article by vivian renkey
If you’re a Hunger Games fan like me, you have been patiently awaiting Nov. 17– the release date for “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” the newest Hunger Games prequel movie. When I heard the film centered around the young Coriolanus Snow and the birth of the Hunger Games, I was beyond excited. I was eager to learn more about the backstory of the tyrannical President Snow having read The Hunger Games series as a kid. Still a part of me was nervous for the movie’s release. After four amazing movies I thought it would be hard to create a prequel that lived up to the original movies. Many franchises have been tarnished by prequels and sequels… would The Hunger Games follow this trend?
I left the movie theater Thursday pleasantly surprised. While I wouldn’t give Songbirds and Snakes a five-star review, the film told an engaging yet dark story that draws in its viewer with a shocking portrayal of what the games used to be like. We also learn about Snow’s relationship with Lucy Gray, a District 12 tribute who bears an eerie resemblance to our hero half a century later, Katniss Everdeen.
Songbirds and Snakes takes place during the 10th annual Hunger Games–but these games are not like the ones we know from Suzanne Collins’ original trilogy. Instead of a thrilling fight to the death with memorable tributes and thrilling twists the early games were short and unvarnished. The tributes were dirty, ill, malnourished and often on death’s doorstep. The games themselves took place in an ugly, barren gladiator-style arena. The spectacle was not drawing in a large audience and gamemaker Volumnia Gaul, played by Viola Davis, was desperate to improve her poorly funded show.
This is where Coriolanus Snow, played by Tom Blurth, comes in. The 18-year-old Snow, a top-performing student from a once-powerful but now-struggling family, is looking for a way to afford college tuition. His only hope is to win the Plinth Prize, a newly created award that would pay for his way.
Members of Snow’s school are assigned to mentor a Hunger Games tribute and whichever mentor most effectively coaches their tribute will be awarded the Plinth Prize. To Snow’s dismay, he is assigned Lucy Gray, played by Rachel Zegler, from District 12 who is regarded as one of the lowest-performing districts in the Games. However Gray surprises him not only with her rebellious spirit and charming wit, but also with her amazing ability to sing. He realizes that even if Gray isn’t strong enough to be the victor of the Games, he could still win the Plinth Prize by making her an audience favorite.
The stark differences between the 10th and the 74th Hunger Games is what I think makes this movie so memorable. The Caesar Flickerman interviews, the Tributes Parade, the Training Center, the luxurious capitol trains and the eccentric stylists are all absent, but throughout Songbirds and Snakes, Snow begins to plant the seeds that blossom into the brutal and thrilling Hunger Games of the future.
The movie is strengthened by the complex relationship between Lucy and Coriolanus. A poor District 12 girl and the son of a military general are an unlikely pair–but their friendship develops into romance as the two teens struggle through their conflicting feelings and desires. In particular, Zegler’s portrayal as the feisty Lucy is truly what gives life to Songbirds and Snakes. Her musical talent combined with her ability to rally the Districts makes her a lovable heroine.
However the movie still was not perfect. At times, Songbirds and Snakes’ story felt choppy and rushed. Director Francis Lawrence’s attempt to pack a 500-page novel into 158 minutes wasn’t completely successful and there were times I noticed a lack of information or background. Snow’s transformation from an ambitious young student to an unhinged murderer seemed abrupt and underdeveloped. As someone who grew up loving The Hunger Games, my focus wasn’t on the technical flaws of the film. I came into the theater wanting to learn more about President Snow’s early life and his impact on the Games, and Songbirds and Snakes tells this story in a harrowing manner that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.