“What happens in there, fueled with the terror of becoming prey, see how quickly we become predator? See how quickly civilization disappears?” -Dr. Volumnia Gaul
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, a prequel to the acclaimed movie series based on the Suzanne Collins trilogy, explores to what lengths humans will go for survival, exposing the loose threads that tenuously hold together a broken society.
In the Lionsgate film, which hit theaters on November 17, 2023, director Francis Lawrence and screenwriters Michael Arndt and Michael Lesslie craft a compelling origin story of President Snow, the nefarious tyrant whose reign over the fictional nation Panem prompts the revolution in the franchise’s original four movies. Though the content of Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes precedes the events in The first four Hunger Games films, the 2023 movie enhances the story by giving its villain both a motive and a romance. The story enables the audience to empathize with the villain without condoning his immorality.
Filmed in Berlin and southwest Poland, the movie’s visuals are reminiscent of Europe’s post-WW2 “reconstruction”. As such, it elicits themes of renewal and rebirth amidst the debris left behind by tragedy. The diverse visuals include sprawling fields and rivers mixed in with industrial elements like the slums of District 12.
The story establishes Snow’s roots as an impoverished teenager in post-war Panem who is struggling to survive. It follows the bright young man as he navigates the lavish yet shallow social atmosphere of the Capitol and his growing—and inconvenient—affection for his mentor, Lucy Gray, whom Snow’s class assignment is to guide and keep alive in the 10th annual Hunger Games.
It explores themes ranging from socioeconomic disparity to violence to love, seamlessly interweaving the three as each character is forced to reconcile their personal benefit with the greater good. The story demonstrates the perpetual feat of “staying on the right side of the line” between good and evil__ a line that proves ever so tempting to cross when the stakes of the games intensify.
Cast members Rachel Zegler (female protagonist Lucy Gray Baird), Tom Blyth (Coriolanus Snow), Hunter Schafer (Tigris Snow), Peter Dinklage (Casca Highbottom), and Viola Davis (Dr. Volumina Gall, head game-maker) dazzle the screen with compelling performances and top-notch chemistry.
Moreover, the movie showcases one of the catchiest soundtracks of the year, featuring hit artist Olivia Rodrigo and award-winning West Side Story actress and singer Rachel Zegler. The music is infused with folk traditions and a country-inspired sound, bringing both upbeat and pensive tunes to this dystopian love story.
An origin story of both notorious President Snow and the Hunger Games themselves, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes pays homage to the original quartet by featuring references to the film’s predecessors, including profound visual parallels, like the field scene at the end of Mockingjay 2 that marks a key romantic moment between doomed lovers Lucy Gray and Coriolanus. Fans also noticed an eye-catching reference to the first four movies when Lucy Gray bows in subtle defiance to the capital at the reaping ceremony, much like Katniss does after shooting her bow-in-arrow at the capitol spectators evaluating her skills in preparation for the 74th Hunger Games.
Reading the trilogy is recommended before watching the film, as some details would confuse viewers unaccustomed to Hunger Games terms and the overall structure of the dystopian society.
Overall, though geared more towards the series’ well-versed fandom, the movie’s vibrant visuals, chill-inducing soundtrack, and tragic yet profound story of an individual’s descent into evil are enjoyable to all, thanks to a talented cast and production team (and a $100 million budget).
And, despite a violent and ambiguous ending, the movie’s prevailing takeaway is one of hope: hope for the future and the triumph of good over evil, even if that means a nearly 70-year fight for justice.
