Cinemas across the country released the long-awaited film adaptation of ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ on the 17th of November. As the book was published in 2020, many fans have been eager to finally see this new Hunger Games prequel.
The movie stars Tom Blyth (Coriolanus Snow) and Rachel Zegler (Lucy Gray Baird). Their cohesive acting and teamwork are expressed positively throughout the film to capture the viewer’s attention and bring their characters to life.
Staying loyal to the book, the film follows a young, teenage Snow and his journey with Lucy Gray Baird as they strive to stay alive and win the games. As the film centres around the antagonist of the original series, viewers are pushed into a new perspective and given an opportunity to see the original antagonist in a different light. Set more than 60 years before the time that the original series is set in, there are various notable differences. From the treatment of the tributes to the actual games itself, fans may be intrigued to see the vast contrast from the new movie to the old ones.
The visuals and cinematography of the film remain strong but what truly stands out are the songs. As viewers and fans may guess from the title of the book/film, there is a strong emphasis on singing and its impact. An important trait of Lucy Gray is her transcending singing and ability to move the crowd. The film features many engaging songs such as the ending song, ‘Can’t Catch Me Now’ sung by Olivia Rodrigo.
Whether you may be an avid, old fan or someone who has never even seen the previous movies, it is definitely a film worth seeing.
