Review of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
After 8 years, the dystopian world of The Hunger Games has returned to the big screen with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Based on Suzanne Collins’ book with the same title that came out in May 2020, the movie takes place in the fictional world of Panem during the 10th annual Hunger Games and follows the antagonist of the previous books and movies, Coriolanus Snow, as he mentors Lucy Grey Bear, a teenage girl from district 12, who has been selected to fight in The Hunger Games.
The movie was released on November 17, 2023, and has already made 44 million dollars in the US as of November 20. The reviews for this movie have been positive with Rotten Tomatoes credits giving the movie a 61% and the audience giving it a 91%, which is the highest audience score for any of The Hunger Games’ movies. The audience score seems to be a more accurate rating for the movie, considering how phenomenal the acting, story, and world-building are throughout the movie. Each of these elements adds a more cinematic feeling and allows the audience to become more invested in the movie. However, one drawback from the movie is that some of the characters aren’t given as much depth, which can make them feel flat. But even with some characters feeling one sided, the main characters are given a lot of background and character traits that make them memorable for the audience.
Overall, this movie has reignited The Hunger Games fan-base to a new level with the movie sparking theories and introducing this franchise to a new audience. And with that, I would recommend this movie for someone that wants to watch a thrilling and dramatic movie.
By: Veronica Quintin
