Snow’s deep descent into power-hungry madness.

To start, Blyth and Zegler are a powerhouse leading duo that propels the film forward. Blyth plays each part of Snow’s life masterfully, dubbing him both a sympathetic hero and a crazed villain when the story calls for it. His transformation from a poor Capitol boy to the villainous President Snow is so perfectly portrayed, which I believe is a testament both to the writing of the original story and Blyth’s acting chops. He makes it so easy to root for Snow, which leaves the audience with a moral dilemma knowing what he later becomes.

Zegler holds her own with her captivating performance as Lucy Gray, the only fault being her sometimes questionable southern accent. Her emotionally raw portrayal of the Covey singer-turned-tribute is enthralling, and the role shows off her impressive acting range. Especially up against Jennifer Lawrence as the iconic Katniss Everdeen, Zegler makes a case for being a fantastic franchise lead. Both leads have lots of nuance to their characters, which adds so much to an already packed story.

Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird (photo via Brit + Co).

Frankly, the casting for the entire film was spot on. Davis plays a wicked Dr. Gaul and makes for the perfect villain. Peter Dinklage as the jaded Dean Highbottom is nothing less than stellar. Hunter Schafer and Josh Andrés Rivera as Tigris and Sejanus respectively are great as their sympathetic characters, and the audience can’t help but laugh at Jason Schwartzman as the sickeningly funny Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman (though it admittedly feels a little strange to be laughing during a Hunger Games film). Honestly, Schwartzman's casting was so spot on I was sitting in the theater trying to figure out if he was actually Stanley Tucci (who played Caesar Flickerman in the original movies) wearing a lot of prosthetic makeup.

Coriolanus and Lucy Gray’s relationship is at the forefront of what makes the film so compelling. With two talented actors, it feels like a game of cat and mouse (or songbirds and snakes, I guess) as they both try to understand their relationship to each other. Their dynamic is so interesting to watch through the lens of a love story, but it’s even more entertaining when you realize that they both have intentions that may not be as pure as they let on.

Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow (left) and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird (right) in "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" (photo via Bleeding Cool).

The film has everything needed to make a great installment to the Hunger Games franchise, but the third act loses a lot of steam in comparison to the beginning. The first two parts are action packed and suspenseful. Part three, however, shifts tonally and loses some of the drive of the first two acts. It makes sense narratively (and I’m overjoyed that they didn’t split the film into two installments like they did with Mockingjay), but it doesn’t entirely fit with the rest of the movie. There's a weird balance where the third act is too slow in terms of the action, but it also rushes to wrap everything up and conclude the film. The third act also introduces some elements to Coriolanus and Lucy Gray's relationship that would've been smart to include earlier on for a more satisfying conclusion.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes harkens back (forward?) to the original trilogy several times, both with direct references and general theming. With several explicit connections to elements of the main story, it's easy to see how the prequel fits into the universe; it doesn't feel out of place in the world of Panem. Similarly, the prequel film shares several themes with the trilogy, like love, loss, power, and the perseverance/downfall of humanity.

For book fans, the film stays mostly true to the novel. The only downfall of this is that there's a lot of singing (and I mean a lot) just like in the book. A few things are changed here and there, but all the main plot points from the novel are adapted the way they should be. A few of the changes I actually prefer to the book. Some of them add more substance to the characters while others seek to reflect the question Gaul asks at the beginning of the film, “What are the Hunger Games for?”

Overall, with compelling performances and a faithful book adaptation, fans of the series are sure to love the newest Hunger Games installment, even if it’s about the most evil character in the franchise. Beautifully shot and deeply captivating, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will keep audiences on the edge of their seats until the final scene.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes releases on November 17th in the United States.