Could This Bring Back YA Fantasy? 

After eight years, the Hunger Games made a cinematic comeback with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Nov.17.  

Serving as a prequel to the story from the original films, it delves into the early life and backstory of Coriolanus Snow, the series’ antagonist, showing us how he became the man we know him to be from the original trilogy. 

As with any book-to-movie adaptation, there was a mix of anticipation and anxiety among fans on how well they would translate the events from page to screen.  

The highlight of the film is no doubt Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird, the District 12 tribute.  

Blyth’s portrayal offers a glimpse into Snow’s manipulative and twisted psyche, all without the need for inner monologue. And Zegler embodies the notion that her character is a performer in a hunt, which is what separates her from Katniss Everdeen and her musical background effortlessly brings her character’s singing talents from the book to the screen as she is singing live on set. 

The supporting cast was stellar as well with Hunter Schafer (Tigris Snow) as Coriolanus’s cousin, Viola Davis (Dr.Volumnia Gaul) a very imposing figure in Snow’s life, and Josh Andrés Rivera (Sejanus Plinth) as Snow’s only true comrade. 

The film does a fascinating job of portraying the evolution of the Hunger Games from their brutal, primitive origins to a more theatrical format. It vividly brings to life the city of Panem, by using practical sets and minimal CGI. 

Costume design is also a highlight as the main cast, as expected from The Hunger Games, are dressed Interestingly, with the bright red colours on Coriolanus’s uniform and the rainbow dress Lucy Grey wears, heavily contrasting against the bleak reality of the games and the world that they are living in. 

By its very nature, the film being a prequel makes it accessible to newcomers, requiring little context from the earlier movies, while still offering intriguing insights into the psychology of the series main antagonist for existing fans.  

Some fans of the books expressed disappointment at the lack of Snow’s inner monologues, which added depth to his character. The film instead leaves much to audience interpretation, especially regarding the dynamics between Snow and Lucy, giving each individual audience member a chance to form their own impression. 

The ending scene has sparked some confusion, as not much was explained regarding what was happening or why it was happening, leaving a bit of an open end regarding the faith of a major character.  

The last shot of the film shows a fully transformed Coriolanus Snow, from a young boy into the tyrannical leader that fans of the series have come to know, perfectly setting up the context for what we see in the original trilogy.  

The film is a good introduction to newcomers to the franchise and a lovely treat to fans of the original who’ve been waiting eight years for something new.