Here’s What People Are Saying About ‘The Hunger Games’ Prequel
In the eagerly awaited prequel to ‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy, ‘The Ballad of Songbirds And Snakes,’ director Francis Lawrence takes audiences on a journey back 64 years before Katniss Everdeen became the symbol of rebellion in the dystopian world of Panem. This time, the spotlight is on the origin story of the future president, Coriolanus Snow, portrayed by Tom Blyth.
With a staggering budget of $100 million and a star-studded cast featuring Viola Davis, Rachel Zegler, and Peter Dinklage, expectations were high for this cinematic venture. However, as the first reviews roll in, it seems that the film has fallen short of the mark set by its predecessor.
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The critical response has been less than favourable, with many reviewers expressing disappointment in the film’s failure to capture the excitement and drama promised by its trailer. Some drew a comparison to the original trilogy, and remarked, “Lionsgate has rustled one up from Suzanne Collins’s 2020 prequel novel, and the vibe is very much: sorry, but this is what we had in the fridge.”
Others gave the film a scathing one-star review, and noted, “That initially fierce film series was subject to the law of diminishing returns, but they never quite diminished to zero.” It seems the magic that fuelled the success of the previous films is missing, leaving fans hungering for more.
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One common critique revolves around the plot and suspense, particularly concerning the depiction of another set of Hunger Games. Reviewers criticized the film’s decision to revisit this familiar territory, describing it as “leaden with exposition, served up via on-the-nose dialogue with the overarching themes of totalitarianism and the banality of evil.”
The cast, too, has not escaped criticism. Rachel Zegler’s southern accent as Lucy Gray Baird has been labelled as “distracting,” and Tom Blyth’s portrayal of the young Coriolanus Snow has left reviewers unconvinced. “You never feel you are watching a young Sutherland, or even a young version of the aloof, enigmatic strategist he so memorably brought to life,” said a critic.
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Despite these drawbacks, there is one shining star in the film that repeatedly receives praise from critics. Jason Schwartzman’s portrayal of Lucky Flickerman, the Games’ TV host. Some acknowledged, “For sure, Jason Schwartzman gets laughs playing the Games’ oleaginous TV host and part-time weather forecaster Lucky Flickerman.”
However, even this bright spot only seems to accentuate the overall solemnity and lack of interest in other aspects of the movie. The brief moments of comedy were described as “Jason Schwartzman’s puckish commentator has to feign excitement during the dull parts, which is funny in itself, but also a bad sign for us.”
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‘The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes’ appears to have missed the mark with major movie critics. With a plot deemed “tiring” and characters considered weak, the film seems to lack the magic that made ‘The Hunger Games’ series a cultural phenomenon. “The time to end the Games came long ago.” Despite this, director Francis Lawrence has ruled out further films unless they align with author Suzanne Collins’ original stories, leaving the future of the Hunger Games franchise uncertain.
-Britney Jones
